Where things had fallen apart!

Only idiots can’t see the darkest point in our history!

Chapter 06

Where things had fallen apart

By Gwado J. Ador

At 10:30 AM, everything was over, the fallout within the SPLM party was cut short by an irruption of serious conflict throughout the nights of 15th and 16th Dec. 2013. The death toll which was revealed by the international media the following day was beyond exaggeration. Many innocent lives were just spilt unnecessarily because of political argument.

However, in the not distant past, press conferences were held, our leaders deliberately made sure that they argue their political differences from different premises. Some prominent politicians were just moving around stirring up terror and apathy.

Accusations and counter-accusations were everywhere in the air. First, everything seemed to have been going well, but it wasn’t. Many innocent people were just going about their lives unperturbed. President Kiir was set to suppress his opponents using brute power to settle the political stalemate in the country.

Suddenly, he held SPLM bureau meeting for three days, in which issues relating to SPLM were discussed, then, Kiir made reference to the past that Dr Riek Machar was always staving the movement from the back. Looking in the eyes of the delegates, Kiir warned and pledged that he wouldn’t allow this to repeat itself again!

In his recent statement to commemorate the SPLA day 16 May 2020, however, President Kiir acknowledged saying him and his comrades have failed the people of South Sudan to deliver on the promises they had made during the struggle. He felt ashamed and regretted the incident. He lamented saying if he were to meet the fallen heroes today, he wouldn’t be able to explain what exactly went wrong. It was shocking!

Political language…is designed to make lies sound truthful and murder respectable, and to give an appearance of solidity to pure wind. George Orwell (1903-50)

This is true of the situation under which most of us got ourselves involved as citizens of South Sudan in the first place and secondly as media practitioners.

In the last few years, since the independence, most of our people have been observing and following political arrogance and lots of empty rhetoric’ during press conferences we have been hosting within our premises at the ministry of Information and Broadcasting.

In a state of bewilderment, we were,…As media men, were wondering whether to adhere to our professional ethics and ideals in reporting facts or just compromise these principles and do what we were told to do? Hence, we got ourselves caught up in between a rock and a hard place!

a group of senior officials in the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting led by the then Acting Undersecretary, Justin Alier, and Acting Director-General of Information, Paul Jacob Kombe, myself as the Director of Training and Research, Moyiga Andru, Director of SSTV, Late, Gai Thurbiel one of our senior staff in the HQs, including our friend Nhial Bol Aken, the editor in chief of the daily English Citizen in Juba had decided to pay a courtesy call on the minister makuei.

I said to myself, this is a good opportunity to pieces together facts about the simmering crisis at close range. What was smouldering in fact could have been originating from our midst or perhaps, ignited by someone else somewhere!

I wanted to take advantage of getting into the bottom of this and get first-hand information, probably from horses mouths! Never know whether this is a blessing in disguise.

Furthermore, I want to know exactly what was going on and what was the role of our ministry in all the ensuing madness? Why our minister is so strong and outspoken to the extent that President Kiir relies on him in every little or big issues.

In fact, President Kiir allows some particular influential politicians to get away with everything, including rhetoric’s they make of which nobody under any circumstances in an accountable government could just be allowed without being questioned or face repercussion. Perhaps I am wrong!

However, we have agreed to walk into the minister’s office in the main building after chaos started to calm down in Juba town. We gathered in the office of Justin Alier. Then, shortly were alerted that the minister has just arrived and in his office.

We jumped up and started to move towards the minister’s office, which was just a few walking steps from the undersecretary’s office. With a slight gentle knock on his door, a firm voice coming from inside saying, ‘come in.’

Pushed and the door opened. In, we walked one by one. Meanwhile, we were calm and glum, some of us could be noticed folding arms in front of them as if they were entering into a church gathering to avoid distraction, while the main celebrant was in the prayers’ mood.

There, we saw minister Makuei sitting behind his elegant desk looking furious and absence minded, he was so angry as I could guess. He lifted his head and said, ‘ welcome and we took seats’. We sat quietly next to one another on an arranged empty chairs surrounding his desk.

Then, Alier introduced us saying, sir, we have come just to say ‘hello’ after two days of horror and confusion. We have come to find out if anything you might want us to help with!

‘Thank you for this spirit while scanning our faces and panning his head left and right. With a little concentration, he said, ‘I would just want you to settle down into your offices, we will continue our business as usual very soon, please inform the rest of the staff.

He added, ‘We are still monitoring the situation out there, no more panicking, things are now returning to normal and under control’. Then, he rocked his chair and swiftly turned his back against us. While staring up with his right hand supporting his chin!... Calmness reigned.

Shortly… with a cracked tune he remarked as if talking to himself, ‘Dr Riek’s has escaped, his whereabouts are unknown, but there’re rumours that he is still hiding somewhere in Juba. Probably, in one of the embassies.’…He could be either at the American Embassy or at one of the Europeans’ Union. If he is somewhere in Juba, then for sure we will get him, or otherwise, he has narrowly escaped with his life.’ Makuei remarked!

Shortly, his telephone rang…We asked if he could excuse us to take our leave, he said thank you, then we left his office and went straight to Alier’s office for some chitchat… and later we dispersed.

However, before the end of the day, we learned that Dr Riek Machar has managed to escape with the help of some of his family members and his colleagues of which Gen. Taban Deng Gai was among them. In fact, Taban Deng Gai had played a remarkable role in the whole plans to withdrew as it was revealed by some of his confidants later.

Taban and others including Pout Kang, the current minister of petroleum had successfully managed to smuggle Dr Riek out in the early morning of 16th Dec. 2013 when intensive shelling and shooting subsided. Then somewhere in the Jonglie area they crossed the Nile and met with Gen. Peter Gatdet Yak who also declared his rebellion and support to join Dr Riek’s bandwagon.

Earlier, it was reported that Gen. Gadet Yak have swiftly raided a military post in Bor town leaving a trail of devastation behind. He joined Dr Riek later as one of his best commanders declaring thus the formation of SPLA/M IO with headquarters at Pagak area in Eastern Nuer region.

Upcoming:

“When two men quarrel, do not allow them to share the same seat on a canoe”

Dedicated to the honest and fearless in South Sudan

Please follow Chapter Seven next only on Media Projection Ltd.