South Sudanese people: Do not be fooled twice!!

By: Daniel Abushery Daniel

“Greatness is not in where we stand, but in what direction we are moving. We must sail sometimes against it, but sail we must and not drift, nor lie at anchor.” said by Oliver Wendell Holmes.

Without a doubt, South Sudanese people have gone through some tumultuous times in which- time and time again- very many agreements were either dishonored or simply ignored by the Northern elites in Khartoum, and there’s no indication that the chronic habits are going away any time soon.

Yet, for the sake of keeping the record straight, and to refresh the memory of some of the South Sudanese who have lived long enough to experience those mischievous, disproportion, and devious era of dishonored agreements that were signed between Khartoum governments on the one hand, and the people of South Sudan, on the other, since and before the so-called " Independence of Sudan" in 1956.

To shed light on the matters, I wish to begin with the 1947 Juba Round Table Conference, where Southern community chiefs were literally deceived and seduced to an empty promise that their demands will be made after Sudan becomes an independent state. And that South will be given priority in development, but not even a hut was built in the whole South.

But just only a decade later, exactly in 1964, The North once again said to the  South Sudan that its demands for justice and self rule would be granted. Again, that pledge was not met, and no explanation was given either!

 Not only that, in 1972, former President of Sudan Jafaar Muhammad Nummeri fooled the Southerners with self-rule government, which let to the signing of Addis Ababa Accord, ending the civil war. Unfortunately, the Addis Ababa Accord would not last but for ten-years only. Then in 1983, Jafaar Nummeri abolished the Agreement in a nationally televised speech in which he said his famous quote: “The Addis Ababa Agreement is not the Quran or the Bible."

As a result, South Sudan nationalists had no other choice but to take up arms once more, and the Sudan Peoples Liberation Movement (SPLM/A) under the leadership of Dr. John Garang de Mabior was born.

But it didn't end there, Dr, Riek Machar and Dr. Lam Akol simultaneously singed agreements with Khartoum regime, ( Khartoum, and Fashoda Peace Agreements), but they also were all dishonored and abolished in a blink of an eye and the two doctors were forced to returned back to SPLM.

Thus, the obvious question in south Sudan political arena is: how many times are we going to be deceived?

We need your answers!

Lastly, when the comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) was signed In 2005, the central government has promised to carry out some tangible developmental projects, which would have helped in healing the wounds and bitterness of the war, and to make unity attractive to the victims of that war well before the Southerners can decide their fate in the much anticipated referendum in 2011.

Yet, again, nothing has been achieved in the past 5- years in terms of infrastructures, to make unity attractive. But, instead, the elites are now adamant in playing the usual games. However, the good news is, they have to re-think their position, because things in South Sudan have changed drastically in the last five years and counting. Today's Southerners are clearly more vigilant to be seduced with power or money.

Nonetheless, we need to continue to be on the look out, because the enemy is still trying to test our will with the resumption of war, if our leaders won't give up their call for the referendum to be conducted as scheduled. Well, they will not have their way this time around. As the phrase says: "Barking dogs seldom bite,” but if they make any mistake to wage a war, the out come will be devastating and they will learn an unforgettable lesson that they will be remembering for the rest of their lives.

I recall what late Dr. John Garang de Mabior once said while in Rembek: “I and those who joined me in the bush and fought for more than twenty years have brought to you the CPA in a golden plate. Our mission is accomplished. It is now your turn, especially those who did not have a chance to experience bushes' life. When time comes to vote at referendum, it is your golden choice to determine your fate. Would you like to vote to be second class citizens in your own country? It is absolutely your choice," he warned.

Therefore, we are not beating the drums of war as our enemy is doing. We want a peaceful and civilized divorce with less expenses, But, of course, the war mongers and boomerangs will continue with their ill – wishes to fail the aspiration of our peoples. But they must remember, we don’t need some uniforms to fight for our nation if we are compelled to do so, we shall be ready to fight until the last drop of our blood, and Khartoum will be the battle field. Shalom.

The author is a graduate of Criminal Justice residing in the USA, He can be reached at: [email protected], or [email protected]