Rumbek Revelations: A "No Confidence Vote" For Chairman Garang.

Feb., 19

Now that the minutes of the "Confidential Report of the SPLA/M Leadership Council Meeting," held between November 29, to December 1, 2004, have become public, it is imperative that we seriously note the lamentable state of affairs of the SPLM leadership that will soon assume governance of our dear south Sudan, and hopefully, later guide us into the referendum toward our independent statehood.

Was it a 'leak out?' Apparently not; the document was reportedly retrieved from the ruling Jallaba Arab newspaper, the "Rai el Aam," which had run its serialization in the public media. Obviously there are many disgruntled top SPLA/M leaders, definitely unhappy with the chairman's style of leadership and mis-management.

Disturbingly, however, for us southerners, the minutes have revealed some pertinent issues that are adversely impacting the credibility of the 'Movement' and its prospective governance of the South, that is, when it assumes that important role in the near future.

Unequivocally, the verdict of the 3-day deliberations by the most important people in the 'Movement' can be rightly surmised as an overwhelming "No Confidence Vote" against the leader, Chairman Dr. John Garang de Mabior.

Among the accusations and points of discontent that were boldly raised in the face of the chairman himself, were the following:

1. There is no cohesion within the SPLA/M leadership structure, serious absence of command structure or delegation of power. Garang is accused of "carrying the Movement in his suitcase."
2. Rampant corruption by the chairman and many of the commanders; funds being diverted.
3. No transparency or accountability, which has contributed to the widespread corruption that has now "reached such a proportion that it will be difficult to eradicate."
4. The leadership of the chairman is "bad and cannot be corrected - he has not been doing well in his job." He has been responsible for creating the crisis in the Movement. The chairman was accused of "lying" to the people since 1983.
5. No rule of law. Garang is running the Movement as a 'one-man' show and a personal fiefdom. The chairman "does not forgive or forget' his opponents, as those against him have "ended up dead."
6. No political system developed for the future governance of South Sudan.
7. The SPLA army is ill-equipped, ill-trained and ill-prepared to assume its role or to confront the Jallaba National army.
8. There is no equitable regional representation.
9. The Chairman is evasive and reluctant to convene the widely demanded South-South Dialogue. He has not released any funds for the same and has refused to accept sponsorship from outside for the dialogue.
10. The leaders collectively accepted part of the blame because they failed to appropriately advise the chairman.

Normally, in a democracy, the outcome of Rumbek 2004 would have been categorized as a no-confidence vote and he would automatically have bequeathed the position. Indeed, it was a coup, since practically the majority of his own commanders bravely and emphatically condemned him for mismanagement and misrule.

In the words of veteran SPLM politician and supposedly the Finance minister, Mr. Arthur Akuen, who doesn't even have the funds to manage because the chairman is also the finance officer, 'Garang's leadership is bad and cannot be corrected." However, notwithstanding his appalling defects and deficiencies, the 'Movement' still, graciously, accorded Garang one last opportunity to 'diagnose' his 'disease' and 'redeem' himself and the South.

But was it expedient or justifiable for these leaders and commanders to do that, thereby granting him impunity, given their own experience of Garang's style of leadership which doesn't 'forgive and forget' his critics who ended up paying very dearly?

A weak, demoralized Garang, as a leader completely tainted by corruption and inefficiency, is bad for the people of the South. He might spend his tenure irreversibly and shamefully gravitating downhill into more corruption and betrayal of the ultimate objective of attaining a separation vote in the referendum for our independence. More pathetic and disastrous, for us, if an enfeebled and unpopular Garang were to become too dependent on the Jellaba Arab "enemy" for the survivability of his rule on the South, like Abel Alier.

With all the billions of dollars the South expects to get from its 50% share of the nation's wealth, how much trust and confidence will the South bestow on such leadership, given its appalling track record, lack of accountability and transparency? In the minutes, Cdr. James Wani accused Deng Alor of sequestering the money donated from Nigeria. No answer was given by the chairman or Mr. Deng Alor. How about their ostentatious life-styles in exile, while the fighting men and women in the New Sudan remained in a state of misery, unfed, unclothed and definitely unpaid for the "liberation."

While the SPLA commanders and politicians have been unanimous in their condemnation of Garang's leadership, the problem rests now squarely with the southern educated, the PH.D's, the lawyers, doctors, social activists, etc...

This group of southerners unfortunately bears the stigma of quilt. For too long a time, they've been whining and averting to look straight while Garang and his cronies were wrecking unfathomable damage, liberators killed or indefinitely incarcerated, many young lives devastated and hopes dashed. They have acquiesced in the unmitigated disaster that has befallen the south, the 'liberation' and the heroic people of the south ( New Sudan). 

Not a few of the educated southerners, paradoxically, have jumped into bed with Garang with the hope not of defending him, but of putting their mouths into the legendary succulent feeding tray of the SPLA/M. But many of them, regrettably, have succumbed to the culture of silence, paralyzed, scared, of voicing their criticisms of the SPLA/M leadership or Garang himself. By the simple stroke of a pen, Garang has rewarded these people with financial hand-outs or positions in the 'Movement.'

Finally, the clear message sent to Garang is that South Sudan will not tolerate his despotic rule and a leadership built on a delusional personality cult with an aura of invincibility and infallibility. Neither shall there be any tolerance of kleptocracy nor the amassing of illicit personal wealth at the expense of the suffering people of the south. As Garang himself appropriately remarked, there are more Southerners who are not within the SPLm/A than with it. This majority group will definitely be smelling out for any corruption and mis-rule, sir!

Ominously, a leadership that is in fear of its past bloody misdeeds and with their pockets full of booty, fat foreign accounts, bloated bellies and rounded cheeks, cannot seriously run a nation.

Perhaps, once again, the words of Mr. Arthur Akuen, that "the chairman may be forced to leave his office before six years'' are forebodingly appropriate. The time might be sooner rather than later.  By Website editor (End)