The public should not be dismayed. In any conflict, there are those who collaboratorate with the enemy – this is not peculiar to the SPLM/SPLA (IO) – it is part of every known conflict in world history. The peoples’ Movement has survived defections since Gen. Lul Ruai (2015), Gen. Gathoth Gatkuoth and Gen. Peter Gadet (2015), to Gen Taban (2016), to Gen. Wnag Ckok (2017), Deng Vanang (2018), Gen. James Ochan in 2019. The latest defections are the class of 2020 – as it were – starting with the army Generals and now followed by Politicians. Our civil population should not be alarmed by this mischief – like silver – it is how we continue to be refined in the crucible of revolution.
The historic struggle of our civil population for total liberation has taken many forms throughout time and the latest manifestation of this is the SPLM/SPLA (IO) – formed in response to the failure of the preceding Movement to deliver the promise of the liberation struggle. This Movement – as President Lincoln would say; “of the people, by the people and for the people” – cannot be rocked by defections, they in fact make us stronger. The major talking points of those who have been lured by the counter intelligence of the SPLM/SPLA (IG) – representing the barbaric status quo – claim that the people’s Movement belongs to one family (by which they mean Dr. Riek Machar’s). This is the language of people who have surrendered and are looking for an exit from the struggle.
We say, “go in peace”!
The public must understand that what has been labled as, “an exodus from the SPLM/SPLA (IO)”, is nothing more than the surrender of some of our politicians, who are talking advantage of the weaker position of the peoples’ Movemenr in this Agreement and are threatening the Chairman for jobs. The entire leadership and the members of the peoples’ Movement are dissapointed in the manner the decision to go to Juba was taken and even more, when the R-TGONU was formed – many have alleged, President Salva Kiir to have a hand in our affairs. The feelings of many Comrades are valid; however, defecting to the side of the traditional elite, who maintain a more brutal system than any previous oppressors, is not the solution. Our love for our people and for the country, must exceed any disappointment. I cannot say that there are no problems in the peoples’ Movement – yes, we got problems – we are cut from the same cloth as the SPLM/SPLA (IG), as it were. The histories of the SPLM/SPLA (IO) and that of the SPLM/SPLA (IG), are inextricably linked. Many of our Comrades have been groomed in the same system we are trying to destroy – they have no other reference – we can call them the traditional elites in the opposition and they don’t want to see the end of the status quo, but are fighting to be the masters of it.
The politicians of the SPLM/SPLA (IO) – though an important part of the body – do not constitute the backbone of our peoples’ historic struggle for total liberation. We must remember that the SPLM/SPLA (IO) was founded in response to the events of the Juba Massacre of December 2013 and the subsequent intercommunal violence. This violence turned the calls of our peoples’ for radical reforms, into the most vicious tribal war ever experienced by our civil population. The civil defence forces – the white Army, Agwelek, Arrow Boys – together with the SPLA (IO) and our civil population are the backbone of our peoples’ struggle and they continue to demonstrate this as they continue to confront the regime’s militias under Gen. Ochan in Maiwut.
This is the conflic we are desperately trying to end in the midst of all the confusion by so-called politicians. All the revolutionary forces in our country – from IO, SSOMA,SSOA, FD’s,OPP and IG – must understand, the time has come to transform the struggle so that it is consistent with objective reality. The new political dispensation is more favourable for non-violent action and all the revolutionary intellectuals in our country must unite and engage in National Mobilization for fundamental change in our country. If our peoples are not free to assemble and express their views – at John Garang Mausoleum in Juba and at all the Freedom Squares in the 10 States – then what kind of peace are we really talking about? The struggle must go on, until we have concentrated power back into the hands of our people.
A luta continua!
Cpt. Mabior Garang Mobile Office 18/04/2020
