While you are reading my opinion, you will now know that our struggle continues. Please keep it in mind that you need to ask yourself with the following questions, is the history of South Sudan really starts in 1983? If you think so, then what about Azande and Nuer resistant to the British, What about 1947 Juba conference, What about 1955 Torit Revolt, first armed resistance in South Sudan and what about 1972 Addis Ababa peace Agreement and many more similar to the said?
Unity of the people, Unity, is the state of forming a complete and harmonious whole, a country that has a government led by a provider to the community for the common good of the community and for the community. For the better or for the worse, the SPLM/A is good at preaching for war, a country born without nationalism, the Republic of South Sudan, RSSHowever, our current government has only been crying without tear about nationalism and national unity in South Sudan. Since the formation of SPLM/A, the preachers of the movement are always been the history grabbing, forcing people to speak their senseless minded that will only make the matter worse and force people to declare war against them.
For those of you who cry and singing every day, “we shall have a national unity” first, I want to remind you that in the world history book, it has not been written down anywhere in the history that there has been a country born without nationalism. However, this is the case for South Sudan. Around the world, we have seen many countries gaining their independent from colonies during 1940s to 70s with only one objective and that is nationalism, the sovereignty own by the people and for the common good of the people and for the people.
Instead, for the last 30 years, the strategies for the SPLM/A has been a quest to change the history of over 100 years to that of destruction of the last of 30 years. By doing so, the SPLM/A introduce that aimless strategies that favoring only the SPLM/A. Neither the people of South Sudan nor the earlier fighters who were favouring a separate South Sudan from the North such as those of Anyanya 1 and two. Please stop and give the history where it is belonging, people will get along. Although conversely, there is no record to suggest that none of the countries gained their independent without objective. The basic strategy for SPLA/M could have been a common good for the people of South Sudan
At that juncture, the question always has been, why the SPLM/A always fight for itself and not for the people of South Sudan that they claims to be liberated? To answer this question, I will simply emphasize that the issue of 1983 kill the very simple idea of nationalism in South Sudan; that particular case of 1983 destroyed our chances during our struggled and continues destroy our country today. This is because the people who are favourite 1983 are trying to completely erasing the overall past events and the real history of South Sudan.
Historically, the Southern struggled started way back to 1800s against colonies’ era, countless events took places in South Sudan and are hardly to be erased. Every time SPLM/A try to erase our history they are always greet by bullets and they will continue will be greeting by bullets. Many people in South Sudan will share this view with opinion and agree that the history of our nation is oldest than all human being living in our country. At this point, I want to acknowledge that I am neither a historian nor an expert on this particular issue. However, imagine a country like South Sudan erasing off its history altogether for the favouring of few. Would you wallow that whether you are a historian or an ordinary citizen? For that reason, people like me could not swallow such an ignorance. To prove my point, in case you were busy listening those lies in Juba, I want to make it absolutely clear to you that the history of our country is longer than you might thought, wake up here.
First, let me refresh your mind here about history of our struggles. History tells us that in 1822, North Sudan falls under Turko-Egyptian rule. At that time, Mohamed Ali of Turkey wanted Negro slaves to strengthen his army and abortive attempts to extend rule over South Sudan. However, he was unsuccessful and in 1839, Captain Salim infiltrates the Sudd, reaches Gondokoro near Juba follow by started of slave raids by European merchants and their armed Arab servants. Throughout those years, in fact over 70 years, there were atrocities against Southerners by the Northerners and the European colonies. In which, in 1901, the Nuer and Azande wage armed resistance against colonial rule, killing British officers and soldiers and the Governor of Bahr el Ghazal. A year later, in 1902, three southern provinces and six northern treated as separate and distinct were signed. Almost thirty years (30) later, in 1930 a Declaration of South Sudan Policy and therefore, South Sudan as culturally and racially distinct and would eventually develop as a separate territorial and political entity or be integrated into the British East Africa. Then, in 1940, was a year that a complete elimination of Arab and Muslims influence in South Sudan.
As you can see above, you would automatically realize that the struggle of the South Sudanese is longer than the history itself. As a rational being, you should immediately disqualify those nonsense and OYEE being presented on SSTV every day. For those of you who understood history clearly, you might understand what I am trying to convey here and will help other to understand what being called a history in a making. You will educate and inform our people that, the struggle continues even in the hand of SPLM/A, A movement without nationalism and led by the people who have no reasonable grounds for doing so. One thing we had been learning and continues to able to learn is that there are two ways for a country to be made inclusively; firstly, a country is made by and from the top either to the bottom or secondly, from the bottom to the top. What that mean is, when a revolution or uprising is either start by the military who are coincide with their citizens or by citizens who might then join by the military. As we know from the beginning of SPLM/A, it is not the case that the SPLM/A have either the said strategy or ideology of the past-history or make its own inclusive South. The SPLM/A was made up on a consensus of the few who have no agenda for all.
In this case, however, I am well aware that some people within South Sudanese communities, who might have the same interest as those of SPLM/A might try to dispute my claims here. Nevertheless, history tells us that, a history its self cannot be make up nor `be erased. Therefore, to narrow down my point here, I am witnessing a country without nationalism then when only then will end up breaking itself up in to pieces and or will try to claims its nationalism by declaring war against itself. As young man in the 1980s, I have this mind-set that the People Liberation Movement army (SPLM/A) got it wrong, the movement in my humble opinion does not have the presupposed, the cause of its reason for taking arms against the Republic of Sudan.
Keep it in mind that in any guerrilla’s moment, there are always some disadvantages during struggle. However, the question always comes back to me as to why the SPLM/A always get it wrong at all-time? Every time that we have an opportunity to come together as the people of South Sudan, then the SPLM/A will get it wrong and destroy that for their selfishness. SPLM/A missed all chances and has never been able to grasp the attention of the people of South Sudan even right from the formation. Repeatedly, we have seen many people are questioning the integrity, honesty, and inclusiveness of SPLM/A’s strategies over the years. In which led many to defecting, splits, and rebellions within the SPLM/A starting by Samuel Gai Tut and Kuot Atem Mayian right from the beginning follow by countless rebellions.
At that time, as a young man I was told that people like Both Diu, Joseph Lagu, Peter Gatkuoth Gual and Samuel Gai Tut among other are separatist and they want South Sudan independent. Then, the period of 1986 to 1990 when the SPLM/A was on the moved, the sound of gun can be heard almost every day with the Sudan army force. The SPLA presents was immediately begun worsening, women are being rapped, young boys were force to join the movement and the SPLM/A grabbed almost anything they can get, such as the livestock for food. Then, the oxen and goats were important in South Sudan, if anyone took of your either goats or cows, that person would automatically become your enemy and SPLM/A were aware of that too. At that time however, watching SPLM/A over the years doing all those to the very people they want to liberate make me wonder. I start asking myself, if the SPLM/A went to bush because of marginalization by the North, than what is the different, I asked myself? My sense tell me more about the SPLM/A and that is, this SPLM/A movement is not a national movement but a self interest groups who want to promoted themselves for their own benefit.
Over the years, I have been watching SPLM/A and tried to understand their main goal but every attempted, I failed. However, until I joined the school of thought, some might ask what that is; some will automatically realize that I am talking about the philosophy, and that is finding wisdom. I look back trying to understand why my sense then who told me since 1980s that SPLM/A is not fighting for the South Sudanese national interest at all. Well, it should be very clear now that 8 years after, a government in South Sudan led by SPLM/A, have seen the same thing, many rebellions, splits and tortures and intimidation by the organs of the SPLM/A such as Police, secret services agencies and the SPLA itself.
I believe no one will dispute this since all police are formers SPLA/M and all security agencies are all formers SPLA/M. SPLM/A missed the opportunity again as has been the case in the past. For those of you who are the defenders of SPLM/A, and who might disagree with my claims that the SPLM/A missed many opportunity. Well, here is what I meant, in 1983, SPLM/A failed to carrying the separatist ideologies making them an enemy to formers of Anyanyas, again in 1990s during split of Dr Lam Akol and Dr Riek. The 2002 agreement between Dr Riek and Dr John Garang follow by 2005 CPA. Also, the issue of 2011 when SPLM/A missed another opportunity by not changing it strategy and allowing the name SPLM/A to still exist in South Sudan. All these were absolute chances for the SPLM/A. However, they always decide not to take those chances.
Conclusion and some offer to end that endless game
Consider this as an opinion; I think these situation need two simple solutions
· First, South Sudan needs rationalists, according to rationalist’s definition; meaning practicing or principle of basing opinions and actions on reason and knowledge rather than on belief or emotional response. We need those sorts of people who will reason rather than singing along with wrong ideologies of the OYEEE societies. We need people whowill speak out directly from their own mind and educate our people about our past. By doing so, they must define what the struggle is, who involved, and who does what and for what period? In this case, people will be able to determine by themselves as to who will be honoured as a hero during struggles.
· Or if the current government wants to take responsibilities as a government, then they should allow the consensus of the people of South Sudan. Government should change the name of SPLA to some South Sudanese sound like and leave the people alone to decide how their political view should be. Stop harassing people by appointing people who are not represented their interest therefore, someone who representing them not appointee who will only represent in favour of appointer will lead people.
In this case, people will feel be free and involves in decision making and will be able to be a good produce for the country
Gatluke Chuol Reat
l.chuol@yahoo.com