Who is fooling whom in Dr. Machar’s apology to Bor Community? BY: Mading Manyok Ajak, SOUTH SUDAN
The news that Dr.Riek Machar Teny, the current Vice President of the Republic of South Sudan has apologized to Bor community in Juba in August 2011, for atrocities committed by his faction of South Sudan’s Independence Moment/Army (SSIM/A) in Bor between year 1991-3, spread to different parts of the world like a wild bush fire. The news was received with mixed reactions from different people of different walks of life, some commented in full support of the Vice President (VP) Dr. Riek’s decision to apologize. Other commentators blamed the VP for having apologized too fast; even when the independence of Southern Sudan which his Movement wanted to achieve has actually been realized. So, why did the VP apologized to Bor Community when the cardinal goal of SSIM/A has been achieved? Before coming to the point of discussion, I would like to seize this moment to inform my reader(s) that the intention of this article is not to blame or support the VP in his decision of having apologized to Bor community in Juba, but to give an analytical perspective on what could have pushed the Vice President Dr.Riek Machar Teny to apologize in such a rush to Bor community in August, and again in Juba. In dealing with this stated topic, I would be very much grateful to quote the words of our Africa renowned writer, Dr. Chinua Achibe, who one time said, and I quote, "If you see a toad jumping into a hot sun, just know that something is after its life.” I couldn’t believe my eyes when I read the VP’s apology to Bor Community and the reactions from both sides of Bor and the Nuer community. The reactions actually reflected the levels of patriotism, education and tribal affiliations that exist amongst our people. The comments were balanced; some were in favor of VP and others were in disagreement as I said, which was quite normal in a democratic society, in my view. I really sympathized with some of the respondents when they expressed their lack of understanding of what the VP Dr. Riek Machar and his Bor camp of politicians are up to. I would want again to quote our late SPLM/A leader Dr. John Garang who one time said that common sense logically dictates some answers and questions. With this, I would like to request my reader (s) again, to ask themselves as to why the VP hurriedly chose to apologize to Bor community in Juba ? Dear reader(s), allow me to inform you that the VP’s apology wasn’t an apology in its real sense but a poorly configured political move by the VP's political camps within the group itself aimed at achieving some urgent political gains. You should ask yourself this question again: Is the Vice President Dr Riek Machar Teny, the only politician in Southern Sudan who committed crimes both during the war and even now? I believe there are many more South Sudanese politicians out there who might have even committed nastier crimes than Dr. Riek Machar. The crimes committed may range from crimes against humanity, financial thuggery, political and social dishonesty among others. Then, the next question is, why haven’t the rest of the culprits apologized for their responsibilities over such crimes? This should again tell you the reader(s) that the VP’s apology was not designed in congruence with international frameworks of peace and reconciliation but was intended as mere political tactic by Dr.Riek’s_ Bor Political camp as a way of boosting their lobbying campaign for political positions in the Government. I would like to remind the reader(s) again about one Citizen Newspaper issue of July 2011, which reported that our top politicians have now gone to an extent of visiting witchdoctors and “ jujus” in Juba in order to retain their current positions or champion new appointments from the Head of state. The Vice President, Dr. Riek Machar Teny’s apology to Bor community in August 2011 in Juba cannot be viewed in isolation to such desperate attempts always made by some politicians to secure their food. In my view, the VP was deliberately pushed to apologize by some Bor community lobby groups who wanted to send a strong message to President Salva Kiir Mayardit, that they would leave the Dinka political camp should the President fail to consider them in the new Government. The Bor_ Dr. Riek’s Political camp would want to informally initiate a political force within the SPLM in the name of GREATER UPPER NILE POLITICAL ALLIANCE (GUPA); as a way of dealing with rivalry camps in the SPLM. If such a political alliance comes into being with Dr. Riek Machar, Dr.Lam Akol and other political heavyweights on board, this alliance would even be far much stronger than President Kiir’s current: DINKA, NUER AND EQUATORIAN POLITICAL ALLIANCE. The new alliance would be a major threat to Kiir’s camp. It is not surprising therefore to note that the two camps are aware of this. The move is a clear strategy to force President Kiir to ignore appointments of Bor _ Greater Upper Nile’s members who are currently in President Kiir’s camp, and who have out beaten Dr. Riek’s political camp’s new members. The President might desperately appoint some few members from the other camp to strengthen his position and this is one of the reasons as to why Dr. Machar had to apologize to Bor Community in Juba and in August 2011. It is worth mentioning that Dr. Riek’s Bor lobby group does not want to appear in the eyes of Bor community as the initiators of this reconciliatory initiative as it would backfire on them, both politically and culturally. The Bor lobby group would have been seen as having compromised the ideal values of Bor community which are rather intrinsic than what is usually seen publicly. The initiators knew this fact and none of them could fully come out to claim that credit of peace and reconciliation between Nuer and the Dinka Bor communities. In fact, it would be tantamount to getting one’s self into Bor community’s political and cultural bad records; hence, the group used the Vice President as a tool to protect them from community insults and at the same time, secure their appointments into Government’s positions. On the other hand, the Vice President, Riek Machar Teny, in his attempt to advance his political ambition in becoming one of the top leaders of Greater Upper Nile in particular and RSS in general, at least after President Kiir’s reign, got the Bor Lobbyists’ group message as an opportunity which he could exploit to achieve his political ambitions, but he knows that the group is only after some short gains. The Bor community people should therefore ask themselves this simple question: Why did Machar refuse to apologize to Bor Community in Panyagoor, when he was asked to do so in Panyagoor in the presence of the Late SPLA/M leader Garang? This tells you how the man is currently desperately looking for alliances now then ever. The event that led to Machar's apology must have been one of the rare occasions where Machar Teny could freely address a community function among the Bor People! Any Bor member would wonder how this came about? Having enjoyed a huge support from Nuer Community, Greater Equatoria and some displaced Dinka politicians all over the South, the Vice President would want to color his political camp with at least some Dinkas from his Greater Upper Nile Region to give him a political national advantage. After all, the President has already divided the Nuer community politicians into two: those in Kiir’s political camp and those with the VP. Rumor even has it that some Nuer politicians are closer to President Kiir in his political Camp than those from Dinka Warrap itself. In this article, I will not be able to exactly tell where our current political orphans belong to as they all seem to be struggling to find themselves between the two camps. So, for those who rushed into blaming the VP for having apologized to Bor community in Juba, you did not get him right, the big man would want to emulate his boss in this popular policy of POLITICAL CAMPING IN SOUTHERN SUDAN, as a way of strengthening his current position as well as laying down some ground works for his political future. Please wait and see guys, the VP knows what he is actually doing, so, “MATA LOMU ZOL KEBIIR FI CHOKOL’. The truth of the matter is that Machar Teny seems to be planting his political seeds on a hard rock where they will hardly germinate! By choosing to deal with job seekers in the name of Bor community leaders, Machar is committing another political suicide which will make him unpopular among Bor, Nuer and Southern Sudanese communities. He shouldn’t allow himself to be misled by people who do not represent the entire Bor community but themselves. I think, the VP knows this but would like to please his political future allies with what they badly need now. You know, a friend in need is a friend in deed, they say. In my view, the vice President, in his capacity, would have been patient enough to initiate a credible national reconciliation and healing process which would have met international standards, instead of dealing with political hawkers. By the way, the South Sudanese communities would finally reconcile with or without Machar and his Bor group of political job seekers’ intervention, so, what was the rush for an apology apart from the political deadlines? At least at the moment, Machar and the group won’t succeed fully in attaining their intentions because it has been done in a rush hour. Again, the head of state knows well the characters of Bor politicians who are now camping with the VP because of their political despair and as a result, President Kiir will not be frightened to appoint any politician from Machar Camp, simply for having been to a new camp. So, guys, relax! In conclusion, one might be attempted to think that the future of Bor -Machar reconciliation alliance will be very much critical and debatable after the announcement of the next cabinet. However, given the fact that the architects seem to be all veteran politicians, one would again not risk jumping in a conclusion but jus wait and wonder: WHO IS REALLY FOOLING WHOM IN Dr. Machar's apology to Bor Community? Mr. Mading Manyok Ajak, Reached at [email protected] COMMENTS, PLEASE CLICK HERE Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author(s) and do not represent those of the website. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "JFD info" group. 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