The Root Causes of Conflicts in South Sudan

Dear Comrades and friends,

May 14, 2011 (SSNA) — I wish to inform all of you that the root causes of internal conflicts among Southern Sudanese from the past governments to this present government of Southern Sudan are based on an unfair allocation of positions (question of power) and resources on geographical and ethnical basis. One single tribe has always maintained a dominant role over other tribes. South Sudan; as it’s known locally and internationally, is a multi-ethnic and multi-cultural society with more than sixty (68) ethnic groups. If the majority do not consider the importance (or role) of minority groups, then problems or tribal conflicts shall always be on the rise until this question of power and or resources is addressed accordingly, and in a pragmatic manner.

The infamous word “Kokora” is derived from Bari local language, which literally means ‘separation’. First, it was pronounced loudly by most of the Equatoria intellectuals who felt Dinka domination in the Regional Government which was established in 1973 following the Addis Ababa Accord, which granted the people of Southern Sudan an autonomous status within the framework of a united Sudan. A war that started on 18^th August 1955, some four months before, Sudan obtained its independence from Great Britain on 1^st January 1956.

The root causes of Kokora could be traced back from the time of the signing of the Addis Ababa Agreement, when Mr. Abel Alier Kuai out-maneuvered his erstwhile enemy, General Joseph Lagu Yanga – the founder of Anya-Nya Movement and the principal signatory to the Addis Ababa Accord. Instead of General Lagu to take charge of the affairs of Southern Sudan as it was stipulated in the agreement, President Jaafar Mohamed Nimeiri hastily handed over the Regional Government to his longtime puppet Mr. Abel Alier who negotiated and signed the agreement on behalf of Sudan Government. Unfortunately, President Nimeiri abruptly appointed and commissioned General Joseph Lagu to head the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) sprinkled all over Southern Region with his Headquarters in Juba, while Mr. Abel Alier to head the High Executive Council in Juba. The two gentlemen were under specific roles, supervisions and directives of President Nimeiri in Khartoum – playing the game of Tom & Jerry against each other. This kind of appointment remained a bone of contention between the two Southern leaders to date.

During Abel Alier’s reign as from 1973 – 1978, and again from 1980 – 1982, he entrenched himself by placing his own tribesmen (Dinka) in all the strategic and powerful positions. They controlled finance, public service, judiciary, education, administration, prison service, wildlife service, police service, legal affairs, regional assembly etc.  The non-Dinkas found themselves deprived from the regional government and eventually advocated for division of Southern Region in Juba to be divided up into three sub-regions of Equatoria, Bahr El Gazal and Upper Nile. In June 1983, President Nimeiri issued a Presidential Decree dividing the Southern Region into three fragile regions of Equatoria under Governor James Joseph Tombura, Bahr El Gazal under Lawrence Wol Wol and Upper Nile under Daniel Koat Mattews.

At the same time, the war broke-out once again in the South which resulted to the birth of Sudan People’s Liberation Movement/ Army (SPLM/A) under leadership of Dr. John Garang de Mabior. The same political domination was also applied again in the movement where out of five so-called Permanent Members of Politico-Military High Command (PMHC), four were from Dinka; including Col. John Garang as a Chairman & C-in-C, Lt. Col. Kerubino Kuanyin Bol as Deputy, Capt. Salva Kiir Mayardit Deputy Chief of Staff for Security & Operations and Major Arok Thon Arok as Deputy Chief of Staff for Logistics & Administration. Lt. Col. William Nyuon Bany, who hailed from Nuer, was the only non-Dinka in the SPLM/A leadership’s hierarchy to get the position of Chief of Staff.

The minority tribes who joined the SPLA in their thousands found themselves left out in the movement’s leadership and participated only as canon porters and nothing else. That was why many Equatorians in the initial stage had hesitated, or perhaps were reluctant to join the SPLA/M. They perceived it as a Dinka movement and the bulk of Nuer sided with Anya-Nya II respectively voicing the same concerns. However, it took Col. John Garang and his henchmen nearly three years to create fictitious titles like the one known as “Alternate Members” of Politico Military High Command to accommodate few non-Dinka like Galario Ornyang, James Wani Igga, Dr. Lam Akol, Yusuf Kowa and Dr. Riek Machar in the SPLA leadership’s hierarchy.  The same kind of political dominion is currently replicating itself in the Government of Southern Sudan (GOSS), which is repeating the same mistakes of the past without any shame.

The rampant corruption and nepotism, which is the making of the so-called “land grabbing”, money laundering, denial of job opportunities and the selective promotion of SPLA officers and other security organs are based on this kind of setup where checks and balances are not relevant at all levels of GOSS. One may wonder why Southern Sudanese are still fighting themselves while they have already got what they have been fighting for. Alas! The truth is that we are lacking a visionary leader who can accommodate our diverse community’s interests fairly.

The political Bureau (PB), which is the highest political organ of the ruling SPLM is actually a rubber stamp used by one ethnic group (Dinka) to dominate others by using their numbers to impose decisions on others. There is no fairness in it. Serious decisions are made behind the back door. Even the so-called ‘deputies’ used to wonder when decisions are passed and announced publicly. This is also applied to the Council of Ministers which is being chaired by H.E President Salva Kiir himself.

Some GOSS Institutions like Ministries of Finance, Internal Security, Public Service, Education, SPLA Affairs (Defence), Bank of South Sudan, Regional Cooperation (Foreign Affairs) and all the security organs are dominated by one ethnic group – the Dinka. This makes it difficult for other ethnic groups to voice their concerns publicly. 90% of minority groups do not reflex themselves in the political mirror of Salva Kiir’s government. During the Regional Government which ruled the South for 10 years as from 1973 – 1983, most of the minority tribes used to be represented by their community leaders. For example: Oliver Batali Albino came from the smallest tribe in the South – the Makaraka. But he was made a minister by Abel Alier. The same with Mr. Mr. Simon Mori Dedimo and Dr. Pasisco Ladu Lolik who headed the ministries of Information & Culture and that of health respectively under General Joseph Lagu in 1978.  Now, such tribes like Taposa, Anyuak, Lokoi, Didinga, Lokoro, Acholi, Murle, Balanda, Mondu, Nyangwara, Baka, Abakaya, Makaraka, Jurbel, Maban, Boya etc.. are not represented at any level of government from GOSS ministers, Independent commissions or GOSS under-secretaries and yet they possessed most qualified personalities capable to manage such institutions. While during the war each community mentioned above participated actively in defending the Southern’s cause against the successive regimes in Khartoum.

President Salva Kiir must learn how to share the nation’s cake equally with all Southern Sudanese communities. Not everything to be Dinka! That is why there is a need for change within South Sudan leadership where minority tribes should be represented.

The author’s name is withheld for security reasons.

Attached bellow is the lists of SPLM Political Bureau members, GOSS Presidential Advisors, GOSS Ministers, Independent Commission Chairpersons, Under-secretaries and other security organs. The list of South Sudanese in the Government of National Unity is not included, where Dinka are still dominating all key strategic positions there.

SPLM Political Bureau Members