The NCP bullies are heading towards blind alley

By Majok Nikodemo Arou

As the moment of truth draws nearer the bullies of Sudanese Ruling National Congress Party (NCP) believe they are inching slowly and surely to their perennial scheme of dishonouring of the agreements, the cases in points are the referenda in South Sudan and Abyie, and the Popular Consultations in the Nuba Mountains and the Ingessna Heights (the Blue Nile).

To this point in history, could the NCP steer the wheel towards its interests? Probably, it is apparent that things will not augur well with the NCP as their rheumatic eyes fail to read the writing on the wall.

According to the Southern Sudanese fable, a fox and hedgehog were  reported to have been pulling along a cow in the dark rainy night, when the fox discovered there was something unusual about the cow. It actually tramped on the fox's feet in a way that depicted some sinister was ahead. "We have a company", the fox murmured. The hedgehog remarked: are you talking to yourself? With the lightening, the fox's suspicion was confirmed. It saw the fangs of an animal not of a cow! It became so difficult for the perturbed fox to alert the hedgehog. "Please Mr. Hedgehog I'm going for a short call", the fox whispered. So the hedgehog went along with the time bomb that could explode in any moment. In fact, sober hedgehog knew even before the fox about what was going on. But the chances for any action were so limited that the situation could unravel and jeopardise their lives.   

The fox actually made the French leave. He has withdrawn tactically leaving the hedgehog in an ordeal. The calm hedgehog realised now that the sly fox left him in a dilemma.  

Euphoric fox thought he was already out of danger. So he went to the dance place where he was heard singing:

I saw the fangs of an animal in the dark rainy night,

With quick action I boarded a fairy flight,

What a pity to leave hedgehog in dilemma,

But at least one has to save his life.

Didn't all animals and people say foxes are sly?  

The fox didn't realise the hedgehog was already there watching and listening. The hedgehog joined the dance and sang too:

Mr. Fox don't be ostentatious,

Things didn't go as you assumed,

Oh, I have already tethered the cow,

In front of your house!

See now who laughs last.  

All of a sudden the smile wore away from the face of boasting fox. He asked in a low dishearten voice; what do you mean? The hedgehog replied: you have already heard. So without losing any time the Fox ran home to rescue his children from eminent danger. In fact, he laboured miraculously and used all the tactics to rescue them!!

The moral of this fable is that the NCP couldn't take the people of South Sudan, the Nuba Mountains and the Ingessna for a ride once more. With the wave of threats that cover mountains of anxiety and political fiasco, the hawks of the NCP should conclude that they are loosing the momentum. The best option left for them is to come to real business and not the monkey business that could lead nowhere.

Given their huge literature of hypocrisy and mobile political rhetoric, they are now portraying to the world that the SPLM/A and the Government of South Sudan (GoSS) shun their call for the border demarcation ahead of the referenda, threatening that they would not recognise the outcomes of the referenda without demarcation of the border demarcation. Even a child now predicts in South Sudan that the NCP leaders are conspiring against the CPA in general and the referenda in particular.  

Since 2005 to date, the NCP leaders have been dragging their feet over the demarcation of borders in their futile attempt to scupper the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA). Nevertheless, the SPLM/A unequivocally declared in case the NCP delay the border demarcation, the referenda could still go ahead without even the demarcation of the borders- a declaration that created hullabaloo amidst the elites of NCP.  

What is unusual about those folk is that they see in themselves what others do not see. Why do they insist others can buy their lies? The world is more focused after the New York Summit. Even the Arab world have realised that the NCP leaders are not keen and serious about the Unity. The empty slogans of unity they drum up these days are meant for political consumption or survival.

Another outrageous lie is their threat that they will evict Southern Sudanese from Khartoum if the People of South Sudan vote for separation. The NCP are now desperately trying to obstruct any efforts to repatriate the Southern Sudanese to the South ahead of the referenda. They forget that the Northern Sudanese traders dominate business and amass wealth in the South. It's another authentication that they don't even care for the northern Sudanese in the South.

It is puzzling why such a veteran party misreads the political scenario and chooses the blind alley.

The history of conflict in Sudan has clearly demonstrated that flexing of muscles as the NCP hawks are doing would not at all earn them political gains on the ground as the sole option is behind closed doors or open talks to resolve hot issues.

The author is a Sudanese journalist and could be reach at [email protected]