By Stephen Deng G. Deng
October 25, 2014 (SSNA) — The so called Great Lakes Region in continental Africa is made up of five countries namely Uganda, Rwanda, Kenya, Burundi, and Tanzania. This five member nations block is dominated by Uganda which is now fighting against South Sudanese rebels.
The United States of America (USA) helped South Sudan gained her independence in July 2011. The US is now working days and nights to try to secure a peaceful solution to the current fighting.
But, South Sudanese have in recent months started to question the credibility of the US in the peace negotiations. A serious conspiracy, “US is supporting Kiir through Uganda”, is circulating like a wild fire in South Sudan and Diaspora.
PLEASE, READ THE BELLOW PARAGRAPHS VERY CAREFULLY.
After war broke out in Juba in December last year, Ugandan soldiers were already in the world’s newest nation. Days after Kiir’s militia massacred innocent Nuer civilians in Juba, Ugandan president Yoweri Museveni announced that he was sending his troops to protect South Sudan’s vital installations and to help rescue citizens of Uganda. This has been proven to be a NAKED LIE!!
There were two separate scenarios Museveni were playing at the time the conflict erupted in Juba:
1. Museveni asked the United States to fund its military mission in South Sudan and to ultimately stop the powerful White Army from advancing toward Juba.
2. Museveni and Kiir signed a secret deal in early 2012, the deal granted full protection of Kiir regime; in return, Kiir shall pay billions of dollars (oil money) to Museveni.
To fully understand the above situations, you have to prudently analyze the way US and its European allies talk during the crisis, why it (US) fails to use its influence against the presence of Ugandan troops in South Sudan and the involvement of IGAD in the peace talks.
Let us look at the scenario one:
Yoweri Museveni has been working for West for decades, he had killed many prominent East African leaders (both civilian and military). The Ugandan leader knows how to please and confuse the West, he is very good at it!! In early 90s, Museveni came to a conclusion that the only way he can keep getting hundreds of millions of dollars from the Western countries is by doing what the West wants. He successfully did this by sending his soldiers to foreign lands under the United Nations world keeping forces. He also volunteered his troops to fight against anti-Western elements (a call which gained him an overwhelming support from the West). It is this very the same tactic that Museveni used in December 2013 when he asked the United States for funding under the cover of the so called “protecting vital government installations, building, etc.”. But, the United States was not convinced about Museveni real intention, the US moved quickly and annulled the funding agreement. Museveni was all-out at the US but he lacks the right muscles to be noisy at that time.
Let us look at the scenario two:
The main purpose the military pact between kiir and Museveni was signed is that Kiir can employ the same brutal tactics Museveni used in 1980s, when he successfully killed politicians, activists, and civil servants who were of different ethnic origins.
As you can see from the above two scenarios, Museveni uses his Western popularity to wage ruthless campaign against his political opponents. Museveni once told the current Rwandan President Kagame that “if you want to silence your political rivals without heavy noise, you must first successfully performed a Western project”.
IGAD as a Scapegoat to confuse some member states
Most South Sudanese also agreed that IGAD is simply being use by Uganda and the WEST to further their hidden interests. For instance, in August this year, a pro-Kiir accord was signed in Addis Ababa, but rebels leader refused to sign the agreement because the treaty was seen as a renewal of kiir’s brutal leadership. The culprits behind that pact reminds a mystery (Uganda and its allies are believed to be the ones). The idea that an enemy (Uganda) to be treated as one of the peacemakers is a disgrace and insult to IGAD member states.
The US is supporting Kiir through Uganda (Plot)
It is not that hard to find a group of south Sudanese both at home and abroad asking themselves as to why the United States and its European allies terribly failed to force Ugandan troops out of South Sudan. The people of the new nation strongly believe that if the US really wants Uganda soldiers out of south Sudan, it can do it in a matter of days.
The conspiracy had it that the involvement of Ugandan troops in South Sudan internal conflict could be a Western project designed in the West, by the West, and runs by Museveni who used to carryout dirty businesses on half of foreign nations.
The people of south Sudan also believe that peace negotiations in Ethiopia are not useful since the talks never addressed the root cause of the conflict.
The US and its European allies must clearly state their positions; they must avoid being seen as secrete supporter of Ugandan president, and they must show global leadership and work hard to find a peaceful solution in South Sudan.
The killing of tens of thousands of innocent Nuer civilians in Juba is a serious issue and Salva kiir MUST Go for a lasting peace to come back to my country. Any conspiracy to keep kiir in power will only fuels the fire!!
The author is a concerned south Sudanese who currently lives in the Republic of South Sudan.