Most of us grew up knowing the SPLM/A and its leaders, who, during the liberation struggle, had a total sense of togetherness and unity of purpose since the ultimate enemy was well defined and identified. The SPLM/A had a clear agenda and program for the New Sudan. The agenda mainly resonated around serving the people and ensuring that all the bad things done to our people by the successive brutal regimes in Khartoum do not recur. The citizens of South Sudan had hope and indeed believed that the new regime would focus on its people as the project.
SPLM/A liberators or leaders were highly respected and recognized by the people, and their welfare used to be the people’s responsibility during the liberation struggle. To be honest, the liberators suffered and sacrificed a lot for this beautiful nation.
Right before or immediately after our independence declaration on 9th July 2011, the SPLM decided to turn their guns against each other by imprisoning, killing, or exiling themselves. A once united family has turned into a very bitter and totally disunited house. During the liberation struggle, SPLM had a lot of challenges, disagreements, and quarrels. At one point, people thought the movement was heading for a split when there was a disagreement between Dr. John Garang and his deputy, Commander Salva Kiir. The matter was resolved at the famous Rumbek SPLM top leadership meeting in 2004.
During the Tumaini Initiative peace process in Nairobi, there was a specific session dedicated to the South Sudanese to build trust and confidence. It became a moment of truth and revelation of historical unresolved injustices, humiliations, and mistreatment. These leaders have hurt or injured themselves deeply, so that such wounds require reconciliation, forgiveness, and healing.
Recently, Mama Rebecca Nyandeng, wife of the SPLM founding leader Dr. John Garang, made a powerful statement, and I quote: “We have done worse things to ourselves than what our enemies did to us.”This statement alone requires a deeper and honest reflection. What really happened to the once united house? It has now turned into a battleground full of haters, frustrations, humiliations, and all manner of bad things. Some time back, similar statements were made by the most senior leaders of the party. The fundamental questions are: where does all this bitterness come from? What avenues are available for these liberators to sit down and reconcile their bitter differences?
Painfully and unfortunately, these liberators are dying with all their bitterness, disappointments, frustrations, and regrets. These liberators are experiencing painful deaths despite their tremendous sacrifice for the country. Their survival is reduced to close ties and submission to the J1(State House) cartels. The situation in the country has turned them into beggars for their own survival.
There is no better time than now to urgently organize a leadership reconciliation retreat for these liberators to genuinely and honestly reconcile, forgive, and heal from bitterness. Their continuous cries, even in death, are dangerous and remain a curse to the nation. President Kiir, as their leader and commander, as referred to by many of the liberators, should reach out to his peers in the region or beyond to facilitate such an SPLM liberators’ leadership retreat that can be facilitated by respected African statesmen and religious leaders.
Alternatively, I hope that during the session for Inter-party dialogue, the leadership retreat can be considered and treated as a matter of great urgency and top priority.
The writer, Wani Michael, is a lawyer, founder of the Foundation for Constitutional Governance and Election in South Sudan, and former member of the National Constitution Amendment Committee (NCAC).
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.
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