UNCONA Condemns SPLM's Attempt to Divide the Nuer

Press Release

Union of Nuer Community in North America (UNCONA)

2007-12-26

The Supreme Council of Union of Nuer Community in North America (UNCONA) is profoundly disturbed by the attempt of the SPLM to divide the Nuer community in North America . On Dec, 10, 2007 , the office of First Vice President Salva Kiir in Juba instructed all SPLM Chapters in North America to mobilize the Nuer who are members of the SPLM party to full away from UNCONA. Lt. Gen. Kiir himself instructed SPLM's offices in the Diaspora to isolate UNCONA because it does not support his leadership when UNCONA urged Lt. Gen. Paulino Matip to quit the SPLA.

The SPLM's offices in North America have now started bribing some Nuer to write a petition letter claiming that the SPLM's Nuer do not recognize UNCONA to represent the Nuer community in North America. The SPLM's representatives went as far as intimidating those who refused the Nuer community to be divided by outsiders. Unfortunately, there are some Nuer who accept bribery and are now writing their names to please Salva Kiir and Pagan Amum.

The Union of Nuer Community in North America (UNCONA) was founded in 2005 after the conclusion of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) to address Nuer marginalization in the Sudan . UNCONA's mission statement is predicated upon the creation of the government of South Sudan free from tribal domination. UNCONA does not accept any agenda aimed at colonizing minor tribes in the South in violation of the principles of equality of all ethnic groups in the Sudan .

The seriousness of UNCONA for equality was reflected when the representatives of the Equatoria’s Solidarity International (ESI), Equatoria’s Professionals in Europe (EPE) and the Union of Nuer Community in North America (UNCONA) held a series of discussions from Dec. 1st —7^th, 2006. The three communities examined the political experiences of South Sudan ever since the independence of Sudan as well as the current political situation and concurred that lack of consensus among democratic forces in the South is the cause of deepening national crisis that has now placed South Sudan in the verge of collapse due to mismanagement of Southern affairs by the SPLM party.

During the signing of Memorandum Of Understanding (MOU) in Dec, 2006, the three communities agreed that the fundamental cause of the failure of South Sudanese had been misdiagnosed by some political forces in the region. The discussions held by the representatives of the three communities on all issues pertaining to the national crisis and current political situations in the South arrived at the followings conclusions:

1) The problem of underdevelopment in the post-CPA South Sudan is no longer caused by the North as it is mistakenly perceived by the corrupt SPLM party, but between tribal chauvinists of the SPLM—who champion corruption—and the political forces in the South who want to establish democratic order. Since independence of Sudan, South Sudan has been divided between those who believe in establishing a democratic state and those who believe in imposing militant tribalism and kleptocracy against the will of the people;

2) The three communities unequivocally concurred that the political crisis, which currently bedevils South Sudan, is exacerbated because tribalism captured the institutions of the Government of South Sudan (GoSS);

3) The communities understood that the implementation of the CPA is hampered by the ongoing corruption in the GoSS. The institutionalization of corruption and tribalism is antithetical to the fundamental objective of South Sudan liberation struggle. The three sides affirmed that the only way for the people of the South to exercise the right to self-determination, as promised by the Comprehensive Peace Agreement, is to unite behind a coalition of South Sudan parties with the tradition of establishing a just, democratic government;

4) The communities agreed that democratization of South Sudan is not possible without reforming the securing organs of the SPLA and reinstate a system which respects basic human rights and international norms;

5) The three communities affirmed that South Sudan is politically pluralistic, religiously and culturally diverse and there ought to be a consensus on a new social contract that does not permit discrimination on the basis of tribe, religion, culture, race, gender or region;

6) The three communities concurred that tribally inspired military repressions in Greater Equatoria would only exacerbate the ongoing insecurity and would not propel South Sudan towards a lasting democratic order.

Therefore, UNCONA calls upon Nuer in North America to vigorously reject the SPLM's attempts of dividing the Nuer community. The Nuer in early 20^th Century fought the British for thirty years because they didn't want to be colonized. The SPLM has copied British's divide and rule tactics in South Sudan and is keen to divide the Nuer in order to destroy them. The Nuer have never been colonized by any tribe in the Sudan history and would resist, by all means, Salva Kiir's attempt to divide them.

For Contact:

John Gatluak Kam

President of Union of Nuer Community in North America (UNCONA)

Email: johngatluakkam@hotmail.com