The End of Bullying, Harassment and Humiliation: Gen. Paul Malong Awan’s Sacking has changed the meaning of Mutiny & Rebellion in South Sudan

[Elisabeth Janaina]

The End of Bullying, Harassment and Humiliation: Gen. Paul Malong
Awan’s Sacking has changed the meaning of Mutiny & Rebellion in South
Sudan
May. 14 Politics, Uncategorized 2 comments

BY: Mayak Deng Aruei, USA, MAY/14/2017, SSN;

At a very young age, children are told to remember the Golden Rule:
“Treat others how you want to be treated.” The headlines for the news
outlets in South Sudan, and in the Region of East Africa was about the
sacking of the SPLA (South Sudan) Army Chief of the General Staff.

For a country that celebrates nothing other than big names, the firing
of General Paul Malong Awan caught millions South Sudanese by
surprise. The actual facts as to what transpired on May 9, 2017 can be
traced to fundamentals of security in the country.

Adding to the fading trust among the high-ranking members of the SPLM
& the SPLA, the 32 federal states are proving something else.

It was a rumor until General Paul Malong Awan was relieved, his well
guarded place couldn’t be infiltrated, all attempts thwarted and “he
ran away to Yirol before handing over the office to the incoming Chief
of the General Staff,” according to the President.

The loss of trust between the President and his former Army Chief of
the General Staff has little to do with them as individuals, but
rather with the inner circle which has a hidden agenda, and thirst for
more recognition.

The term “scapegoat for the inefficiencies” was later authored to
sugarcoat the rattling clearing of the thorny bushes. In South Sudan,
the known facts and patterns make sudden change of command, and a
rapid takeoff looked more than a preempted mutiny or rebellion.

For the records, not everyone can be bullied, harassed and humiliated
without a price. The departure of the Elephant in the Room (Gen. Paul
Malong) marked the end of political mockery in the Republic of South
Sudan, and aspiring/young inexperienced politicians ought to
re-examine their stances on national affairs.

First and foremost, General Paul Malong Awan should have been the last
that President Salva Kiir could humiliate in the face of the
struggling country, and the Government he helped stay in place.

Humiliation in the context of the sacking of the Army Chief has much
to do with being relieved without prior consultations, and other
options put on the table. Example, possible arrest as security
assurances entailed.

In 2013, General Paul Malong Awan was quick to side with President
Salva Kiir, at a time when political atmosphere was so cloudy, and
when coalitions of political opponents posed a very serious threat to
the President during the SPLM National Convention.

At the onset, General Paul Malong Awan, then the Governor for the
defunct state of Northern Bahr El Ghazal organized a special session
for the four states of Barh El Ghazal Region. The gathering of the
Governors brought together leaders of Barh El Ghazal Region, and their
citizens saw more years of President Salva Kiir in power.

In that meeting, Governor Nyandeng Malek showed little interest in
such regional alliance, and Governor Paul Malong Awan called her out,
pointing out that Governor Nyandeng Malek should have been the first
to back President Salva Kiir since the two hailed from the same state
(Warrap).

The gathering was a success, and the people of Barh El Ghazal stood
shoulder to shoulder with the President, with some pledging unlimited
support should South Sudan’s known patterns take their shapes.

Secondly, General Paul Malong Awan mobilized and trained the youths
(Mathiang Anyoor) from his home state of Northern Barh El Ghazal, left
Governorship at the dawn of rebelling forces, and became the Army
Chief of the General Staff.

The fight was a tough race, and General Paul Malong Awan, nicknamed
King Paul, kept on with the fight against Dr. Riek Machar of the
SPLM-IO who declared Armed Resistance against the sitting president
after his chances for running for presidency were demurred.

For more than three years, General Paul Malong Awan was the man of the
people, Hero of all times, and the only General who had the guts to
protect the territorial integrity of South Sudan.

As the dust settled down, the inner circle of President Salva Kiir
closed their eyes, debunked everyone’s contributions, and put their
own interests above that of the nation.

Thirdly, General Paul Malong Awan is a decorated General who has won
the confidence of Jieng Council of Elders(JCE), an Advisory Committee
made up of influential veteran politicians who served both in the old
Sudan as well as in the Liberation Movement.

With all of that, the sacking of General Paul Malong Awan without
proper consultations put President Salva Kiir in a very awkward
position, and the Army became divided more than any time since the
civil war erupted in 2013.

The challenges for the President intensified, and quite a number of
active Generals reportedly left with General Paul Malong Awan when he
reacted to his firing on South Sudan Television(SSBC).

The social media, a platform used by young literate South Sudanese and
well established elites was jammed few minutes after the airing of the
news.

Fortunately enough, the Army listened to the voices that called for
calm, and General Paul Malong Awan took off with almost anything he
wanted, and soldiers watched the convoys as they exited Juba.

It was one of the few recent times change of command where the Jieng
Nation was asked to apply what make them unique among other
communities.

The “wait a minute/let’s wait for more details” attitude, saved
President Salva Kiir from being savaged by the most feared General of
all times.

The term “Jieng Nation” does not refer to South Sudan as a Jieng’s
nation, rather, it refers to Jieng’s society or society in the image
of Jieng as a unique Group in South Sudan that has characteristics of
a nation-state.

In their vast territories, Jieng have norms that are hard to be broken
by their own people, they ask a lot of questions before starting a
fight, and those compelled to go on their own become outcasts.

Three days into the military standoff, President Salva Kiir addressed
news media, and had this to say: “So I am here to assure you, that the
security situation remains normal and all citizens are urged to
continue with their daily routine duties, because there is really
nothing that people should worry about.”

With that being the rhetoric after the facts, there is a good reason
to doubt the way and thoughts that led to the sacking of General Paul
Malong Awan were put together and finalized into actual decision.

Some quarters, particularly the President’s inner circle, are
illogically following the path not accustomed to by a politically
fragile nation like South Sudan.

Like, seriously, why would people push the President to make such
rushed decisions in the middle of the war that has taken unforgiving
twists?

Those further attempts by the President to calm down the enraged
General didn’t seem to help much: “Gen. Malong is now in Yirol, I
didn’t talk to him this morning, I tried but I found that he was
resting because yesterday his blood pressure shot up very high because
yesterday when I talked to him, he was not in a good mood, he was in
fighting mood.” This part explained something else in the mix of a
murky military showdown.

On a final note, the sacking of General Paul Malong would have not
made headlines had it been done logically and professionally, and
without letting speculations move the desperate crowds.

The way it was done raised a lot of questions, and unearthed doubts
that stemmed from behind the scene dealings.

The subsequent appointment of Gen. James Ajong’o Mawut was rushed, but
nothing in the records to say something negative about the new SPLA
Army Chief of General Staff. From the tone of the new Army Chief, the
man is so logical, talked in a well organized manner, highlighted
duties associated with his position, recognized the negative impacts
of the ongoing war, aligned his tasks with those of other Army Chiefs
elsewhere, and made important notes about the pending Peace Agreement.

The people of South Sudan should not be put into conflict for unknown
reasons, and changes in the military, specially in wartime must be
done professionally and ceremonies of outgoing officials must follow
traditions expected in the military so as to avoid backlashes.

In ending this dreading piece, South Sudan’s ruling elites have lost
integrity as the custodians of the new nation; they have tainted the
founding principles, they have made it difficult for citizens to grow
politically, they have derailed the smooth running of Government’s
institutions, and they have impeded what should be normal transfer of
servicemen from one branch to the other.

The sacking of General Paul Malong Awan is no different from cases
where the political organizers/Ringleaders have been treated as
Rebels, apprehended or pursued to the bushes.

Above all, those who are still in the game should be advised to avoid
belittling, bullying, harassment and humiliation by surrounding
themselves with trusted guys.

The coalition of community’s leaders, particularly Eastern Lakes state
have saved the nation of South Sudan from irrational decision that
would have ignited infighting within the ranks of the national army.

For another year, mutiny and rebellion would be meaningless to
sycophants who have been mouthpieces for select groups. As a nation,
South Sudanese need to deploy professionalism everywhere, approach
political differences methodically, and free themselves from collusive
partnerships.
–

©2017 Mayak Deng Aruei: He can be reached at Kongor....@gmail.com
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2 Comments

False Millionaire
May 15, 2017 at 3:00 pm

Mr Deng,
Please go back to the events of the redivision of the then south
sudan region into three regions,the supsequent attempt to anexe the
greater Bentiu to southern Kordofan owing to the discovery of oil
reserves there,the imposition of the sharia islamic laws in the whole
of sudan notwithsatnding southerners’ objections in the context of
being non muslim and non arb africans,the narrow southerners’ reaction
as symbolized by Anya Anya two and Garang’s decisive intervention
founding the SPLM/A that navigated the hopes through difficult times
down to the independence,god luck can only occassion a leader out of
millions of chances from the midst of millions of citizens.It’s
understood u are being polite in refusing to declare Kiir as a
failure.But if it were Garang on the helm from the CPA to this very
day,much would have been achieved even through difficulties for better
and never for worst.What RSS has become under Kiir,it’s all written on
the horizon for every sightful to see.It’s jieng now who run the risk
of paying heavily for his lack of leadership.It’s irresponsible to
misread oppositions’ intentions.They havn’t an illusion of a person
with Garang’s brain among them to accommodate every citizen.Not only
are they after Kiir’s stool based in Juba to satisfy pure thirst for
power,they are anti jieng in general and would never hesitate to
declench apoclypse on jieng if given opportunity.
Now figure out what awaits jieng with the likes of Kiir misleading
in the leaque of the giants while the golden brains of reasonable
jieng community leaders like those of the great land of Yirol
marginalized in oblivion.
Reply
Gatdarwich
May 15, 2017 at 3:36 pm

Majak,

Murderer Malong is a “hero of all times” to only the traitorous
Dinka tribe. Malong is a murderer of “all times” to the 63 tribes in
South Sudan. Murderer Malong is an undeniably a Dinka nationalist. He
is a tribal hero. He is absolutely not a South Sudanese national hero
period