Macharphobia is a Real Fear in the SPLM

May 21, 2013 (SSNA) – It becomes clear that Macharphobia is the real fear among some of the ruling party’s elites. What about ordinary citizens if Machar becomes the president of the new nation and who will benefits from his leadership? This question will be the talking points in the coming months, or even years to come. When rumors were leaked out by some members of the SPLM’s political bureau that the Vice President Dr. Machar declared his bid for the presidency, at that time President Salva Kiir and his political appointees reacted violently to the point that surprise the whole nation, according to the document obtained by the southsudan.net.

General Salva Kiir issued his order hereunder: A: withdrawals of all dully delegate powers assigned to the vice president. B, the vice president shall be restricted to exercise and discharge only his power as stipulated in accordance with provision of articles 105 (a).

It was clear that the President was furious to the point where he tried it very hard to show to the Country that he is the president who first delegated those powers to his vice president and he can still take those powers back if he wants at any time. This seems like a show off by telling to the nation that he is the only man who can give power to any person of his choosing and take the same power back at any time he chooses. What president Kiir doesn’t know is that Machar is the most influential political leader in South Sudan; the man (Machar) has the support of ordinary citizens.

To everyone surprise, including this writer, what caused the president’s indirect reaction in the first place should be termed as Macharphobia.  It was indeed Machar phobia that caused President Kiir to issue his presidential decree and it was also a way for him (the president) to try to transform his scratchy and intolerable leadership into something that his inner circle can see as more practical. But his insincere adoption, exaggeration of ideas, and whims that are absolutely opposed to the Vice President’s bid for the presidency cannot be ruled out by any rational citizen of the South Sudan. Machar’s bid for presidency sent shock waves to the nation; it was a clear message. Peter Lam Both, the chairperson of South Sudan Relief and Rehabilitation Commission (SSRRC) slammed on the Vice President,  which was refuted by the Jikany-Nuer community stating that. Peter Lam might have been tempted to mislead the community and the general public with the hope that he may see favor in the eyes of the president and get a ministerial position in the next expected reshuffled.

The shock waves not only shuddering Jikany Nuer Community but also other communities as well. For example, the Lou Nuer Community rejected some elders’ and politicians’ six (6) points Letter which was written to the President and called the letter as “betrayal and shameful act”. The Lou Nuer community also called upon their politicians to play good and declared those who showed their support to the one-man show as “out of touch [politicians] with the reality”. Here you can see out of touch with reality is the real concern for all people in the country. Also, all the politicians who were handpicked and appointed by president Kiir are the same people who are now disinterested at Machar’s bid; their concern is nothing but a show of support to the president who appointed them to their current positions. These politicians do not care about ordinary people because in reality they are not representing them, they are just behind the scene politicians who are there in Juba to feed themselves and support Kiir’s unpopular agendas because he is the one who appointed them to their positions. For any one who may not know our vice president, Dr. Machar is the right person who will be president for all South Sudanese; rich and poor, young and old, and he will also make sure that all South Sudan politicians who are representing their people through presidential appoinments will be removed fromtheir positions and will be elected to their positions by their fellow citizens not through presidential decrees. Again, Dr. Machar will make sure that politicians who were brought to Juba by appointments will lose their privileges for good; this is the real cause of fear among politicians who were appointed by president Kiir.

Now, let me turn this topic into Fangak: The home of Buth Diu, William Chuol Deang Luth, John Gajang De Wuol, andThe home of Nuer law. Thirty four members (34) from the three counties of Fangak have managed to sneak their letter to President Kiir. The letter titled, Position of the community of Greater Fangak on the Recent Political Developments. Their letter reads “we” the community of Greater Fangak –Ayod, Pigi and fangak pledges our support allegiance and commitment to your leadership and congratulate your Excellency for granting amnesty to those who took up arms against this nation. When I read their letter, I was appalled and dismayed by the letter written by the thirty four (34) members of Fangak community given the fact that Fangak is home to Buth Diu who stand tall in Sudan parliament fighting for what is right for ordinary people of South Sudan and William Chuol who never give up the fight against our enemy; he is dead now because freedom and democracy are not always free. He died knowing that someday, someone will pick up the fight for Self-determination and knowing that South Sudan will become an independent country. Judge John Gajang De-Wuol never give up justice for all. In Itang refugee Camp, Ethiopia, when everybody, especially leaders of the movement thought they can get away with everything, John changes all that and used his experience as a court president to make every case  go through justice system. All the three leaders I mentioned above taught us that one can play fair by avoiding tricks through logical means.

My message to the (34) members of greater Fangak is that if they want to make their message fair,  then, they can go to all Fangak’s Counties,  talked to people, and tell them the reason why Mr. Kiir will be the president for the next ten years. If they are not doing that, then they are playing tricks with the president.

Last but not the least; I can recap with one among thousand memorable efforts made by the Vice President on behalf of South Sudanese’s self determination.  On January 6, 2002, when talks between the SPLM/A and SPDF at the top level were concluded between John Garang of the SPLM/A and Riek Machar of the SPDF, their agreement was publicly signed in Kenya. The peace between the two political giants is historically known as “The Nairobi Declaration”. During their negotiation, late Dr. John Garang gave up the ideology of united Sudan; in retrun, Dr. Machar allowed Garang and the movement to retain the name SPLM/A. Dr. Machar also gave up the name of SPDF and retained the key goal of self-determination for the people of southern Sudan. Toward these objectives between the two leaders, the SPDF Peace Committee Clarified the Declaration of unity between the SPLM/A and the SPDF. The signatories were Dr. Costello Garang Riny, Simon Kun Pouc (of RASS), Cmdr. Kuong Dahnier Gatluak,  Cmdr. Nyang Chuol Dhuor, and Late Professor Gabriel Gitt Jal. Here, one can easily undertand the fact that what the leaders of SPDF fought for was not about names or wanting to be presidents, their ultimate goal is all about achieving self-determination.

To the people who know that Dr. Machar, he will not sit futile until his dream of democracy and freedom is achieved through federal systems that shall lay down a comprehensive economic and social plan to develop the country in general and to bridge the gap between the various States in particular, so that within a definite period, federal system is a uniform structure that will provide basic needs, such as security, employment, water, food, education, health and housing to the people. These goals can only be achieved through Machar’s vision not through a vision of Kiir who wants to run the country through decrees. But Mr. Machar will not do it alone, it is also our time to change the chronic abuses of power which has been going on for many years throughout the country, during the times of war when our Southerner politicians were begging for political appointments in Khartoum and were sitting powerlessly doing nothing in Khartoum. Are we ready to again allow our politicians to beg for political posts and sit ineffectively in Juba? I don’t think so!!

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