On 24 April 2025, South Sudan’s Minister of Information and Communication Michael Makuei Lueth invited the media to a press conference at which the Cabinet Affairs Minister Dr. Martin Elia Lomuro read a 7-page statement titled “Strategic Response of the Revitalized Transitional Government of National Unity to the Nasir Incident and Reinvigoration of the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of conflict in South Sudan (R-ARCSS).”
In this emotive excerpt, the duo came up with the so-called peace strategies, which include the negative labeling of the Nuer community into “hostile and friendly counties.” By and large, this characterization, classification, and categorization of the Nuer Community is unlawful and unacceptable, for it is derogatory and discriminatory. First and foremost, the aforementioned ministers and the entire SPLM-led government should order an immediate withdrawal of this anti-Nuer strategy; failure to which they must be prepared for any eventuality.
Legally, the act of labeling or stereotyping a tribe to harm them meets and match the definition of genocide. The term genocide was first coined by holocaust survivor and Jewish lawyer, Raphael Lemkin (1900-1959). He defined genocide as a deliberate and systematic destruction of a group of people because of their ethnicity, nationality, region, or race.
Historically, the first people to face genocide were the Melos community of Greece. They were maimed and murdered as a group after they refused to surrender to Athenian authority during the Peloponnesian War (431-404).
The de facto government of South Sudan might have a plan to annihilate the Nuer because of their blatant objection to the looming political succession. This is no longer secret, given the ongoing indiscriminate bombing of civilian-populated areas. The bombing of Old Fangak Hospital is a case in point. The crime of genocide is often committed procedurally. Normally, genocide does not happen suddenly; in other words, genocide is not an event. At times, the grievous crime is done step by step before violence is unleashed on the targeted population.
Gregory Stanton, President of Genocide Watch, devised ways and means of doing genocide, some of which are classification, symbolization, and discrimination, to mention but a few. At the onset of genocide, the targeted group of people is first classified between “us and them,” which is now the case in South Sudan. You will recall, before the infamous killing of the Jewish people, they were labeled and made to wear certain clothes and badges to distinguish them from the rest of the society. Adolf Hitler’s regime went as far as denying Jews their right to citizenship to make it impossible for them to get any employment opportunities. This trait of discrimination often comes before the dehumanization of the targeted ethnic group.
Relatively, when you peruse the statement by Dr. Lomuro, you will find that it contains these preliminary features of genocide. Therefore, if we do not point fingers and hold these cabals to account, they will actualize their unlawful plan. We must remain awake and alive to this worrying situation because the writing is on the wall.
Moreover, this warning shot in the air should not be misconstrued to mean that we are becoming pessimistic because there is empirical evidence backed and justified by fresh facts available at our disposal.
The authors of this devilish statement should be sued and subsequently held liable, for preaching hate with intention to breach peace. We must at all times guard and protect the existence and continuity of our nation very jealously. In doing so, we must be bold to tell ourselves the truth, devoid of empty political rhetorics.
I almost failed to comprehend why learned ministers came out in broad day light to make such reckless utterances and expect to go scot-free in this era of human rights. Where did they get the guts to speak like that? Could it be because that ministers Lomuro and Makuei are already facing sanctions, and therefore they have nothing to lose or fear? If they cannot care for themselves, what about the nation of South Sudan.
Reasons for Anti-Nuer Strategy in 2025
I believe the unpatriotic statement against the Nuer was made due to insatiable love for power and or dislike for South Sudan. The anti-Nuer strategy was the making of the cabals, unless proven otherwise. Hence, chances are that the presidency was unaware of this devastating plot until its publication. As we know, there was no meeting called before the release of this controversial statement. First, this cabal thought that by making such a statement against the perceived supporters and sympathizers of the opposition, it would make them pass a loyalty test, with the hope of staying longer in power. Secondly, the statement was made out of dislike for the country, given that such a satanic statement risks tearing our nation into pieces. Nonetheless, this is not to excuse or exonerate the presidency from this fault. Their persistent silence on this pronouncement indicates that they tolerated and or blessed the statement.
Imagine, if the Presidency was not privy to anti-Nuer statement, it could have come out to dispute and distance themselves by sacking these ministers as proposed by the so-called Nuer SPLM Leaders and Nuer Community Peace Forum in their protest letters. For a long time now, these cabals have been perpetuating the state capture with impunity. I think the time is ripe for us to teach them a lesson for refusing to learn from their past and present acts that have put lives in a coma.
Principle of restraint
As our country continues to face these enormous challenges of war, these ministers should be reminded of the idea to practice the principle of restraint.
Individually, there are a lot of things we can air out, but we feel that we have a moral and legal duty to respect and restrain ourselves to preserve peace. It is our collective duty to nurture these fundamental values of peace and reconciliation by having a character and attitude change. Gradually, we can achieve peace, unity, and reconciliation by showcasing patriotism and belief in the concept of oneness.
The writer is the National Chairperson for Legal and Constitutional Affairs of the South Sudan People’s Movement (SSPM) and can be reached via eligodakb@yahoo.com.
The views expressed in ‘opinion’ articles published by Radio Tamazuj are solely those of the writer. The veracity of any claims made is the responsibility of the author, not Radio Tamazuj.