Archive for: May 2015

No more five years for Mr. Kiir’s regime needed!

May. 21 National, Uncategorized 6 comments

By: Ayiik De Choldit, Victoria, AUSTRALIA, MAY/21/2015, SSN;

Enough is enough, Kiir regime has looted the Country for ten years and as South Sudanese people, we know they have failed to deliver the services such as welfare, security and cohesion to the citizens. They have turned down Garang’s plans and made their own interest paramount.

‘TAKE TOWNS TO PEOPLE’ as take services to the rural areas as it’s been planned by Dr John. They are many to talk about it because the plan is now taking away resources from the people. It was reported that Mr. Kiir will be in power until 2018 or beyond and then retires, that compromise though understandable is overtaken by what appears to have Mr. Kiir firmly in the State House forever.

Something furtive behind the extension of presidential term as it been passed by national assembly for more three years plus another secret two years because Mr. President wants more years not to build the Nation but to make his own coinage.

All the events tell us something closer to that plan because there are some occasions that show us the interest of the citizens that Mr Kiir is better than Dr Riek but not better though. It is a question to all viewers, what does it mean to our people if Gen. Kiir goes beyond that period? How will South Sudan will be in the next three to five years with Kiir’s regime?

The leaders of their own pockets will be much farther from Communities and only drafting up the policies of their richness. Gen.Kiir’s supporters must be mindful about the feelings of others. No one hates the personality of Gen. Kiir but an unqualified driver should not be always behind the steering wheel.

President Kiir was not a good driver since 2005 but he was guided by the CPA documents how to push the nation to this stage of blind spot.

The South Sudanese people should think where they are going, it is now unknown direction. We have to air-out our feelings as citizens of the Republic of South Sudan that the regime has lost its control for the nation and the authority has eaten their sincerity.

Gen. Kiir, you already took our acknowledgement as you are Joshua after Moses death, but the citizens want you to retire peacefully and allow us to give the chance to the other new faces.

Corruption and tribalism would be left there as history because our next President will not be corrupt or tribalized. He will be a reachable president and he shall be closer to his people. South Sudan as Nation will be shiny by fine touch of our beloved President H.E Gen. Pagan Amum Okeech Nyibil.

H.E Gen. Pagan will lead our Country as our next president and he will fulfil our needs as the Visionary leader. Our government under the leadership of Mr Amum will be the best government in terms of management and deliver the services to the citizens.

Please Gen. Kiir, Please Dr. Kiir, please President Kiir, go home in peace! (GHIP).

Your name and your place will be there respected as one of the Nation founders. God will bless you for the next few years to come while relaxing at your palace; you will be honoured like others as our hero. We have some individuals who are beneficiaries of Gen. Kiir’s power, in fact those who are busy selling Gen. Kiir’s name for re-election offer.

They are there to kill the others unless the situation should remain that way. Some of them are right there for reading and they have already froth and frown against everyone who question the status quo under President Kiir leadership.

For sure Gen. Kiir wasted no time either because he had taken advantage of 15 December bloody month. Those of two SPLM members don’t have hope for coming back after elections, If people have heard them they make a good move in August house as MPs because they would be staying in the parliament for their own benefits.

South Sudanese (Junupbian), look at the progress of the peace talks between SPLM in Juba vs. SPLM in Opposition and the mediators or IGAD. Some of the government officials are just telling the false information about the peace talks that shows we are not together.

Everyone knows very well Gen. Kiir is the historical leader who brought down the Sudanese flag in 2011 and raised the South Sudanese flag at the same time, we knew him, he is the one! People of South Sudan are waiting to Mr vice President to do some jobs for SPLM members yet Mr Vice President has done nothing but he talks about his own stories.

I want to tell South Sudanese that Mr Wani is just a comedian not a leader. People need to know that Mr Igga is just likes to talk about funny things that could not change anything ever, either in the party or in the government which they lead.

I have no doubt that Mr Wani is a good follower and comedian as well. Let’s go to work after fun. Gen. Igga, it’s your turn to make some changes that’re needed and let it be that big. Start your work within your party to unite members. We don’t need your party to take war as party choice when the time of elections is about to come.

It is not bad if the party can change its policies to let old folks of the SPLM get rest or go home and give chances to the young Stars of the party, people like, Gen. Nhial, Gen. Amum, Gen. Oyai, Gen. Mamur, Gen. Oath, Gen. Bior, and Gen. Pieng. Dr. Majak, Gen. Cirilo, Gen. Aloor, Gen. Wilson, Gen. Malong, Gen. Gier, Gen. Malual, Gen. Ajongo, Gen. Malual Ayom, Gen. Malual Majok, Gen. Chol, Gen. Jok and more generals.

Those guys are always together even at this time they are good to themselves, although some of them were not arrested during the chicken war. Just wait 2020 to see when the tiger retires, only one of them will run for presidency and the rest will be a supporters to him/her as their party’s flag bearer.

It is good for the South Sudanese to blame the government or those who are in power, GOSS officials and the SPLM members as ruling party for failing the Country and it could be changed if the ruling goes against us. “Lead to peace and not to useless war”

By Ayiik De Choldit.
You can reach the author @ email. Jacobchol81@yahoo.com.au
The author is the Student from Victoria University
(Bachelor of Criminal Justice Administration).

Vetting and Verification (V&V) Should Always be Upheld with Pious Passion

May. 21 Featured, Uncategorized 15 comments

BY: Kuir ë Garang, Author, Canada, May/21/2015, SSN;

When President Kiir fired his entire cabinet and appointed a new one in July of 2013, many of us thought it was the advent of a new era of accountability. Sadly, as the subsequent series of events would prove, it was actually the advent of a gloomy era of serious flood of errors.

Even for some of us who knew that Mr. Kiir was already an incapable leader as early as 2005, we didn’t know his incompetence would be this destructive and eternally damning.

As he metaphorically and fatefully said when he assumed power after the demise of late Garang, the country is running with no ‘reverse gear.’ So it is easy to see why there is no stop to killings, meaningless decrees, economic deterioration, and political intimidation.

But when the cabinet was initially named, a semblance of a democratic process was exercised with a nominal ‘vetting’ of the ministers. There was even a rejection of one of the president’s nominees.

South Sudanese therefore thought the dawn of democracy was in the air. However, the acrimonious vetting process of Telar Ring Deng for Justice Minister soon revealed something sinister.

Mr. Telar was the only one actually vetted as the rest of the cabinet wasn’t seriously vetted. Telar’s rejection was later understood to be ‘revenge’ as he was seen to be the power behind the president’s decisions.

Our democratic utopia was therefore dashed. The process was even aggravated when the president warned the parliament after they expressed desire to subject the president’s nominees for the speaker of legislative assembly and Vice Presidency, to scrutiny.

The president warned parliament that there’d be consequences if they reject his nominees. It was the classic African preference of personality cult as opposed to democratic or parliamentary principles.

While the president found it easy, or even necessary to do away with the vetting process to bolster his hold on the presidency and power, he can now see that the chicken are coming home to roost.

The constant defection of the likes of Peter Gatdet and Johnson Oliny is a result of not following due process in the institution of any given policy proposals.

The incorporation of militia into the national army needs to be done in a manner that reduces any chance of such rebellion-prone folks to rebel. A government, or even the army, can’t just make decisions because they feel they are necessary at the time. Long-term effects have to be put into consideration before any decision is made.

We all know South Sudan has become a totalitarian regime that has copied Khartoum’s theocratic totalitarianism letter by letter and word by word. The political atmosphere is stifling in Juba and any political opposition is treated with pious brutality.

There are people who are in government’s controlled areas but they disapproved of the government. They just don’t see rebellion as a solution to the problems in South Sudan.

However, the government doesn’t take it seriously that the more they stifle the political breathing space in South Sudan, the more they drive the disgruntled minds toward rebellion.

The SPLA and National Security Agents arrest people anyhow and detain them without any due process of the law.

Ateny Wek, the presidential spokesperson, argues that the president doesn’t order such arrests. If the president doesn’t order such arrests then who has the authority to do so?

Without doubt, we know such arrests are unconstitutional, so why doesn’t the president stop such arrests given the facts that he’s the guardian of the constitution, ideally speaking?

The government brags about having been elected; that it is a democratically elected leadership. However, the president doesn’t explain to the people — who gave him the mandate to rule — the logic behind some of the decisions he makes.

He breaks constitutional provisions and finds it unnecessary to explain to the people the reason why.

In what nation on earth, even dictatorial ones, does a president select the leadership and board members of the supposedly independent bodies such as media authority?

Media authority is supposed to be an independent body that employs people of merit by subjecting them to credential assessment in their hiring process.

Doesn’t the president have something to do, something presidential? It has come to the point in which the president is going to pass decrees employing janitors for his office and the parliament.

This president has either been reduced to this level by those who’d want to see him destroyed; or he’s reduced himself to his level through incompetence. Either way, the president needs to wake up and salvage what’s left of his legacy.

The failed Nigerian former president, Goodluck E. Jonathan, salvaged his legacy in the last minute. He’s going to be remembered for having conceded election loss and for having peacefully handed over power to President Muhammadu Buhari, rather than through his failures.

It’s time for President Kiir and Riek Machar to realize that time is up for them and that the leadership needs to go to a different, younger class of South Sudanese leadership.

It’s high for the leadership in South Sudan to subject policies to verification and stern vetting mechanics. We know with certainty that cabinet ministers contradict each other day in day out because of lack of systematized verification process.

Ministers have to consult one another before they go public in order not to reflect the government as confused and incompetent. The minister of information says one thing but he’s soon contradicted by either the minister of foreign affairs or presidential spokesperson.

Transparency, information verification, respect for human rights and respect for democratic ideals have never harmed any civilians or leadership.

Kuir ë Garang is the author of “South Sudan Ideologically.” For contact, visit www.kuirthiy.info

Agwelek Forces in Collo Kingdom- Press Release No. 1

May. 20 Press Releases, Uncategorized 3 comments

On behalf of Gen Johnson Olony and Agwelek forces in Collo Kingdom, Upper Nile State Malakal. Today on 15 May 2015 at 4:30PM, Agwelek forces came under heavy attack by SPLA forces together with Dinka Padang militants in two locations which are Malakal and Dolieb, south of Malakal town. Agwelek forces defeated SPLA forces with pro government Dinka Padang militants under supervision of Hon. Stephen Dheau Minister for petroleum.

Agwelek forces are now in full control of Malakal town at 8:00pm and Dolieb at 5:40PM. This fighting came as a result of deadline given by President Salva Kiir Mayardiit after the Malakal crisis of April 2015 that Gen Johnson Olony report to Juba within four(4) days and AgweleK forces must get out of Malakal town to the west of river Nile or face serious military campaign if the deadline ended without implementing the required action.

The deadline ended while Gen J.Olony was still busy moving around briefing his forces on Juba mission requested by the President Kiir through the Military headquarters in Bilpam. Consequently, Agwelek forces came under heavy gun fire attacked by SPLA forces re-enforced by Dinka Padang white army (Dinka upper Nile Militants) declaring Agwelek forces rebels.

Agwelek forces under command of Gen J.Olony and other senior officers will operate as independent forces in Upper Nile State but we will be ready to work together with other opposition forces fighting tribal government of Salva Kiir for change for a better South Sudan free of tribal hatred, ethnic cleansing like the one COLLO KINGDOM is facing now since 2005 from inspection of CPA planned by Dinka Padang using President Salva Kiir.

For more clarification, the current fighting in Malakal was fueled by President Salva Kiir with his government for the following reasons:

1. Attack on Brig Gen Abdullah Kur Papiti in February 2014 by Dinka Padang militants in area of Ogod behind Malakal northern part where he sustained bullet injury in his leg and the government did nothing about this incident till today.

2. Attack on Agwelek forces in the boat along the river Nile coming from renk loaded with Diesel and petrol in July 2014 committed by the same Dinka Padang militants so called white army (oil protection force). Agwelek reported the incident to the government authority and President Kiir with is tribal government did nothing to solve this problem.

3. In August 2014 in Malakal southern part was assigned to Agwelek forces, Agwelek soldier guard on patrol had been shot dead by SPLA soldier from Dinka in mechanize unit based in Dolieb and the killer run away to his station in which at last he could not be pursued for identification because of rainy season. The government of Salva Kiir did not do anything about it to bring the culprit to book.

4. In September 2014, an Agwelek soldier in the area of Asusa within Malakal town had been shot dead by SPLA soldier from Dinka suspected to be one of the body guards of Col. Mading according to sources but due to lack of evidence Gen J.Olony closed this case.

5. Attack on Brig Gen Nyagwal Ajak Deng in Renk town in Gen J.Olony military vehicle at 7:50pm on an official duty. Eighteen (18) bullets damaged the vehicle and this act was committed by Dinka Padang militants in which nothing was done by the government about it after reporting. Commissioner of Renk County in the meeting with late Gen James Bwogo said responsibility of Padang is under national security that armed them through President Salva Kiir and Hon. Stephen Dhieu although the same force is commanded by SPLA officers selected from their respective villages under Col.John Tor.

6. Attack on Major Gen James Bwogo in April 2015 around 2:30Pm with fourteen (14) other officers accompanying him in one vehicle in which eleven (11) officers killed including Maj. Gen James Bwogo and other four (4) officers who escaped with bullets wounds that are still undergoing treatment till now. In fact, they were stopped at gun point and Gen James Bwogo told his soldiers not to fight, instead he opted to talk to them as a general in good faith. They were ordered to come out from vehicle, disarmed and finally executed in cold blood. I saw the bodies with bullets on their heads making it difficult to recognize them and the committee sent from Malakal found the bodies in one place which is clear indication of execution.

Also, the same day Agwelek forces stationed at Lul Bridge Pashoda County east of the Nile came under attack in the morning hours, two Agawelek officers were killed and four others (4) wounded who are still undergoing treatment now. We received the bodies of our late officers including Gen James Bwogo, the deputy of Gen Johnson Olony and the Upper Nile governor Kun Poc said remains of our soldiers should not be brought to malakal because he did not sent them there on any mission. At the same time his information Minister Peter Hoth went on air forecas saying that fighting is between Collo Youth and Dinka Youth in area of Akoka County which is not true, the incident was in Fashoda County many miles from Akoka County.

We went ahead to bury the remains of twelve (12) officers in Wa Jwok village west across the Nile the same night and we left Gen James Bwogo remain in Malakal under responsibility of Maj. Gen Arkangelo Abango for military parade possibly the following day when senior officers from Military headquarters arrive from Juba for burial which did not happen including major Gen Arkangelo Abango who did not see the remains of his senior comrade , and even worse, did not attend the funeral to mention the least.

In these two cases nothing was done by the government despite the committee of five (5) officers which were sent from Bilpam Military Headquarters under Gen Patrick Zamoi on 5th April 2015 , although they visited the funeral place and talked to us on 7th April 2015 regarding incident.

Here, what is more disturbing is that, the government did not issue official statement regarding killing of Gen James Bwogo with other twelve (12) SPLA officers from Agwelek till today simply because they are Collo killed by Dinka militants armed by government for the same purpose.

I want to mention something for the records, in April 2015 1st Lt. Akol Akok officer from presidential guards was killed in Juba in unknown circumstances and the same government went to the press issuing statement regarding that incident simply because he is Dinka not like Gen James Bwogo who is Collo with his 12 officers.The late Gen James Bwogo went after committee sent from Malakal to the place of incident as a way of seeking peaceful solution regarding the attack on Agwelek forces in Lul Bridge by Dinka Padang Militants.

7. April 2015 incident in Malakal involving Kun Poc governor of Upper Nile State bodyguards and bodyguards of Gen Johnson Olony:

Governor bodyguards came passing by road opposite Gen J.Olony house at 9:00pm and soldiers on patrol attempted to stop them to ask who they are but the Governor’s bodyguards did not stop instead they fired bullets at the patrol soldiers wounding two from Gen J.Olony side but then two were killed from the Governor side. The information about the incident reached the state security committee and they said to both parties to stay in their respective places till morning so that verification committee will go to visit the site where the incident took place.

The car of the Governor’s bodyguards remained on the road passing by Gen Johnson Olony house with indicators light still on including the dead bodies where one was on the ground and the other in the car. Governor bodyguards returned at 5:00am to the incident place in defiance to the orders given by the security committee re-enforced by Lt.Gen Johnson Gony, Upper Nile State sector bodyguards, who were nuers like the Governor ones. Their intention was to remove the car and destroy the evident before the committee come for verification in the morning but Gen J.Olony bodyguards pushed them back three times exchanging intensive fire.

Lastly, around 7am, governor Kun Poc contacted Gen Arkangelo Abango for help. Gen Arkangelo did not hesitate and he went ahead instructing Dinka Padang Militants like Abochok force, Mutholom force. Some Mathiang Anyor joined the bodyguards of the two nuers leaders controlling upper Nile state with four military tanks and attacked Gen Johnson Olony bodyguards who were armed with only Ak47 plus one PKM. They were also few in numbers.

They killed most of Gen Olony’s bodyguards because of military tanks and those who ran to the northern part, where SPLA Jamus force were stationed, had been killed by that force including civilians from Collo community escaping the fighting. The worst is that, they repeated the same thing the following day involving all militants from Padang in addition to first groups mobilized for war against Collo community now treated as a strategic enemy of Salva Kiir government.

In view of this situation Agwelek Leadership was left with no option except self defense. We brought two hundred soldiers across the Nile and serious fighting started in defense of our innocent soldiers being killed for the last two days and we went on each other with those soldiers.

The Dinka padang militants including decorated young Gen Arkangelo Abango madut commander of special operation in upper Nile state shortly found themselves out of town on the run leaving everything behind. Some dropped their guns and found themselves in UNMISS seeking international community protection after killing our people for the last two days. Maj. gen Arkangelo Abango decided to support the governor side instead of separating the two sides which included the bodyguards of the Sector commander Lt.Gen Johnson Gony because they were all SPLA government soldiers.Finally, Military Headquarters in Juba took side due to misleading information including the president who decided to support Gen Arkangelo Abango, Governor Kun Poc, Lt.Gen Johnson Gony and Dinka padang militants who killed Gen James Bwogo deputy of Gen Johnson Olony less than a month ago in which his case was still pending in president Kiir’s office till today.

What happened then? A Military campaign by president Salva Kiir instructing that Gen Johnson Olony must report to him in Juba in four days and all Agwelek forces must get out of Malakal town and cross to the west side of the Nile despite Gen Olony having liberated the same very town from SPLM-IO after he had been wounded at his neck in Malakal Battle in February 2014 on the government’s side.

This problem dragged on for weeks without solution except the threat for a military campaign against Gen Johnson Olony with his forces that had defended the government seat in Malakal since January 2014. The government did not stop there and instead they went on mobilizing all militants from Dinka Padang , who killed Gen James Bwogo, SPLA forces all over the country, military tanks, Fighters jets and gunships being tested for weeks in Uganda even cluster bombs requested from neighboring Country for use against Agwelek forces including Collo community as part of ethnic cleansing visible to international community since January 2014 although nobody yet sees it as serious crimes amounting to crimes against humanity exercised openly in broad day light by president Kiir.

As a result of the campaign Agwelek forces were attacked by the government with their Dinka pro government militants of Padang. Agwelek forces had been pushed to a tight corner since if not for the tolerance of Gen Johnson Olony, Agwelek would have been out of the government long time back and the world must know that there is limit of what you can accept from anybody. Let the blame go to the tribal leadership who did not see us as strategic friends as soon as they felt safe. This may not be true now from the look of things in this case.

8. We have two drivers from Collo community Deng and Oleny working for UNWFP killed on the first of May 2015 between Akoka County and Pashoda County by Dinka Padang militants. We have many Collo members including SPLA soldiers killed in areas of Dinka Padang unaccounted for up to date including fishermen who cannot go for fishing for the same reason since all Dinka Padang , including underaged, got armed by President Salva Kiir in December 2013 till today .

Best regards,

By: Brig Gen Nyagwal Ajak Deng
Spokeperson for Agwelek Forces Upper Nile State, Malakal
Email:nyagwal.ador@gmail.com Mobile:+211921098810
CC: All media houses both local and international
Cc: All diplomatic missions in South Sudan
CC: All human rights organization

Outcome of meeting between SPLM-IO and Equatorian governors

May. 20 Press Releases, Uncategorized 1 comment

Now exposed: Three Equatorians governors used by Kiir to create divisions within Machar’s SPLM/A-IO and form separate movement allied to kiir….

Sudan Peoples Liberation Movement
General Headquators
Press Release
May, 19, 2015.

On May 14, 2015, Equatoria members of the Sudan Peoples Liberation Movement/Army (SPLM/A-IO) met with the three Governors of the Equatoria States at the request of the governors.

A follow-up meeting was conducted on 15 and 16 May, 2015.

The SPLM/A delegation was led ny Hon. Henry Odwa and the Governors’ delegation was led by Non. Lawrence Kurubandi, the current legal adviser of President Salva Kiir on legal affairs.

It became abundantly apparent that the underlying intention of the engagement was to create divisions among Equatorians within SPLM/A-IO in order to form a movement allied to President Salva Kiir and to be funded by hostile groups.

We categorically reject this tactic of divide and rule and shall not submit to Salva Kiir’s machinations and his genocidal government.

We would therefore like to assure all our comrades, supporters, sympathizers and well-wishers all over the world and in particular the Equatorians inside South Sudan that we remain firmly committed to the SPLM/A vision and mission and the total removal of President Salva Kiir and his dictatorial regime by all available means.

However, those individuals who can be purchased are welcome to defect.

SPLM/A Oyee!!!!! The struggle continues.

(Signed)

Hon. Henry Odwar,
Chair,
SPLM/A Euatoria Engagement Committee.

The most misconstrued and misunderstood concept by Jieng Council of Elders

May. 19 Most Popular, National, Uncategorized 16 comments

BY: Dr. Peter Kopling, MAY/19/2015, SSN;

In response to the well-received article by Simon Kur published in SouthSudannation.com, Southsudanliberty.com as well as Nyamile.com, a reader on Southsudannation.com, Mr. Dengchol Machar Atem, a self-purported Jieng faithful, reacted in the comment sections, and addressing Mr. Kur, stated, “In your own article, Simon Kur, one wonders whether inciting hatred between communities is a way forward. As an intellectual, why not preach for peace, love, togetherness, humbleness etc. rather than just inciting hatred.”

It should be pointed out that, this is a very common Jieng Position in response to a dissatisfied and a grumbling nation. What made this unique is, this was a Jieng responding to another Jieng! It seems, while all Jiengs may consider themselves to be one people, the elite in power consider themselves superior to other Jiengs and that not all Jiengs are created equal.

Take Simon Kur for example, his article brought hope in my heart, telling me, when Jiengs consider South Sudan first, then there is hope for us to be under one nation.

However, Mr. Atem’s reaction tells me those who do not sing the popular songs coming out of Juba, controlled by the infamous Jieng Council of Elders are considered to be not true Jiengs, worst traitors.

Alas! How about Madam Garang Mabior, wife of Dr. John Garang, and her Children? If they are not Jieng for opposing the current genocidal Tyranny in Juba, then who is?

I discover when Southerners complain about the bondages they suffer under the Jieng government, the Jieng people consider it as incitement of tribal violence and when their fellow Jieng complain, they are considered Traitors! Why is this?

Mr Atem, have you ever asked the question, why we, Southerners, in the first place fought the Jalabas? Was it because they are brown in color and we are black or was it because they have “Amarats” and we live in grass-roofed houses?

Yes, I will say it, was it because they have dresses and you Jieng then mostly ran naked in your villages?

From the behaviors of the Jieng government, it seems, your fight, contrary to the rest of South Sudanese against the Jalaba, was mainly due to material things and the desire for power.

This is very evident, given that as soon as the CPA was signed, like children rushing to take the front seats in class, you the Jiengs ran and grabbed all that is meaningful to South Sudanese, to include even other peoples ancestral lands, as you are totally numb to justice and equality for and with other southern brethren.

Look no further than in Juba, every vehicle with GOSS number plate on it, likely has a Jieng driving it. Government money buys most V8 Vehicles and a Jieng driving it. Jieng owns most “Amarats” and the ones walking around looking important and carrying an air of invincibility and authority while dressed in suits are likely the Jieng!

The street moneychangers in all cities in South Sudan are mostly illiterate Jiengs, relatives of those in high places.

Mr. Atem, have you realized what you are saying? What the Jiengs like you are doing is this! You have all taken the advantageous positions in South Sudan, from government positions to wealth, from Military forces to the land itself!

You are comfortable with the way things are and you have no quarrel with the status quo because it benefits you, or at minimum this government is not harmful to you as to the rest of us.

Things can remain like this forever and you neither see nothing wrong with it nor any need to change it!

You do not want to rock the boat because doing so will threaten all these Jiengs holdings, thus when those who are at disadvantage because of your privileges are crying out loud (These writings of mine included), you take it as inciting of violence, because in this violence you stand to loose the most.

Why because the rest of us have already lost all to you except for our lives but in itself is at risk! Whereas for you the Jiengs, you stand much to loose if true equality were to kick in, thus you do not want any writings to expose these evil deeds.

From the perspective of those of us suffering under the Jiengs colonization and oppressions, we see our writings as consequence of your evil and un-brotherly ACTIONS! It is these oppressive and colonial ACTION of the Jiengs inciting Violence and breeding divisions not the words written in response to them!

THESE JIENGS UN-BROTHERLY ACTIONS ARE WORSE THAN THE WORDS YOU READ IN REACTION TO THESE ACTIONS!

The actions gives birth to the writings! If you are truly for one nation, then you will preach to your fellow Jieng to stop ACTIONS that incite violence, if we talk about it or not.

You should ask us as to what is it that we really want? What is it that we consider brotherhood or one nation!

Indeed, if nationhood and peace matter to you, do not preach about it as you suggested, show it to us, live by example, live and behave like a brother not like an enemy.

What you do to me, brothers do not do! Don’t knock me in the head and when I cry, you then turn around say, STOP crying, by doing so you are provoking disunity and inciting violence!

What is nationhood in the world of the Jiengs? What is brotherhood for a Jieng? Emerging from Nomadic lives to becoming settlers.

Those who traditionally have no sentimental values to fixed place and cry for a cow’s rather than a brother’s death are now the ones in the drivers seat charting the path for our national brotherhood, is it any wonder it is disastrous?

Is brotherhood in the Jieng’s world not simply an alliance to protect the cows at all costs even death to oneself, thus what seems bravery is indeed human sacrifices for the lives of cows, isn’t this actually primitivism at its highest order?

I will tell you for the rest of us what brotherhood is not. It is not letting you sit on my great grandfather’s and father’s land, it is not letting your cows graze freely in my farm, it is not your cows being safer in the country than my children! It is not letting you take my sister by force.

The greatest ills the Jiengs have engineered in South Sudan are ethnic displacement and land grabbing. Unless any peace brings an end to this evil we shall be locked in perpetual war.

Was this not at the core of our 50 years of struggles against the Arabs? It surprises me that the shadowy Jieng Council of elders has not learned this lesson the great Satan in the North themselves came to bitterly swallow.

Brotherhood to us is not letting you Jieng occupy all the critical posts in the country: The presidency, Defense minister, Chief of staff, Minister of interior, Chief Justice etc.

So Mr. Atem, as you can see this is neither my government nor that of the nation, this is not a national government but rather JIENG NATION! What makes it mine?

Why do I want it to stay peaceful, why do I want it to last forever? What makes you different and better than the Jalaba occupiers that came before you?

Therefore, its being a malignant Government, robbing my Children of their tomorrow and giving it to your Children alone in exclusivity, I want it to fall! Simply, because your Children will do worse to mine!

I want nothing to do with Jieng nation but all to do with a national government!

I said it in the past and someone said it recently, Nationhood is family-hood. In a family you have your brother. He has his house and you have yours, he has his wife and you have yours. To have peace you must respect his house and his wife. You cannot cry fault when you impose yourself in his home and he denounces you and kicks you out.

Unity does not mean you squat in your brothers’ house and sleep with his wife and reduce his personal space. You have your house and your wife. What makes you family is Mutual respect!

I know I am right because the golden rule says, “DO UNTO OTHERS AS THOU WOULD HAVE THEM DO UNTO YOU.”

Mr. Atem, just imagine if for whatever reason a given tribe convinced themselves that they have rights to everything in South Sudan in exclusion of others and literally occupies South Sudan as you the Jiengs have down, will your (Jiengs) reactions be any different from ours?

If the table where to be turned, will you still hold the same position you articulated above?

If Riek Machar was the President of South Sudan and turned around and killed Dinka and clear Juba of Dinkas as Kiir did on Black December 2013 against the Nuer, will you (Jiengs) not have done worse than what the Nuer did to you in revenge attacks?

Therefore, choose this day between brotherhood by actions vs. continuing in the path of enmity, which shall continue to bleed the nation. If those of us who expose this evil action are silenced like Isaiah Abraham or not! As you can see, he does not talk anymore, are we any better?

(He who maintains silence in the face of a massacre is a murderer himself)

Dr. Peter Kopling, MD
Juba, RSS.

Collo Global Action Urges for Ceasefire and Dialogue as a means of Addressing the Grievances of Gen. Johnson Olony’s Forces

May. 19 Press Releases 1 comment

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 17, 2015
Collo Global Action (CGA) would want to seize this opportunity to proclaim to the Collo people that a new dawn is coming soon for the brightest Sun to shine over the Collo Kingdom. The mourning orphans and widows will be comforted and their tears shall be wiped away for the Collo Kingdom will be free from Nuer expansionists and Dinka land grabbers.

The CGA has been keenly following with great concerns the serious military development in the Collo Kingdom that culminated in the capture of Malakal by Gen. Johnson Olony Thubo’s forces on May15, 2015 after they have part ways with the other SPLA forces who regrettably decided to defend the interest of some malicious selfish politicians rather than the country with its beautiful ethnic diversities.

The CGA condemns such uncouth elements in the government of South Sudan for inciting the unprovoked attacked against Gen. Olony’s forces in Malakal. Among the orchestrating politicians are Governor Simon Kun Puoch, Stephen Dhieu Dau, Aywong Awer and some others who want to grab the Collo land and marginalize the Collo people in political area.

After Gen. Johnson Olony’s and Gen. Aywok Ogad’s forces exceeded all expectations and registered tremendous victories against the barbaric Nuer White Army by flashing the rebels out from the Collo Kingdom’s territories in Upper Nile state, Some ill-motivated individuals within the Padang Jieng sectional alliance conspired with Governor Simon Kun and Sector Commander Johnson Gony Bilieu in order to turn Upper Nile State into a lethal machine against any common interest to the Collo people.

The Dongjol Dinka militia of Akoka assassinated Gen. James Bwogo Olew and his thirteen bodyguards in a very brutal manner, yet the government decided not to take any action to bring such murderous elements to the book of accountability. Instead the government only focused on the demand for Gen. Johnson Olony’ coming to Juba to be disciplined. What kind of justice is this if the victim is the one to be punished!

The same Dongjol Dinka Militia kidnapped and killed NGOs drivers who hailed from Collo and continued to launch deadly shells and attacks on Collo areas with importunity while the government maintained complete conspiratorial silence.

Now, things are out of control and the government should shoulder the blame of inaction on the sabotage against Collo in Upper Nile State. The consequence of such intended humiliation and marginalization is now engulfing the whole Upper Nile with unfathomable fire that will automatically close down the oil fields.

But despite all these devastating developments, CGA still believes strongly that dialogue is the best method for resolving conflicts. Therefore, the CGA urges both Gen. Johnson Olony and President Salva Kiir Mayardit to contain the situation urgently and declare ceasefire so that a mediated negotiation could commence before other war complications set in.

Also the CGA would like to urge Gen. Olony’s forces under command of Abdalla Kur and Gen. Aywok’s forces under command of Yuanis Okic to cement their unity of purpose more strongly and work together for protection of the Collo land and its territorial integrity from any external or neighborly threat. All the Collo forces need to form their own separate movement and forge tactical or strategic alliances with any friendly force when deemed necessary.

The CGA appeals to the government of South Sudan to once and for all address the Dinka-Shilluk land dispute and urges President Kiir to nullify his unfair decision that awarded Pigi Collo land to Dinka of Atar and reject all the greedy claims of Padang Dinka over Chollo lands east of the banks of both the Nile and Sobat rivers.

The CGA calls upon President Kiir to declare a state of emergency in Upper Nile State, immediately relieve the failed Nuer tribal governor Simon Kun Puoch and transfer the tribal Sector’s Commander Johnson Gony Biliue from Malakal so that peace can come back in order to stop any flow of more blood sheds and other terrible devastating consequences.

The CGA urges all the friends of South Sudan, the regional and the international community to come up in support of the Collo kingdom and see to it that dialogue prevails in addressing the grievances and root causes that led to the on-going additional crises of Olony-Government’s war in Upper Nile State..

Long Live South Sudan
Long live Collo Kingdom
Long live Collo Heroes
Forward Ever, Backward Never
Collo Global Action Information Desk
Email: Collo_Global_Action@mail.com

__._,_.___

Pres. Kiir’s health deteriorating fast: Claims a former rebel who met Kiir personally

May. 18 More Views, Most Popular, Uncategorized 15 comments

BY: Simon Kur, Juba, RoSS, MAY/18/2015, SSN;

South Sudan leader’s health is deteriorating at a high rate, said one of the former rebels who gave up the fight to overthrow President Salva Kiir. The unnamed source revealed to South Sudan Liberty News in an exclusive interview with him in an undisclosed location in Juba. The official who recently renounced achieving peace through the barrel of the gun claimed he met with President Kiir in his presidential office in Juba.

This meeting took place after they accepted the amnesty deal extended by the president to those who have not committed crimes.

This former rebel, who hails from Chollo majority clan, said President Salva Kiir may not be able to survive much longer time because he is visibly very sick, constantly looking very tired, and exhausted. He further went on to claim that Kiir is living on borrowed time, may not live to the end of the year.

Question: How is Kiir as far as his health is concerned?
Answer: when you look at the man himself, he looks very exhausted. He has fear of his own life. He looks shaky and traumatized.

Though the former rebel official who returned to Juba with the general amnesty extended by President Kiir could not pinpoint the kind of illness Kiir is suffering, he thinks it might be stressed related illness. This he said can be recalled when as you all might recall president Kiir collapsed during one of his trips to Khartoum on mission to meet his counterpart El Bashir in December 2014.

Other sources have also indicated that Kiir is suffering with undisclosed illness though his close aides declined to comment on his health.

Question: How does it feel like meeting President Salva Kiir face to face? And what do you say because there are people saying Mr. Kiir is not an intelligent man and often the decision to run the country is made by his chief of staff?

Answer: Well, Kiir is just a normal person like anyone of us. Just like any normal person, I can see he has emotions. I also see rudeness in him big time. During the time we spent in his office, I sensed rudeness and ruthlessness in him. I saw that one minute he can act normal and within the next minute he turns deadly.

I suppose this anxiety is due to the situation he finds himself in. Kiir admits during our meeting that he realized some of the mistakes he made and now he had wanted to correct those mistakes. He is open to accept any positive solutions to end the conflict in the country so that ordinary people will go on with their daily lives.

The official claimed in his answer that Kiir said that he cannot accept to see the country descending into further chaos. “I can no longer afford to see the suffering of my people and South Sudanese at large,” said Kiir.

At this juncture, South Sudan Liberty News cannot verify this statement claimed by former rebel official.

Question: There are people who claimed that President Salva Kiir is not the one running the daily administration of the country, but Dinka general elites are the one running the daily business of the country, what are your views?

Answer: You know this is what has dragged the country into civil war. There is a group which calls itself the “Dinka council of elders.” These are selfish and egoistic individuals who have not only misled the president but have damaged the image of South Sudan at the international level.

The so called the Dinka council of elders believed and have tasked itself with new Dinka imperialism culture. They are trying to build on nepotism, tribalism and this untold wrong concept and morally unacceptable ideology that they the Dinka are the masters.

The others are slaves is the common cancer that has inflicted hatred and has placed the Dinka ethnic group in an odd position with others and there can be no peace until a cure is found to heal this cancer.

Now, unless this is corrected now, South Sudan will not be at peace, because no single tribe can survive without the others. These council of Dinka elders believes that it is only the Dinka who have the absolute authority, and supreme power to live anywhere on other people’s ancestral land, this is very common practice by the Dinka and Nuer in Equatoria, and Upper Nile.

Also, these two initially warring tribes must change their concept of thinking that only they alone fought therefore they owned South Sudan and accept that South Sudan belongs to all of us.

Question: Why did you decide to come back to Juba and how are you going to fight the regime you once described as displaying nepotism, tribalism, dictatorial, genocidal and dominated by one tribe?
Answer: I and my colleagues decided to come back to Juba after we have seen discrimination by the Neur colleagues to our Shilluk men engaged in the front-lines. We learned this when we visited them in frontline after Pangak SPLA-IO conference in February 2015.

They told us how they were mistreated and killed in frontline by their comrades from Neur tribe. We were convinced and prompted by the devastation done in shilluk land by Neur and we tried to put the grievances of our people before Dr Riek Machar who is the chairman of SPLA-IO but he said there are things happening beyond him which he has no control of.

Here he was referring to what are happening in the frontline and in battle fields.

He added like the Dinka, the Neur have dominated rebellious, their common manifesto that they are fighting for the just cause and freedom, and fair liberation is used as a pretext by the Nuer to gain sympathy and empathy from other tribes to join them.

He blamed the leadership of SPLA-IO for not supplying Shilluk men with better weaponry to fight the regime in Juba, and also cited their return to Juba on promotion; everything is dominated by Nuer including promotion.

Based on that, we decided to come and fight for reform from within because we realized there are many solutions to address the current conflict.

Question: What would you do if the regime in Juba fails to implement the agreement you signed with the President Kiir, given that you are now here in Juba without army?

Answer: When we met the President we told him if he will kill us after our return to Juba. The president looked and laughed and he said, he did not massacre anybody he cannot even kill a chicken. We told him our coming back here in Juba is an open door for many to lay down their arms.

If the President and his government refuse to implement the agreement we have signed with him, this will close doors for many others to refrain from rebellion and armed conflict will continue.

And if he fails to honor his commitment to the parts, we have other means to fight for the right of Shilluk land, and our return to Juba has been negotiated by General Johnson Olony.

Let’s hope for the sake of peace President Kiir will live by his words, but if anything happened to us, we have our men ready even here in Juba to launch an attack, but it is our hope that we learn how to address our issues on the table as brothers of this nation as we all fought for our hard earned independence from Khartoum with our dear blood.

Question: What would happen to the forces under your direct authority?
Answer: We want to create an autonomous-like Great Pibor to address the grievances of our people. We are not fighting for anything but we want our presentation in the national government. We want the current governor Simon Kun to be removed and be replaced by Shilluk and the president has agreed.

The difficulty is we understand the current governor is giving 2% from the oil revenue from Upper Nile to maintain the president that is why the President cannot easily relieved him from duty.

We found it hard to believe that a serving president has to be bribed to do his work. If that is what the constitution requires of the sitting governor of Upper Nile to pay due fees of 2% from the revenue of the state to the president, then it is worth for a Shilluk governor to do that in Shilluk land not a Nuer governor.

“It is ok if we can have a Shiluk governor in the office not Dinka or Nuer governor to give the president the 2%” because Malakal is traditionally inhabited by Shilluk not Dinka or Nuer.

Please note that this interview has taken place before the recent claimed of victory by the united forces of Johnson Olony and SPLA-IO, over government forces in Malakal, therefore some of the information could have changed on the ground.

Simon Kur Peter

Collo (Shilluk) Community on Security in Upper Nile

May. 16 Press Releases, Uncategorized 1 comment

Press Release on the Security Situation in Upper Nile State:

Juba, May 15, 2015

The Collo (Shilluk) Community (CC) has been following the negative unfolding militarized events in and around the Collo Kingdom with great concern and worries, especially after the unfortunate attack of Lul Village by Akoka Dongjol Dinka in April 2015. The deadly event was even made worse when the same attackers ambushed and assassinated SPLA Gen. James Bwogo Olew with his thirteen body guards on their way to the fighting scene to contain and resolve the problem before it escalates to undesirable endings.

Not only that, but also three drivers of the World Food Program (WFP) who hail from Collo tribe went missing and are believed to have been killed on Malakal-Akoka road by the very Dongjol Dinka attackers.

Moreover, some workers and traders in Paloich and Melut who hail from Collo tribe were targeted and killed. At the same time, deadly shells were launched to Lul, Kodok, Detwok and Wic Rek areas, killing and wounding many innocent civilians (women, children and elderly).

A military committee was dispatched from Juba to Malakal in the same dark April 2015 to investigate the matter but before it could release its report and recommendations, another fighting took place inside the capital town Malakal between the bodyguards of Upper Nile State Governor, Simon Kun Puoch and SPLA Gen. Johnson Olony Thubo, with more escalation that included involvement of some other armed forces and with regrettable loss of innocent civilians in the cross-fire, in addition to the losses on both sides of the fighting armed government forces themselves. May their souls rest in eternal peace!

Some initiatives of peaceful settlement attempts were conducted by the SPLA General Headquarters in Juba, the National Security and Intelligence Bureau, Prominent Businessman Obac William Olawo, and Collo King H.M. Kwongo Dak Padiet himself, who traveled to Malakal twice to see to it that peace is prevailing over war mongering.

Thereafter, it was announced in the media that Gen. Johnson Olony has not rebelled against the government as propagated by some ill-intentioners, and would be coming to Juba for more briefing and presentation of his grievances to the SPLA leadership.

However, the agreed expected time for the arrival of Gen. Johnson Olony in Juba has expired and, hence, the CC is getting more worried of another deadly clash in Malakal and Collo areas around.

War is never good and it often doesn’t solve problems but complicates it with bitter undesirable consequences at the end.

It is within this belief that the CC is urgently urging the two armed sides in tension to avoid war and uphold the spirit of dialogue, particularly for the sake of the vulnerable civilians who are supposed to be protected and kept safe by their very Government and also the United Nations Missions in South Sudan (UNMISS).

The CC would like to assure the public that the differences and clashes that have occurred in Malakal between the SPLA Gen. Olony’s forces and other SPLA forces has nothing to do with the entire Collo people as a tribe.

The Collo, as an important people and a third majority tribe in South Sudan, has no other leader apart from their only one King at a time. Thus, Collo should not be victimized for the created problems by the fighting armed forces and should never be associated to any other person.

The CC would like to appeal to H.E. Salva Kiir Mayardit, the President of the Republic of South Sudan and the C-in-C of the SPLA, that the Collo people are law-abiding peaceful citizens, who should never be targeted or punished collectively for isolated incidences.

The unfounded claim of some Dinka sections over the territories of the Collo Kingdom is not a new issue. It should not be mixed up with politics in the government or differences within the SPLA.

This could be resolved through courts of law or established traditional local conflict resolution mechanisms that existed between the Collo and Dinka since time immemorial.

The CC is hereby maximizing its efforts to see to it that dialogue always prevails with a strong belief that no problem is impossible to resolve if the good-will is invoked prudently.

Whatsoever the differences, the Collo will always remain a strategic neighbor to Dinka people on the basis of peace, justice and harmony if pursued jointly & mutually.

Signed,

Prof. Joshua Otor Akol,

Chairman of the Collo Intellectuals Committee,

On Behalf of the Collo Community, Juba

SPLM/SPLA-IO captures Paloich Refinery and asks oil companies to close down and evacuate workers

May. 16 Featured, Uncategorized 103 comments

May 19, 2015;

Latest News: The SPLM/A-IO forces under Dr. Riek Machar reportedly has captured a refinery near the Paloich Oil fields in Upper Nile state, this is in line with their stated objective that they wanted to cut off President Kiir’s SPLM last source of money that has enabled Kiir to fight the rebels.

According to Aljazeera live TV broadcast, the capture of this oil refinery will severely suffocate the last source of income for the Juba government of Kiir.

Now read the latest press release from SPLM/A-IO:

For Immediate Release

SPLM/SPLA leadership has asked all oil companies operating in Upper Nile state to shut down their operations and evacuate their staff immediately. We also ask them to do the process of closing down in a safe manner that will not damage the oil facilities and cause environmental damage. This is a matter of urgency!

This is due to the ongoing clashes between our forces and pro-Salva Kiir’s troops near the oilfields.

Our gallant forces have repulsed and pursued government forces up to the oilfields this Tuesday morning. We have on Tuesday night captured Tangrial Bil, the site of oil the refinery, which is about 10 kms away from the main Paloch oilfields. SPLM/SPLA forces from a different direction are also 5 kms away from Melut town.

In the Tuesday clashes we have captured government’s warship mounted with heavy artilleries. In response to the government’s full scale offensive on our positions in the three states of greater Upper Nile region, we have decided to take control of the oilfields and deny Salva Kiir from using the oil revenues to perpetuate the war.

Regards,

James Gatdet Dak

Spokesman, Office of the Chairman, SPLM/SPLA

For further inquiry contact me at: gatdetdak2013@gmail.com, or +254 703 474748
——————————————————————————–

Machar’s SPLM-IO claims capture of Malakal town as govt. declares Gen. Olong a rebel

JUBA, Daily Nation, Saturday,16, 2015;

LATEST DEVELOPMENTS: The government SPLA spokesman, Col. Phillip Aguer, today, Saturday, May 16th, officially announced that General Johnson Olong has joined the SPLM-IO under Dr. Machar and “he’s no longer with the government and should now be treated as a rebel.”

According to Juba government minister of information, Michael Makuei, who also acts as government spokesman, “it was (Gen) Olony who transported the rebels across the river bank to Malakal. This means that he is not with the government. He has rebelled and will be treated as a rebel.”

Rebels in South Sudan have launched a large-scale attack on the strategic northern oil hub and state capital of Malakal, an official and aid sources said Saturday.

Fierce fighting was reported to be raging inside the town, situated in the country’s oil-rich north, in what appeared to be a major counter-attack against a several weeks-old offensive by government troops.

“The rebels of Riek Machar have attacked Malakal from all directions, from east, west, north and south, and the fighting up to now is continuing,” Information Minister Michael Makuei told AFP.

He said government troops had so far “managed to repulse the rebels” to keep them from capturing the town, the capital of Upper Nile State.

Malakal has changed hands several times since South Sudan’s civil war broke out in December 2013, when President Salva Kiir accused his sacked deputy Machar of attempting a coup. The country has since been carved up along ethnic lines, divided between Kiir’s Dinka tribe and Machar’s Nuer tribe.

Since the war began tens of thousands of people have been killed in the fighting in the world’s youngest nation, which gained independence from Sudan in 2011.

POWERFUL COMMANDER

Officials said the attack began just before darkness on Friday, with rebels crossing the White Nile river on boats — apparently aided by a local militia commander from the ethnic Shilluk people who had been a pro-government general.

The commander, Johnson Olony, is a powerful commander in the key oil-producing state of Upper Nile. He has also been accused of abducting scores of children to fight in his force.

“It was Olony who transported the rebels across the river bank to Malakal,” Makuei said.

Aid workers in the town who spoke to AFP reported intense gunfire as well as the thump of heavy explosions from artillery or mortar fire.

On Friday a report by the regional bloc pushing peace efforts accused South Sudan’s army of carrying out “grave” human rights abuses in their all-out offensive.

East Africa’s eight-country IGAD bloc — whose peace initiative collapsed in March — condemned the “unwarranted and appalling actions” of the government, reporting “violence targeting civilians, grave human rights abuses and destruction of villages.”

The assault, which began in late April, is one of the heaviest government offensives in the 17-month long civil war, with gunmen raping, torching towns and looting aid supplies in the northern battleground state of Unity, according to the UN and aid agencies.

The UN’s aid chief in South Sudan, Toby Lanzer, this week said the number of civilians left without “life-saving aid” due to the offensive in Unity alone had risen to 500,000, after the UN and aid agencies pulled out due to a surge in fighting.

Over half of the country’s 12 million people are in need of aid, with 2.5 million people facing severe food insecurity, according to the UN.

Why I’m Launching a Hunger Strike for South Sudan: Letter to Obama

May. 15 Press Releases, Uncategorized 3 comments

Summary: Starting today, May 15th, American South Sudanese starts a hunger strike in front of the White House, he wants Pres. Obama to do more to stop the war in the country…

AN OPEN LETTER TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES

May 15, 2015

President Barack Obama
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20500

Why I’m Launching a Hunger Strike for South Sudan

Dear Mr. President:

South Sudan only exists as an independent country today thanks to the United States of America. Being a native South Sudanese man and a U.S. citizen, I should feel nothing but pride over my new country’s role in midwifing the birth of South Sudan—indeed, as an activist, I helped push the U.S. government to play a more active role in the region—but instead today I feel only shame, embarrassment, and sorrow.

Following the senseless renewal of civil war since independence, approximately 70,000 South Sudanese are dead, 2 million are displaced or refugees and, according to the United Nations, some 4 million are on the verge of starvation. One million have fled to Northern Sudan and another 110,000 thousand are under United Nations protection in South Sudan.

On a short list that includes Nepal, Yemen, Syria & northern Iraq, South Sudan is among the most urgent humanitarian crises in the world today—and sadly there appears no end in sight. While the attention of the world is focused elsewhere, the violence in South Sudan is only escalating.

It is true that other nations (and the United Nations) were valuable players in creating this new nation, but it was the pivotal role of America during President George W. Bush’s administration that made an independent South Sudan a reality. In the words of current Secretary of State John Kerry, the US helped to “midwife the birth of this new nation.”

Yet in the intervening years, it is as if South Sudan was an infant left to fend for itself. While we were present and active for the whole process leading up to the birth, afterwards we turned away, washed our hands, and moved on.

It is beyond time for the U.S. to step up, take charge, and protect this precious baby we brought into the world. No other country can play this role.

When 98.8 percent of South Sudanese voted for independence in the 2011 referendum, they believed that their new leaders—many of whom, including President Salva Kiir Mayardit, had once earned respect fighting in the two-decade civil war with the north—would finally bring peace and stability. They trusted their new government would deliver clean drinking water, roads, schools, hospitals, electricity, security, and the all-important tools of civil society and democratic governance.

The collective vision was to move forward into the modern world together.

Today, Southern Sudanese no longer even see themselves as one country. The nation’s major tribes no longer believe that they can live together in peace, unity, and harmony. Those not already fighting are arming themselves and preparing for war.

At its roots, this war resulted from an intra-party dispute between President Kiir and former Vice President Riek Machar. Unable to solve their problems with words, they turned to violence, and began the vicious cycle of attack and counter-attack, spiraling the country into an abyss of chaos.

It began with members of the presidential guard fighting among themselves in Juba, the capital. Soon some 2,000 Nuer people (Machar’s tribe) were slaughtered in house-to-house ethnic cleansing by the Dinka (the president’s tribe).

Wholesale ethnic violence has spilled far beyond Juba, and there have been atrocities and grave human rights violations on both sides. For example, my family, who live far from the capital in Upper Nile State, are part of the Chollo or Shilluk people. We are neither Dinka nor Nuer, and had nothing to do with the political conflict in Juba. Yet within the past few months, the Chollo population has been decimated in targeted ethnic violence. People, allegedly from Nuer, have razed the capital Malakal and villages throughout the region to the ground. It is no exaggeration to say genocide is already taking place.

My 9-year-old niece and my great aunt, the eldest member of my family, along with five other family members, were brutally murdered a few months ago. When a few survivors returned to the villages, they found human remains rotting in the streets—bones picked clean by dogs and birds. UN observers said they had never seen anything like it.

How did we get to such a terrible place? How could we have fallen so far from the jubilation of independence? And what can be done to save South Sudan?

In short, the lack of U.S. leadership is in part to blame, and renewed U.S. leadership is the only solution.

Following independence, the U.S. took a decidedly hands-off approach to South Sudan. Obama Administration officials, when pressed, argued that we were doing our part by sending aid money. In fact, we provided millions of American dollars to build hospitals, schools and infrastructure, but untold millions of that money were lost through mismanagement and a staggering degree of corruption.

How could we have expected anything less? These rulers—I can no longer bring myself to call them leaders—had been at war for decades; many had never worked a normal job in their life. All they know is fighting. How can we expect them to do the right thing right away?

In early May 2014, Secretary Kerry finally stepped in and brought both the president and the former vice president to the bargaining table in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Mr. Kerry’s involvement added a great deal of pressure to the two parties to sign an agreement to stop the hostilities. But it was violated within 24 hours—and with few repercussions.

Kiir and Machar caused this catastrophe. They can either end it, or get out of the way. In my opinion, Secretary Kerry—or you yourself, Mr. President—must bring them back to the bargaining table and say, “This nation shall not perish because of you, Mr. Kiir, or you, Mr. Machar. You walked away and violated your agreement. For the sake of your people and the nation that you fought for, you must now return to the table. We Americans, the UN, the European Union, and the African Union insist. You have no viable alternative.”

Kiir and Machar and other leaders of the Sudan People Liberation Movement (the country’s one ruling party), must be brought together and told in no uncertain terms that they must end the war or face dire personal consequences. They must be reminded about the International Criminal Court, and told with all seriousness that South Sudan’s sovereignty may be temporarily ignored, and that the architects of war are at risk of being forcibly taken to the The Hague for trial—or worse. National sovereignty is abrogated by genocidal policies.

We must make threats to impose harsher sanctions—including on South Sudanese oil exports—and be unafraid to follow through on them. We need a serious arms embargo, and there must be negative consequences for countries that insist on playing a nefarious role in South Sudan’s tragedy (such as Uganda). We need real leadership from the United States.

Mr. President, you are the only person in a position to stop the carnage. Before your planned trip to Africa in June, you must speak to South Sudan’s rulers with force and conviction.

With or without Kiir and Machar’s participation, we must help South Sudan to create an interim government in which all stakeholders are represented, the rule of law is instituted, and human rights are respected. Without a doubt, there are capable leaders within SPLM party and throughout South Sudan who can restore trust and confidence and begin building the nation. These people must be identified, emboldened, and supported over the long term.

Another critically important step will be to appoint an American envoy to counsel the new government, help monitor how aid funds are being allocated, and report directly to you. It must be someone credible and well-respected, who already knows the problems—not someone who needs to learn on the job. I propose someone like former Senator John Danforth, who had a central role in negotiating the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement, which led directly to South Sudan’s independence. Or perhaps former Secretaries of State Madeleine Albright or Colin Powell. A high-level envoy directly accountable to the President will show the seriousness of our commitment.

We also must help to implement the very difficult work of reconciliation, following tried and true methods such as those of South Africa or Rwanda. There must be a tidal wave of forgiveness reaching to the villages, to the people who have been so terribly hurt by the disaster brought upon them by those in Juba. Institutions must be built from the ground up based on the idea that no tribe is better than another, no religion is better than another, and everyone is equal before the law.

Only the sustained commitment from the world’s only democratic superpower can achieve the results so desperately needed.

I call on you today to prove your commitment to the people of South Sudan. You alone can force a peaceful end to this insanity. It will not require “US boots on the ground,” but it will require consistent engagement, seriousness of purpose, and a willingness to both make threats and follow through on them. In short, it will require your leadership.

That is why I intend to put my life on the line to petition you to act in order to save the lives of untold multitudes of Africans and their country, the world’s newest nation, South Sudan.

Mr. President, starting on May 15th, 2015, I will be starving myself outside the White House until the U.S. makes perfectly clear that the war in South Sudan is unacceptable—and we will not stand for it.

We brought freedom to South Sudan. It is our baby. We cannot allow it the freedom to fail.

Simon Deng
Former Sudanese Slave and Human Rights Activist
sdengkak@yahoo.com
+1 (917) 698-5440
https://www.facebook.com/HungerStrikeforSouthSudan