SSLA and SSDA warn American businesses to stay away from South Sudan

December 12, 2011 (SSNA) — The joint leadership of South Sudan Liberation Army and South Sudan Democratic Army has conducted an emergency meeting to discuss the investment conference that will take place in Washington, DC, on December 14—16, 2011. The leadership of both Movements learned that the South Sudan dictator, Lt. Gen. Salva Kiir Mayardit, was invited by the US State Department to attend the conference and it was confirmed by the representatives of both Movements that he landed in Washington, DC on Monday, December the 12th.

We have learned that the purpose the US State Department sponsored such a conference was to educate the American business community about the investment opportunities in South Sudan. There is no question that South Sudan is a land blessed with all the natural resources human beings could get on earth. It is a land that even if one sows a nail; it would grow into a grain the next day. If there is peace and democracy, South Sudan could be regarded as the Garden of Eden in the Horn of Africa.

Unfortunately, South Sudan is not in fact a Garden of Eden for now because a tribal bigot and a15th C dictator rigged election in 2010 which sparked a military uprising. Currently, the revolutionary forces of South Sudan are advancing towards or town and will also attack Bentiu town in a week. The situation on the ground does suggest that whatever investment the people of South Sudan need has to be put on hold until the total liberation of the country. There is no doubt that investment is very important to transform the South from a primitive Garden of Eden to a developed and advanced one that could be a haven for human progress. However, the dreams of the people of South Sudan to set up a country that would accommodate humanity and serve as a model for the rest of the world are being jeopardized by a military dictator who is behind the rest of humanity for more than two centuries because he doesn’t espouse progressive ideals of democracy, human rights, equality, pluralism and cultural diversity.

The SSLA and SSDA warn American businesses to exercise caution before rushing to South Sudan which is now at war. No rational businessman or businesswoman could risk investing in a war zone. The American businesses are welcomed to South Sudan after the demise of Salva Kiir’s regime. However, it would be unwise for any business person on earth to be hoodwinked by Salva Kiir into believing that South Sudan is conducive to investment while the revolutionary forces may attack major cities any time. Our forces are capable to strike at any city anytime. This fact is not something imaginary but is even acknowledged by the US State Department which issued a travel warning to American citizens last week not to travel to South Sudan’s Jonglei, Upper Nile and Unity states.

Therefore, we seriously warn American businesses to stay away from South Sudan for now until we complete the liberation of our country before businesspersons could be allowed to invest. The facts on the ground speak for themselves and it is very obvious that the situation is not conducive for investment. In the South, there are three forms of violence which need to be addressed before any rational businessperson would want to explore the opportunities of investment. First, there is a political violence between the revolutionary forces and a tribal dictator.

Second, there is a communal violence between different clans and tribes who are currently experiencing genocides and ethnic cleansing fighting as we witnessed from Murle massacre of Nuer in Uror County of Jonglei state three months ago. In addition, there are widespread tribal cattle rustlings which affect four states in the country. There are also hijackings from highway men who are SPLA soldiers who have not been paid because the oil money goes to individuals’ pockets. In South Sudan capital Juba, ten people are murdered a day by armed military gangs who have no other means of survival other than to loot businesses and investors. The South Sudan Legislative Assembly said last week that the figure of people disappearing a day in Juba may be higher than 15 a day. Third, there is LRA which is devastating Western Equatoria and Western Bhar-el-Ghazal states hampering any investment opportunities in those states.

With the facts narrated above, the SSLA and SSDA leadership would advise the American businesses to think wisely in making any business decision. The South needs to be liberated first from corruption lords of SPLM before any rational businessperson would want to invest. The people of South Sudan want investment; however, no investment could take place in the rains of bullets and artillery fire. If somebody would be hoodwinked in the upcoming conference into believing that there is peace in South Sudan that would make investment possible, that person needs to ask the survivors of Uror County massacre.

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