Me and naive? What´s going on? It is you who is ill-informed. First I am neither a leader in the government team nor in the SPLM/A-I-O. I dont decide whether to have two or three armies. I dont propose separation of any part of South Sudan. The right of self determination for Greater Upper Nile was first raised confidentially by General Peter Gadet and articulated openly by Mabior Garang de Mabior. At the beginning of the negotiations, nobody was really talking about two armies. The position of SPLM/A-I-O was that Salva Kiir must go. It was after the mediators insisted that President Kiir should head the Interim Period that the issue of the two armies came up. 50,000 soldier (25,000 from each side) are to be integrated immediately to form the JIU. 20,000 (10,000 each) will form the base of the future national army, 10,000 (5,000 each) will support UNMISS to keep peace and security, 10,000 (5,000 each) will replace the current Präsidential Guard and protect the political leadership and 10,000 (5,000 each) is to protect the outlets and entrances of the major towns including Juba. The rest army of SPLM/A-I-O will be kept in camps and trained there. After the coming presidential elections after 30 months, the elected President will integrate the rest army. This is the equation. Take it of leave it. It is not mine and Kiir knows it. If Kiir were to go, the integration might start immediately. Lack of trust between Kiir and the SPLM/A-I-O gave birth to this equation. Kuol Manyang and Malong were just examples of those rejecting any peace agreement with SPLM/A-I-O. Others are, for example, Makuei Lueth, Marial Banjamin, Manasa Magok, Bapiny Monytuil, John Kong Nyuon, Riek Gai, James Kok Ruae, the so-called Dinka elders like Bona Malual, Riny Thiik and Aldo Ajou. These are against any compromise with Riek. The Nuer, who are rejecting peace are afraid of what might happen to them under such an arrangement. They are fighting to keep their offices. This is easier, if Machar and his group dont come back. The Dinka elders fear that the Dinka might loose the Presidency and dont get it back again. They fear an alliance of smaller tribes with the Nuer with a possible division of the Dinka vote. The myth that the Dinka are united and are all supporting Kiir is rubish. It is about power and interests and not really about the nation. So dont call me naive. If you have better information than what I am offering, share it with us.
Posted on: Thu, 04 Dec 2014 21:00:41 +0000
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