By: Bol Khan Rom
Phow Community Commemorates 15 December 2013 Juba genocide; calls on “Juba-based mafia” to abdicate power for peace to come!
December 18, 2016 (SSNA) — Phow Community has commemorated the Third Commemoration ceremony of 15 December Naath genocide which was first executed in 2013 in Juba and then rapidly escalated to other areas inhabit by Nuers . The Nuer ethnic group members on 15 Dec 2013 in Juba and throughout 2014 in many states across South Sudan could indiscriminately be targeted for the simple reason that they share tribe with Dr. Riek Machar or support the latter. In a very short time in Dec 2013 or mid 2014 it was widely reported, including in the international media that over 20,000 people mostly children, women and elderly were so far massacred in Juba alone.
Apart from those killed afterward from other States across South Sudan for the same reason mentioned above. Hence, the Nuer said in 2014 that the killings of or the lives of those over 20,000 thousand innocent civilians must be commemorated on 15 December, every year. So, this year, 2016, Commemorations ceremony in Phow State, Old Fangak, was held on 15 December 2016 under the theme: “The images of our innocent mothers, fathers and children brutally slaughtered in Juba on 15-20s December 2013 and in 2014 are still in our memories”.
The commemoration ceremony was broadly observed/attended by the community members, traditional Chiefs, army Generals, civil and local authority leaders including the State Acting-Deputy Governor, Mr. James Duop Kulang, Fangak South County’s Commissioner, Mr. Isaac Tut Machar, Executive Director, Mr. Gatluak Chuol among others. The Third Commemoration was organized by the State Youth Association as usual. As introduced over the last two years, on 15 to late December each year, everybody is only entitled to either put on black, red or colored clothes. But given non-standard affairs of the area in term of how difficult it is to get or buy required clothes, some or most of the commemorators could be seen even in different clothes. On the same token, no adult—healthy person either could eat both meal and meat on 15 Dec 2016 with exception of the sick and elderly people only but can eat meals without meat.
All these are done in respect to their children, brothers and their sisters’ innocent lives “the reason why we cannot eat meat is because as they were mass murdering our people on these days (15-20s Dec) in 2013 and afterward in 2014 they were on other hand forcing other love ones alive to eat the flesh of their dead brothers, mothers, sisters before they could then be killed thereafter”. Gatluak Mawich one of the mourners narrated. Some few mourners would nervously relate their small stories about how they lost family members or how each of them could narrowly escape death in Juba, Bentiu, Bor and some other parts of South Sudan.
Mr. Gordon Koang Top, one of the Head-Chiefs in the area, Fangak South County said, what happened to Nuer nation in Juba or in South Sudan in 2013/4 will never vacate our minds and thoughts because it was one of the unpleasant events ever happens in history. Koang said he was in Juba in December 2013, when the civilians were killed there. “I am a survivor of that December 2013 Nuer Genocide in Juba”, he lamented. However, Koang said for the sake of nation building we may forgive the killers of our innocent people if the killers themselves are ready to confess. “As we are commemorating 15 Dec Third Commemoration, we are commemorating it with constructive willingness to forgive those who committed the genocide against our innocent people in Juba, 2013. If and only if those murders have first publicly apologized to the people of South Sudan and then announce their sincere readiness to leave power NOW not TOMORROW. If they can’t abdicate the power they abused and used against us, then there will be no convincing reason to forgive them”. Top continued.
Major Gen. Geany Gai said Nuer tribe has been in deadly confrontations with Juba based-tribal regime for the last three full years until the thing has now embroiled other ethnic groups of South Sudan. “As we can see and always hear in greater Equatoria and Western Bhar Elgahal region. The problem is no longer between the Nuer tribe and JCE backed Salva Kiir government in Juba. It has further escalated; the government is killing civilians in Wau, Western, Central and Eastern part of Greater Equatoria region. These emerging developments”, Gai continued, “evidently signify the fact that Salva Kiir and his greedy-false fans in Juba are on the wrong side of history. So their removal from power is imminent.
The SPLM/A-IO is well organized resistant movement. It has a lot of allying strong forces in every comer of this great country. The enemies of peace are going to be defeated very soon. What defeats in the field of war is organization of forces and coordination which we have already put in place. When I defected from Juba genocidal government I did it in regards to my upcoming children’s history. Had I put the money in my heart like those selfish generals who remained behind in Juba, I would have not defected. Because before 15 Dec 2013, I was earning a lot of money but because my own people were killed, I immediately decided to come out and register my children’s history. As a matter of fact I could not see properly, yet I had decided and left the government because one’s dignity and national stance is always better than personal or economic related interest.” Gen. Geany continued.
“What we are doing; I mean the war we are staging, indeed, is for our children to have better future after this civil war”, Mr. Tut Riek Kuaileak echoed Gen. Geany. “ Salva Kiir started the war against the Nuer tribe, by the way it was good because other small tribes are too weak and vulnerable enough to defend themselves from JCE backed Juba government. The government would have totally annihilated that tribe if it was not because of Nuer tribe. After a short musical interlude from new brilliant Artist, Gatthiang Kuol Chan, Hon. Isaac Tut Machar came to the stage and said, “Today is a first day of (15-20s days) the Third Commemoration anniversary. We are not here to betray the people of South Sudan in general and Fangak people in particular. We will stand with you to the end. I think you can these days hear Salva Kiir, asking South Sudanese people to forgive him for all those untold atrocities he has been committing against the nation. But guys let me tell you one thing on this appeal of Salva Kiir. Fangak South County or I personal may forgive his followers but not Salva Kiir Maryardit Kuethpiny himself, of Warrap’s Akon Payam. I am not ready to forgive him whatsoever international, regional, national efforts may come across. I am not included among those who are going to forgive Salva Kiir.” Hon. Isaac concluded. The community of Phow state condemns the regional and international soft stance towards August Compromise Peace Agreement implementation. The CPA implementation was thwarted or dishonored in July 2016 by Slava Kiir Mayayrdit but regional and international community cannot say anything up to now.
Mr. James Duop Kulang, who is standing in for Deputy Governor Gen. Puok Koang, has commended the unity of the greater Fangak (Phow) community for having objectively rallied behind Maj. Gen. Johnson Kuol Gai, the Governor of Phow State. Hon. Duop also encouraged the unity of opposition forces across South Sudan to keep growing strong enough so that the Juba-based slaughtering clique is collectively dethroned. “I first want to commend the job well done by Phow State Governor; Maj. General Johnson Kuol Gai Nyoap and then more importantly what our sons, Fangak strong servicemen—soldiers who went to Juba in April this year for peace implementation. They can all be highly commended for their historic and physical protection they had rendered to SPLM/A-IO’s leadership including the protection of our Chairman and C-in-C Dr. Riek Machar Teny Dhurghon, in July 2016 that they started right from Juba all along, until they reached South Sudan-DRC borders. This is the best of all; our all gallant men in uniforms, the SPLA-IO strong forces had done at the outset of July 2016 war in Juba and through the thick forest of Equatoria despite the fact that they were very small in number. The suffering of South Sudanese people will come to an end once Salva Kiir and Stephen Taban Deng leave power. That will be the time all South Sudanese people will relief from these imposed pains”. Hon. James Duop concluded his speech by saying: “We, therefore, call upon Juba-based mafia’s two isolated leaders, Salva Kiir & Taban Deng, to unconditionally abdicate power if they need PEACE to come back to our country, South Sudan. Or else wait for the day that they will collectively be deposed from power by the nationwide social uprisings”.
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