Steve Paterno
20 March 2008
opinion
The fragile newly emerged Government of South Sudan (Goss) will most likely be destablised and overthrown by a potentially unlikely candidate, the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA), a notoriously and ruthless rebel group from Uganda.
Poor judgments, lack of leadership and incompetence coupled with corruption have affected Goss officials to the point that they could not read clearly the potential threats posed by the LRA to their very survival.
In an unpopular and controversial move to mediate peace between the government of Uganda and the LRA, Goss inadvertently imported the war of Uganda to Sudan by officially designating specific locations for the LRA to assemble in and providing them free passage within South Sudan.
On their part, the LRA rather assemble themselves in the place of their choosing, strategically at the proximity of the borders where they can easily cross to Uganda, Sudan, DR Congo and Central African Republic. From those strategic locations, the LRA are successfully carrying out their usual killings, abductions, looting and destruction of the properties within these four countries.
Despite all these continuous atrocities perpetuated by the LRA, it is none other than Goss Vice President Riek Machar who turned out to be LRA's chief apologist and spokesperson as he persistently exonerates the LRA from all the current atrocities. In fact, he is so persistent in his defence of the LRA that he often accuses his own soldiers of Sudan Peoples Liberation Army (SPLA) or some illusive armed forces for the atrocities committed by the LRA.
One will wonder why a Vice President of South Sudan would wholeheartedly support a foreign rebel group at the expense of the people of South Sudan including its military. Well, there are several possible answers.
The first serious possible answer is that Machar in collaboration with the government in Khartoum is interested in utilising the LRA as an alliance force for his ascending to power. Machar is ambitiously driven by lust for power. Throughout his power seeking career, he desperately juggled through different enemy camps, searching for power, but he ended up miserably without even commanding a single bodyguard, hence, rejoining the SPLM/A in despair.
Now with the LRA as his potential power base, Machar is back at it again, poised on the verge to take power from the embattle Goss president, Salva Kiir. The LRA now can easily be rearmed and reequipped from their bases in DR Congo and Central African Republic by their sponsor, the regime in Khartoum.
It is just a matter of time before they march in to destabilise or take over Juba, the capital city of South Sudan. Of course, this will be facilitated with the help of those southern Sudanese who supports them and the regime in Khartoum. Since the establishment of Goss three years ago, the LRA have been propping the defences of Juba, by carrying out raids in its vicinity.
All those raids went unchallenged, a confirmation that the LRA is going to have it easy come the D-Day. To make matters worse, Goss provides every reason for its overthrow by creating a ripe atmosphere for its disposal. With pandemic corruption, tribalism on the rise, and incompetent government, majority of the population including some sections of the military have become hopeless and disgruntled. The LRA and its allies will take the advantage of such already ripened situation.
The second possible reason why Machar supports the LRA is because pursuing illusive peace with LRA will generate more money for him personally. So far, the current peace talk is a multimillion dollar operation, and most of those parties involved in this peace process are awash with corruption.
Several times the peace talks broke down because of conflict related to money.The third possible reason could be that Machar is driven by jealousy of the legacy of his archenemy, John Garang who managed to bring peace in South Sudan, overshadowing the ambition of any South Sudanese leader. This might have exacerbated Machar's naiveté and poor judgment, making him to think he could also overshadowed Garang's legacy by bringing peace to northern Uganda. Machar tried for years, even fighting Garang and signing bogus peace with Khartoum, mocked as April Fool Agreement.
In any case, with the LRA gaining momentum, the chicken will soon come home to roost in South Sudan. By then, the Goss officials will realise the dangers posed by the LRA. Even then, it will be too late as all will already be suffering.
The writer is the author of The Rev. Fr. Saturnino Lohure, a Romain Catholic priest- turned rebel.
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steve pertano! you article about dr. Machar explain exactly who you are. a complete sell out to the infiltrators. the people of southern sudan are very open minded this days. so what ever tricks our enemies may use will not be materialise. you should be ashame to write such a article mentioning a well respected, hard working leader like dr. RIAK MACHAR. i don't know who will be such a idiot to believe you false pedictions about LRA's intentions to over throw the government of southern sudan when they have been there for decades. the people of southern sudan and their arm forces are confident enough to be scared by your little imagination and we don't give a rat ass about a small contigent like the LRA either so go to hell idiot. our leaders and the people of southern sudan only want peace in Uganda that is why our noble VP is tireless working hard to bring peace to your people and you don't appreciate that. i think the spraid of islam deeply in to uganda will create many sell out to be use by our enemies who have failed to islamise south sudan for generation. i would advice the more loving and caring people of uganda to be very careful with such people like steve pertano what ever is name is. he is the kind of man that is hiding behind the devil by pretending to be a friend of southern sudan while throwing poison in the mids of the people. steve! i think your greed had angered you in to writing this article isn't? you posibly don't want give LRA a piece of cake don't you. let's not be caught up between the two waring dogs and pitch against each other like selfish maroons. when will these fools get educated and start looking at the big picture. mr. pertano! i will not write your name right for you always get the wrong end of the sticks what ever profession may be. go to south sudan and get to know dr. machar, the history SPLA, Khartoum peace agreement and the current CPA before you start barking like a dog. who in southern sudan will you please by writting this article anyway? if not the enemy of southern sudan is trying to do every thing and to use any one in order to create trouble in southern sudan so that the CPA does not proceed. please go and enjoy the grant opening of the mosque and leave south sudan noble alone.
in reply to that pathetic article. is an African Sydney AUSTRALIA. dan africa.
There is adoubt in this kind of peace between LRA and Riach,first of all one can just take alook and study Riak's back groun carefully before judging any thing.the reason some of us have doubt about Riak is because he have two hearts. he had had many mistake in south sudan including his signing of peace with the khartoum government.secondly he had instigated the people of uper nile to fight among them selves.therefore, there is something going on.whoever discover this is an intelligent person. If Riak is sincere then let him bring evidence that SPLA members are committing crimes in south sudan not LRA ,Ithink that will be fare for him and for the public.and to those who support Riak, you should help him by proving what the SPLA are doing in western sudan.
This is wild speculation, and irresponsible use of media. It is articles like this, written without serious concerns for their repercussions with regards to people's safety, and regional stability, that are the epitome of irresponsible media. Where is your EVIDENCE?? To make claims as serious as this, you need evidence. Go back to journalism school please, or be quiet. The world does not need more people drumming up suspicion and resentment.