SPLM/GOSS is Politically
Handicap
By Koang Tut Jing
18th April
2008
Perhaps, in exulting
previous SPLM political strength under the
late leader, Garang de Mabior Atem, or
maybe, I see unfolding events through the
wrong lens. However, in my humble opinion as
a mere layman I believe the SPLM/ (GOSS in
this matter) is politically disabled. Since
2005 up to date, the SPLM led GOSS never
swing any political battle their way against
NCP/NIF. This short period of Southern
Sudan’s Government existence, the south and
her people have been experiencing endless
political defeats in the hand of NIF/NCP.
Wrangling over the
ministry of mining and energy which the
SPLM/GOSS gave up, the Abyei issue, the
correction of borders which the NCP did
little about, they got no idea about the oil
income. The SPLM/GOSS withdrawn its
ministers from the GONU last year but went
back to work without their demands met. More
importantly this census row has severely
wounded the SPLM/GOSS politically. I won’t
want to bog down myself talking these over
but would only say something about the
danger of inconsistency in life.
I may not fully aware how
exactly the administration is running our
affairs back home but what I read in the
media if not twisted by reporters then we
must all be concerned. I observe that the
GOSS leadership does not do what they say in
broad day light. I observed that the lack of
consistency in the GOSS system is now the
number one enemy against the South and the
people of Southern Sudan. Kiir say this
today and tomorrow implements what he said
earlier did not want to do. We call this
flip-flop type politician and a person
lacking stable decision.
As a result we now have
to carry on our backs the shame depicted
through a leader who do not keep his words.
Our President agrees with his cabinets in
Juba, the South Sudan capital and when he
arrives at the airport in Khartoum he
dismantle all he supposes to be saying to
Omar Beshir and Taha. Kamal Obeid, the NIF
Minister for information described the
people’s movement in his latest assault that
the “SPLM has no consideration for its
leader Salva Kiir Mayardit or respect for
his commitment during last week meeting of
the Sudanese Presidency.” I fundamentally
disagree with the statement because if the
SPLM do not consider Kiir or previous
leadership the movement would have not
reached where it is today. But Obeid has a
point because the behaviour of our President
is out of normal norms for running a viable
system. I obviously suspect him of
disregarding his advisors advises.
The attitudes our
President displaying to the World and Sudan
in particular since he took over cast doubt
on SPLM institution. There should be
persistent and connected set of rules that
prescribe behavioural roles, constraint
activity and shape expectations. This is
done by strong adherence to institutions but
the President’s inconsistency behaviour
absolutely accommodates the NIF/NCP
Information Minister’s comment when he
described the Southern Group as he said
“GOSS attitude demonstrates the lack of
institutionalisation in the SPLM.” Yes, the
lack of institutionalisation and respect for
it makes Kiir disregards what he and his
cabinets agreed upon and create his own
version. The Khartoum gangs called this a
commitment to the Sudanese Presidency. But I
call it politically handicap and the south
is surely heading for hard landing.
After the GOSS lost the
fight over the census’ row they shamelessly
resorted to reserving the right to have an
opinion “determining the ethnic, religious,
cultural, social and economic diversity of
the Sudan. Confirm and/or adjust the power
and wealth sharing arrangements as
stipulated in the Comprehensive Peace
Agreement (CPA).” They have no objection to
go ahead with census and yet they want to
have a right to determine the important
issues they failed to fight for in the first
place? This is a calculated math by NIF but
GOSS dangerously led us down. Now census
will take place, what will determination of
those issues help us after census? Kiir
already said the fifth national census will
began on April 22nd in the whole
country urging the necessary mobilisation to
ensure it success. The SPLM/GOSS is mortally
wounded and it is a matter of time when the
current carries it away. When a government
is filled up by short-sighted individuals
its life span remain short as well.
Kamal Obeid is right when
he pointed out the gap between the Southern
President and his cabinets. He said the
“reserves expressed by the Southern Sudan
cabinet shows the size of the internal
divisions within the Sudan People’s
Liberation Movement.” The cabinet wants to
look after people but the President wants to
impress Taha and Omar Beshir. This is a real
division. My solution for such is that the
President must respect what he and his
cabinet agreed upon and not break it when
face by Taha and Omar.
Koang is a Sudanese
living in Pacific. Reach him at
jkoang@hotmail.com
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