traddling divides Feb 3rd 2014, 6:54 by D.H. | NAIROBI WHILE much of the fighting in South Sudans civil war has involved the countrys two largest communities, the Dinka and Nuer, some members of both tribes have refused to take sides on ethnic grounds. The most prominent of these South Sudanese nationalists has been James Hoth Mai, the army chief of staff. The 54-year-old head of the Sudan Peoples Liberation Army, the Dinka-dominated guerrilla movement that became a national force following independence in 2011, hails from the Nuer. When fighting broke out in the capital, Juba, in mid-December and elements in the SPLA loyal to Salva Kiir, the Dinka president, fought with Nuer counterparts, many observers looked to see which side General Hoth Mai would take. He did not follow his kinsman Riek Machar, a former vice-president and leading Nuer politician who assumed leadership of the rebellion. Instead his stewardship of the rump SPLA has been credited with holding the country back from an all-out ethnic war, as well as securing South Sudans major towns in a bloody campaign against the armed rebels. Speaking to Baobab he warned that the conflict is not over and said that the SPLA could do no more than create the conditions for the countrys bickering politicians to talk. The military cannot solve the political problem, that needs to be solved politically, he said. We have given room for the politicians to solve this issue to serve the country. A partial first step towards this came on January 29th when seven of the eleven political leaders detained since the outbreak of the crisis were released on condition they left the country to neighbouring Kenya. The four remaining in detention include the influential Pagan Amum, who led past negotiations with the north, and former government minister Oyay Deng Ajak. A veteran of the 20-year civil war which eventually split what had been Africas biggest country between north and south, Gen Hoth Mai said that South Sudan has at least 60 tribes and the country must be formed of all of them. He accused politicians of failing to understand the suffering of ordinary people displaced by the conflict: I spent all my life in guerrilla wars to achieve independence. Im not happy seeing people of South Sudan suffering, which is what I see. The politicians dont see it. A graduate of South Africas University of Fort Hare, the alma mater of Nelson Mandela, he said that a lack of education of the armed forces had left the SPLA vulnerable to splits. Yes we have a problem. The SPLA is composed of different militias most of whom havent gone through training. Theyre from the village and they cant read or write; they dont know anything but loyalty to their local commander. The general, whose forces were assisted by men and aircraft from neighbouring Uganda, said that in addition to SPLA deserters, his forces had been fighting civilians mobilised by the rebels. He blamed much of the looting on village fighters who had no allegiance to either side but had been persuaded to fight with the promise of booty from sacked towns. They looted everything; they had no strategy. They cannot sustain a long protracted war. He admitted that a guerrilla campaign was still possible, despite the recent ceasefire and talks due to begin in Ethiopia, but he called on the rebels to surrender. They should ask themselves why are we fighting and dying? The general acknowledged that atrocities had been committed by both sides but denied accusations from NGOs that his forces had looted medical facilities when recapturing towns. He has promised that soldiers under his command will be investigated and prosecuted if there are found guilty of crimes. Mr Hoth Mai has been accused by Mr Machars supporters of being a traitor for continuing to support the government. One of the generals younger brothers, an official with the finance ministry, was among the Nuer civilians murdered by what he called criminal elements in the SPLA on December 16th. Yes, Nuer died in Juba and Dinka died elsewhere, I lost my own brother. But when we kill ourselves we have nothing to gain. We will destroy our own country and we cant bring the dead back.
Posted on: Mon, 03 Feb 2014 08:29:53 +0000
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