Current
political showdown is not a new phenomenon for those who have been
watching the Sudan politics with keen interest. It is an expected occurrence. Since the founder of Sudan
People’s Liberation Movement died in mysterious circumstances, called
helicopter crash, on July 30th 2005, Bashir began playing
rough cards thinking of taking advantage of the new leadership. He didn’t realize that H.E
Mayardit is a veteran of two Sudan’s Civil Wars. Bashir’s hallucination to
spoil the CPA is a failing exercise.
The CPA is alive today because of the SPLM leadership, patience
and devotion.
The
cause of the death of the former rebel leader turned politician remains
controversial with the ghost giving nightmares to certain quarters. Some political analysts have
wrongly predicted that the death of Dr. Garang was the end of fifty
years of Southern Sudan struggle for justice, equality, democracy, and
freedom. The analysts
forgot to realize that there are more than a million strong Garangs
today in the South carrying out the vision of the new Sudan across the
whole Sudan, not only in Upper Nile, Bahr El Ghazal or Equatoria.
Garang’s vision is in every corner, in the valleys of Abei, on top of
the Nuba Mountains, on top of Angassna Mountains in Blue Nile, in the
waters of the Nile and the air.
Countless support for withdrawal from the GoNU is mounting. You cannot hide from it.
The
reshuffle of ministers and advisors has never been the top priority nor
is it an important key element of the demands. The Notational Congress Party is
trying desperately to play the old game where they used to offer
positions to greedy Southerners to persuade them to kill their brothers. The author believes this
will never be the case this time around.
The National Congress Party’s attitude reflects the so -called
‘Arabs of Sudan unwillingness’ to comply or conform to international
treaties. They have been
doing such horrible things for decades behind the scene and in the open. They are addictive to violating
and dishonoring agreements. This
behavior caused the Southerners to form the SPLA/M which became the
medicine for their addiction. Is
that not enough? What else does the NCP want to prove?
I want to talk to the vultures
and hawks of the Southern Sudan whether individuals or fake parties. All
the people of the New Sudan heard your voices in the form of writing and
press releases. Do not
think that the SPLM will disappear for you to take advantage. You have stayed in the middle
for a long time wishing for some miracle to occur to derail the CPA. Sorry. It has not come and will not come in the may you wish. If it
does it will be in form of Southern Sudan automatic independence, which
is not good for you. That
time you have no place anywhere because the Arabs will discharge you.
Your way to South will be a big adventure to attempt because the clock
has stopped against you. If you do not fall into the cracks you are
lucky. The day is near when
the Arabs will have no use for you. You can dance against your own people now while the Arab
parties and people are mobilizing behind the NCP. This would have been
the time for all Southerners, parties or individuals to gather momentum,
show solidarity and look Bashir in the eye as the SPLM leads us in this
crisis. Will your
party liberate Southern Sudan? You cannot claim you support the CPA
while hating the SPLM that brought it to you in the first place. If you have been paid to
make noise, this is not the right time for you. The opportunity is not there for
you. If you cannot put
differences behind at this time then you are ready for your doom. It is the NCP that will finish
you up at the end of the day.
Going
back, the SPLM and GoSS leadership must rest assured that all
marginalized people are ready behind you. The action you took is timely
and appropriate. The NCP
has taken things for granted for a long time. Keep the pressure. The
Arab regimes work better under pressure.
We have seen them do it many times. The NCP is sure of defeat at
elections any time. Their
present game with the CPA is a trial and error one. They want to buy time against
the census and forthcoming elections.
All their talks about millions of money lost in the South are
ploys to demoralize the Southerners.
All the discussions about slow development are ploys to
demoralize the Southern administration.
We are beginning from scratch.
The Arabs regimes did not destroy the Southern infrastructure in
one day or year. Similarly,
the infrastructure cannot be erected in a short time of three years with
all the sabotage behind it all.
Let
us keep it up. The hard ball is in their court. Kick it back harder if they fail
to do the right thing. This political showdown must be considered the
remedy to cure Sudan political diseases.
God
bless the SPLA/M.
Lero Odola is Southern
Sudanese activist residing in the US; he can be reached at lero.odola.@mnsu.edu.