South Sudan News Agency

By Akic Adwok Lwaldeng

April 24, 2013 (SSNA) -- The Republic of South Sudan is at a critical juncture in its history. The Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) 2005, and separation 2011 ended with the crises, yet a concentration of wealth and political power in Juba still under Oyee Party,(Elhag Paul), where marginalisation are searching for identity continues to fuel discontent and armed conflict in several regions of South Sudan, All the attempts to resolve current crises regime failed to bring the needed breakthrough. The regime will not bring the on-going conflict to an end and end the suffering of millions of people affected by the conflict.

The CPA which supposed to end-up the war, and allow south Sudanese to determine their future through self-determination referendum, enhance democracy, ensure rule of law, the extension of justice, the guarantee of citizen rights, impartiality and transparency in decision making, integrity in public spending, accountability and the dependence on the standards of efficiency, all that were wash-out unpredictable the Nile River waves. The South Sudan still governing by one political party which curtails non-basic on democratic and human rights.

The political wrangling with regards to the status of the current government is still on-going fighting between themselves and on the other hand with arms groups, the regime should attempt to form a government of national unity of the all major political parties, I am sure most them will not refuse to take part in the government of unity. Or otherwise we leave with a big question over the legitimacy of the government at the time when the country is facing many difficult problems.

The current war in Jonglei and Eastern Equatoria state recently created humanitarian crises due to displacement of thousands and thousands of civilians, with Government of South Sudan, refusing to allow International Humanitarian Organisations to provide the needed assistance with medicines and foods in some areas that might lead to massive scale catastrophe soon. And the killing, non free speech and torturing represented the lowest points between South Sudan and International community relation since independent 20011. However, delaying in resolve the outstanding lands and cattle’s raiding issues after South Sudan separation has serious impact in the relation between the communities.

We know that many of us were belong to the revolutionary generation in South Sudan who fought against the Jallaba regime. But that revolution failed and the power was seized by a group of empty-bellied which they drowned it in blood by policing suppression citizen and prison and torture, killing them. This regime will be pushed back us into a semi slave or East Africa situation. Yes, indeed it is horrific to subject 10 million South Sudanese to such situation, if there no changes our children will grow-up fighting against this authoritarian regime.

Today, some people calling upon to unite with the authoritarian regime in order to resist against the certain community. And there are some people who call to unite with them in order to get rid of this medieval regime. Does any real citizen think this is a choice? I am categorically refusing these choices. They are not choices for accomplishment. They are choices for guaranteeing enslavement of our people for many generations to come. Instead we fight tooth and nail to forge, against this SPLM political orientation to liberate our innocent South Sudanese. And to maintain faith in the basic principles of humanity, peace, human rights, mutual dialogue and tolerance.

A lot of people think opposition cannot do it and instead they should be one who liberating our people from this harmful regime. But I believe opposition is exactly the ones who can do it, deep oppression will turns them into formidable.

We strive to struggle against all forms of our people oppression, both overt and hidden. I personally, do not support the more subtle and softer forms of oppression suffered by our people in the any corner of South Sudan and I see myself side by side with people in the South Sudan against this regime supremacist states dominant in our country.

And then let us all carry the cross as a sign that we are all are of the same nation, nation of forethought for liberation of South Sudanese. To present ourselves to that level it is best to explain our political line in this fight. This is especially important because the government is waging a war against you and your friends, brothers, sisters even your wife and your biological relative. This brutal hatred and want it to be stopped quickly. And you can see nowadays the future election in the South Sudan is strengthening the war moves between president and vice president.

I invite you to join hands so that we can build a beautiful nationalism and not tribalism which is regime is practices it today. Come on South Sudanese Let us hook up together and work to free people of this country for a new nation without exploitation and discrimination and nepotism and class oppression from this regime.

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By J. Nguen Nyol

“We hang the petty thieves and appoint the great ones to public office.” –Aesop-

April 24, 2013 (SSNA) -- This is what ought to happen in South Sudan but it is unlikely because we are too immature, too tribalized and too irrational to the core. If I may, rationality is being truthful and driven by honest conviction to act and die for what is highly moral as “law is the objectivity” of good instinct. True, but I resent that good never seems to triumph for long before some evil interrupts. Sadly, this is the case in the Republic South Sudan considering the recent suspension of nationwide national reconciliation rescheduled for June 2013.

President Kiir suspended that landmark event despite its overwhelming supports from South Sudanese and friends across diversity and various geographical locations around the globe. Inability to think, tribalism and political jealous to earn credits for what one did not sow matters in South Sudan so long one is in position of powers. This is where things don’t get done in that country because free thinkers are not allows to thinks freely to enhance innovative ideas. Everyone is expected to play dump to resemble the big man at the top. Such trends are the political reality where I was born and where the national reconciliation was suspended on baseless grounds.

After the fact, I felt sadden and disgusted simply because I am aware of the implications because people who needed to heal in order to repair their shattered lives and redevelop a damaged nation were held hostage without national reconciliation in the country. By all accounts, it was a desperate and blinded move ever to say the least. This is equally painful to many wanted to heal and desperately disappointing to learn that President Kiir was indeed an obstacle to peace process.

It is one of the gross mistakes ever committed by a sitting president. It is a political blunder, deplorable and unforgivable injustice done by President Kiir to his own people. Above all, it is undoubtedly an endorsement and affirmation of hatred and simmering sentiments among South Sudan’s sixty three tribes. This brings me to the reason why I decided to write this commentary. My aim is to help readers understand that President Kiir was duped into such deplorable eventuality. Also to point out that lack of political shrewdness has complicated the matters and in many respects led to the unsolicited political decision which was poorly presented just like the previous insidious political verdict before it. In a nutshell, since the untimely death of late Dr. John Garang in 2005, South Sudan has politically been downgrading at a disappointing rapid pace and more so toward rogue state.

To start with, it is true that President Kiir was part of the movement who fought on the basis to overhaul deformed Khartoum regime and then build on common values guided by clear conscience goals to ensure peace and freedom. However, after he (president) ascended to power in 2005, such liberation ideals, values and principles were thrown overboard and became things of the past.

Hoodwinked or not, Mr. President has placed South Sudan and its people before the custodian of misguided, ill-informed and opportunists cliques. At will, Kiir placed his cronies in sensitive positions in the Republic of South Sudan (RSS) which include the banking and financial system, judiciary, foreign missions, military and security apparatus.  

After ensuring control over these institutions, the president and his clan-mate cliques set out on the next phase of embezzling public funds in billions of dollars in the cover of dark or in a broad daylight. Four shocking examples of this scheme that caught international headlines were:

1. The $3 millions dollars caught red-handed from Mr. Stephen Madut Baak at the Heathrow International Airport in London in 2008, where Mr. Baak was unhesitant to mention that he was working for president as an advisor;

2. The $4 billion reported missing by none other than President Kiir himself in 2012 and the $ 600 million reported stolen by the former RSS minister of finance Arthur Akuien Chol in 2008;

3. The $20 million stolen by Stephen Baak Wuol and $293 million reported by Aaron Young stolen by none other than Elijah Salva Mathok Gengdit, the current deputy minister of interior in RSS;

4. And the $6 million dollars and South Sudan pounds reported stolen from the president’s office 2013;

These are not mere allegations but proven facts simply because the RSS as a nation started this journey with the wrong foot. For example, the former Governor of South Sudan bank Mr. Elijah Malok Aleng was not hesitant to assert this that “we already know of people who have millions in their accounts, whether in Ivory or Buffalo Bank. Where did you get the money from, it is simply because you got it wrongly.”

That said the suspension of national reconciliation by the president is just another insidious political blunder in human context. With the latest, South Sudan is once again placed at the crossroad, between good and evil. Weirdly, the evils in their distorted terms are appreciative of the direction of which a nation is heading while the good masses are indifferent and confused. People are numbed to the core and ceased to think. Few who asked honest questions were threatened, kidnapped, killed and accused of wanting to overthrow the broken government. What a shame! No one can justify beyond reasonable doubt that the suspended national reconciliation was a political enterprise or has been used as one by anyone. The fear is based on political insecurity and lack of political shrewdness from the top spoiled brat.

Another disappointing fact was that President Kiir allowed himself to be driven, misled and grossly manipulated at his disadvantage by well stationed crooks whose aims are to set him up for failure and expose his weaknesses as a head of state. The April 15 presidential decree read on South Sudan Television (SSTV) was one of them and meant to trash the president’s records. The decree read dissolved national reconciliation committee and suspended national reconciliation process based on misconstrued political insecurity and erroneous speculations to say the least. However, this was not the first time President Kiir made such erroneous and regrettable decisions based on ill-informed advice which exploited Mr. President’s weak self-confidence, self-esteem and the absent of political shrewdness.

In 2011, President Kiir demanded more powers to avoid unfounded insecurity and was bestowed unnecessary absolute powers in the South Sudan Interim Constitution. The clause granted the president power to remove elected officials including the governors. Four months ago, Kiir acted on this misplaced clause and removed Lakes state elected Governor, Mr. Chol Tong. Mr. Chol’s replacement was a military man.

Subsequently, Kiir emotionally led South Sudan to war with Khartoum regime which in eventuality led to Panthou crisis and the bombing of civilian targets by the Khartoum’s rogue regime. In that incident, more than 1000 SPLA soldiers died and to this day no one in South Sudan talked about this humiliating adventure. After the fact, President Kiir made an uncivilized political remark toward Ban Ki-moon, the UN Secretary General. Kiir told South Sudan parliament on the televised broadcast that “I told Ban Ki-moon that I am not your commander and not answerable to your directive”

The most disappointing part in that fiasco was that Kiir cave in and withdrew South Sudan troops from Helige in a cowardly disorganized fashion which resulted to the above reported thousand death tolls. Another poignant event emerged out of the Panthou Crisis was salaries of the deceased SPLA’s’ soldiers were cut in half by the same month they perished by the same government who sent to harm way.

Out of emotive, Kiir frantically ordered the closure of South Sudan oil production without back up plan. For the last 20 months South Sudan’s civil servants barely got paid due to the fact there was no money in South Sudan reserve opposite to what president Kiir claimed.

Early this year, President Kiir relieved 153 senior army officers at once and replaced most of them with new close associates and tribal men. The move was nothing short of consolidating power and for South Sudan to become a rogue state. The move was seen by many analysts as a dangerous and irrelevant since it sets the new country into the wrong path of dictatorship.

Before President Kiir retired 153 senior armed officers, however, he also personally signed off big junk of South Sudan’s land to Arabs in the name of the questionable demilitarized zone between two countries. The signed off places have never been in the history part of the northern Sudan but Kiir signed them off to appease Arab Northern (Sudan) for South Sudan’s oil to flow north. The sell out did not stop there. The president pledged to compensate North Sudan with $ 3 billion US dollars simply because South Sudan separated from Sudan. If President Kiir was politically smart and think independently as able politician, Sudan would have compensated South Sudan for the atrocities and human sufferings the north inflicted on South Sudan and not otherwise.

Rumor had it that President Kiir suspended national reconciliation because of an internal strife in the SPLM between him and his VP, Riek Machar. Mading Ngor wrote, “the Vice President Riek appears to overplay his hands at times and some of his moves border on insubordination, expressed consciously or not.” In this quote, Mading failed on specifying which area the VP may have overplayed his powers over his boss, which in my view amounts to mere speculations of a sought and insignificantly factual. If President Kiir has based his decision in suspending the national reconciliation citing above mentioned point as a reference, therefore, it’s fair to conclude that lack of confidence and political shrewdness are the driving factors.

As I was about to publish this commentary, I realized that President Kiir has on Monday appointed Archbishop of Episcopal Church, Daniel Deng Bul Yak to chair the national reconciliation and Archbishop of Catholic Church, Paride Taban as his deputy. This is indeed a good gesture as far as peace process is concerned in South Sudan, considering the fact those appointed are clergies of the House of God.

Who is Archbishop Daniel Deng Bul Yak?

Who is Archbishop Daniel Deng Bul Yak? Is he the right clergyman to lead so much politicized national reconciliation? Archbishop Daniel Deng Bul was born in 1950 in Twic East County, Jonglei State, South Sudan. Archbishop Bul has studied theology in Sudan and United State of American. His work with church since 1970s undoubtedly suggested a good clergy man but his work with people traumatized war suggested otherwise. 

Archbishop Bul spent most of his clergy work in the northern Sudan during the Sudan civil war, particularly in Port Sudan and Renk. Archbishop Bul did not live through the horrors during war time. During Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) it seemed, Archbishop Bul moved to Juba where he became the archbishop of the Episcopal Church of South Sudan.

After Sudan elections in 2010, Archbishop Bul was appointed to lead a peace delegation to make peace between rebel led by George Athor and the Republic of South Sudan. That peace initiative failed because Archbishop Bul was accused was conspiring with the RSS to capture George Athor instead.

During the Jonglei crisis, Archbishop Bul was also appointed to head the reconciliation process between the warring tribes in the Jonglei. In the process Archbishop Bul “was {also}accused by the Murle community of allegedly siding with the Dinka Bor, his tribe, prompting the Murle to withdraw from the reconciliation process and demanding for appointment of a neutral person to chair it.”

Given what we know, Archbishop Bul appeared problematic and might not be the right person to chair national reconciliation in South Sudan for the following reasons:

1. Archbishop Bul has never been in the bush and never experience bush lives and therefore he has no personal experience to relate to during the process of healing.

2. Archbishop Bul is already accused twice: one for siding with his native tribe during Jonglei peace process and for conspiring with RSS to capture George Athor. Therefore, his neutrality is in serious question;

3. Archbishop Bul’s appointment will be views as politically motivated and considered as the Dinka led political hegemony in the country;

4. Because national reconciliation is already politicized on tribal basis and that President Kiir has intentionally avoided Archbishop Paride Taban to chair the process is another serious phenomenon and hurdle;

5. The two tribes that need serious focus in South Sudan in the course of this national reconciliation are the Dinka and The Nuer. They (Dinka &Nuer) must be led through this peaceful healing process by a neutral personality like Archbishop Paride Taban to avoid tribal siding.

Though I personally applauded and supported the formation of the new national reconciliation committee by the president, I honestly feel that President Kiir has again made another political blunder by not appointing Archbishop Paride Taban to lead the process. Archbishop Taban will be a right choice and consider neutral by all parties involved in the healing process. Because this issue was grossly ignored, there is no doubt that neutrality and fairness is in serious question.

J. Nguen Nyol is a concerned South Sudan citizen living in Canada. He can be reached at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

BY Kuach Y. Tutkuay

“The game of eye for an eye, will only leave a blind country”

April 24, 2013 (SSNA) -- It is a privilege I will never regret to be a south Sudanese, and if I were to choose between south Sudan and one of the developed countries—say America—I would definitely choose south Sudan and if someone asked me to produce a reason for my choice, I would write a book. My dear readers, I have got an issue of concern to share with you and in fact I am expressing this idea in a very deep sorrow for I know we will face a lot of obstacles in the morrow, if we don’t turn to the right path.

My conscience tells me that south Sudan has lost tract of social coexistence and there is no doubt this has manifested itself in many a forms. The practice of tribalism fueled by lack of political ethics among the politicians, with their naive believe to know more than they really are, has led this nation astray. The issue of these war-weary politicians alone would not bother me because their grey hairs symbolized their short fall, but my fear is that these traditional politicians will make disciples among the youth and will sow the seeds of hatred instead of peace. This is a concern I believe every patriotic citizen of this fragile nation would put into consideration.

Youth are the heirs of the past, co-owners of the present and owners of the future, but we need to be very careful of what we should inherit and what we should not. The long civil war has corrupted our past and our present, because through the bush live, we have adopted a new culture of war which was not there during the time of our ancestors. Our ancestors during their time lived together, share water points, grazing land and cultivate together without any significant conflict. The same spirit applied to our soldiers when they were fighting for our freedom, they fought irrespective of tribes.

Presently, employment in all public institutions is based on tribal affiliation, a kind of "technical know who" has replaced "technical know-how". Tribalism has been the slogan of the current government and this has signified itself in employment and settlement around Juba which based on tribal clustering. The introductions of al-Qaeda style of killing—slaughtering a human being—which had never happened in the history of south Sudan, now happening in Juba. This is a grotesque present which I don’t think the youth can co-own. The future is too blurry but there is always a way out for an optimists.

Now that it is crystal clear that the past is neither worthy inheriting nor does the present worthy co-owning, what do we do? Will we pass through this pitfall the liberators passed through? NO! We are the future of this nation; therefore, we have to leave this path of tribalism. I want us to understand that our diversity is our strength but we should not regard it as a factor for our division. Change will never come to us as a miracle but we the youth must accept changes by standing up and say no to divisive politic in a way that is self-expression rather than politic. Let's leave politic to politicians because it blow us is division, "us against them" kind of politic.

Humankind has been a primitive segregator of what God the creator has put together; when God created human being, He did not segregate them into tribes or races. He created them in His own image and I guess He must be very proud of them, but because of the divisive nature of man, they clustered themselves into groups which became an impediment to peace and co-existence today. And now that this has proved itself to be the most problem facing us, we tend to escape the problem by finger-pointing at others that “they did it, not us” but this will not help in any sense because a problem get solved only when you accept it as your fault and seek alternative way forward.

The fact that you are born of one particular tribe should not be an excuse to pay your loyalty only to that tribe and despise the rest. I believe that even if I were not born of my tribe, I would have been born of another tribe within south Sudan because south Sudan deserves me and I will still be proud of being a south Sudanese, so why should I be proud of my tribe instead. One tribe cannot make a nation; it is our diversity that makes us look beautiful. Take an example of a rainbow, it has seven colors but if you removed one of them will it still look beautiful as it used to be? I believe not. I know all of us are patriots and have love for this country, but the only thing we have forgotten is that when we don’t love ourselves, how can we claim to be patriots to our country? This means we don’t also love this country.

Last, but not least, I need to advise my friends, the journalists who hold the sole responsibility of enlightening the citizens of this country. I always read all your articles but I think one principle of journalism must be missing. The principle of neutralism is missing among most journalists, though there are still qualified ones. It is not so interesting to a nationalist like me that you are using your tribal or personal interest as a watermark to your articles. An example of these are from the citizen newspapers, those who beat the drum of the truth should beat a drum they have first confirmed to be the drum of the truth, otherwise, they may end up beating the drum of tribalism. Media is very important and we should not join it with a prime objective of protecting the reputations of our tribes, the author is very much concerned about what we post in the media. Media messages affect more than any other things, therefore, we need to furnish our words in making sure that they will not draw negative attitudes in the minds of the public. If the writers could not abide by this principle then it would be better for the media organizations to reject some of the messages that they deem negative in the social set up.

The success and failure of this country is in our hands, especially we the youth. We need not only to depend on the information provided; we also need to refine our own. Politicians normally brings us messages base on their interests, and if we pick it bare, we are no longer neutrals. Let the spirit of fairness and honesty guides this nation, and most of all, may peace and co-existence prevail in abundant.

If my article harms anyone, please I am sorry! I just want to point out what I think can bring us together as youth because we have a lot of things ahead which call for our togetherness, otherwise, thanks for your time.

The author could be reached at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it