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Nuer Community Calls For SPLM Delegates To Remove Riek Machar
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May 9, 2008 - 7:14:41 PM

Nuer Community Calls For SPLM Delegates To Remove Riek Machar

 

Press Release

Union of Nuer Community in North America (UNCONA)

09/05/'08

The Supreme Council of Union of Nuer Community in North America (UNCONA) met on 8 May to discuss the upcoming SPLM's 2nd National Convention scheduled for May 10�16, 2008. The leaders of UNCONA discussed issues of peace, development and reconciliation among Southern Sudanese and objectively concluded that Dr. Riek Machar is a negative force within the SPLM party.

 

On 13 April, 2008, leaders of Nuer community in Juba met to discuss marginalization of Nuer within the Government of South Sudan (GoSS). The meeting was attended by prominent figures like Paulino Matip, John Luk, Daniel Koat Mathews, Dr. Michael Wal Duany, Maj-Gen. James Hoth, Maj-Gen. Peter Gatdet, Maj-Gen. Charles Lam, David Koak Guok, Hon. Julia Duany, Hon. Bol Gatkuoth, Hon. Joseph Nguen Minytuel, and many more politicians and civil society members. These Nuer leaders concluded that Riek Machar does not represent the Nuer within the GoSS and is intentionally undermining Salva Kiir's administration for the following reasons.

 

  1. Riek Machar believes that Salva Kiir will disappear in a plane crash like John Garang so that he would take over the leadership of the SPLM party. He believes that Nuer prophet Ngundeng predicted that he (Riek Machar) will take over from Salva Kiir before 2009.
  2. Riek Machar holds a position that the administration of Salva Kiir should marginalize the Nuer and other tribes in the South so that Salva Kiir will be exposed as a tribalist who cannot lead the South. The reason why Riek Machar does not work for equality of all tribes within the GoSS is to allow problems to exist to discredit Salva Kiir. When the GoSS was formed in 2005, Riek Machar appointed his wife as a Minister of State in the GoNU, he also appointed his father-in-law as an MP in Juba, plus the rest of his family members who hold positions in Unity State and the GoSS. This tactic was to assure Nuer marginalization in order to blame it on Salva Kiir and Dinkas.
  3. Riek Machar believes that uprising against Dinka will occur when the Southern tribes are excluded from the GoSS. To realize this, Riek Machar allowed the Bari lands to be illegally occupied by the SPLM's members when he was a Minister of Land and Housing of the GoSS so that the Equatorians will stage uprising against the administration of Salva Kiir to realize Ngundeng's prediction that Riek Machar will take over the leadership from Salva Kiir.
  4. Riek Machar does not want to help Salva Kiir to improve governance in the South because, by doing so, he will be delaying his chances to take over from Kiir. That is why Riek Machar does not mind to correct problems within the GoSS. His first priority is not about equality, but how to expose the inexperience of Salva Kiir among Southerners.

 

After evaluating the performances of Riek Machar in the GoSS since 2005, the leadership of Nuer community strongly advises the SPLM's delegates in the Convention NOT to allow Riek Machar as the First Vice-Chairman of the SPLM. Since all the positions of the SPLM will be contested through democratic processes, it is objectively and seriously advisable for SPLM's delegates to elect somebody other than Riek Machar as the first Vice-Chairman of the SPLM party. There are so many qualified Nuers within the SPLM to hold that position if it is designated for the Nuer. If the position of the 1ST Vice-chairman is for Greater Upper Nile, it is advisable for the SPLM to consider Dr. Lam Akol or anyone from the tribes of Greater Upper Nile to occupy that position.

 

Dr. Riek Machar is a negative force that will nurture tribal wars in the South Sudan because of his claims of being chosen by prophet Ngundeng. He should be given an opportunity to practice his religious believes outside the SPLM by establishing Ngundeng's Church in Juba or in Bentiu rather than holding SPLM's position to foment tribal hatreds between Nuer and Dinka through mythical believes.

 

Nuer leaders in Sudan and Diaspora have concluded that Riek Machar would never work for fraternity among Southerners unless he takes over from Salva Kiir either through Ngundeng's predictions or when Salva Kiir's plane crashes before 2009. The position of First Vice-Chairman of the SPLM is supposed to be held by somebody who does not encourage tribal hatred by citing predictions of tribal prophets. SPLM needs leaders who cooperate among themselves without stabbing themselves at the backs. Since 2005, Riek Machar has been conspiring day and night to realize Ngundeng's mythical predictions of taking over from Salva Kiir Mayardit. He portrayed Salva Kiir as uneducated man who is not capable of running SPLM affairs. He believes that the only solution to the problems of the GoSS is to speed up demise of Salva Kiir so that he will take over the SPLM's leadership.

 

We therefore seriously advise the SPLM's delegates in the Convention to vote for a new person as the first Vice-Chairman of the party rather than Riek Machar if they are serious about attaining new Sudan. Dr. Riek Machar believes only in taking over from Kiir; he does not believe in the creation of a new democratic Sudan.

 

For Contact:

Supreme Council, Union of Nuer Community in North America (UNCONA)

USA & Canada

Email: [email protected]

 

 

 

 



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