No National Army in South Sudan: A Lesson learned from Malong’s sacking
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Elisabeth Janaina
May 12, 2017, 1:28:18 AM5/12/17
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No National Army in South Sudan: A Lesson learned from Malong’s sacking
May. 11 Featured, Uncategorized no comments
By: Daniel Juol Nhomngek, Kampala, Uganda, MAY/12/2017, SSN;
On May 9, 2017 South Sudanese national army (SPLA) Chief of General
Staff Paul Malong Awan was fired by President, General Salva Kiir
Mayardit and replaced him with General James Ajongo Mawut.
Consequently, tension began to grow between the President and the
sacked general.
In fact, the tension was more exacerbated due to the fact that
soldiers were deployed on Juba streets and around the sacked General’s
home while plainclothes national security agents drove in and around
the capital telling people to go inside their houses (according to
www.southsudannewsagency.com/index.php/…/south-sudan-army-chief-sacked-2/).
As the government went on preparing for war as seen above, Malong was
preparing for peace. Therefore, he left Juba with intention of going
to his hometown, Aweil, the same night as a way of reducing tension.
However, leaving Juba was another problem as the government began
panicking.
That kind of hysterical behaviour shown by the Government stroke the
nation with fear and in particular, those who were overwhelmed with
fear were those along the path he was about to pass when he was going
to his home area, Aweil. The places that he was about to pass through
were: Yirol, Rumbek, Gok State, Tonji and other places he would have
passed as going to Aweil.
Many friends of mine I talked with in Rumbek in respect to the same
matter expressed the same fear of war breaking out at any time. This
was made worse when General Matur Chut laid the ambush to attack
General Malong if he had passed through Western Lakes.
Fortunately, the governor of Eastern Lakes, Bor Phillip and the
goodwill of the sacked General saved South Sudan from bloodshed. For
that reason there is a need to appreciate the two personalities for
the good work they have done.
Nonetheless, the incidence exposed the weaknesses on the side of the
government in Juba as it’s shown that it does not know how to handle
the matter. The same weaknesses explains the outbreak of 2013 South
Sudanese war, which is still ongoing now. Had the SPLM handled the
crisis within it at that time, the war would have been averted like it
is done now.
However, that was not my interest as my interest was not whether there
would be war or not but my interest was to see the reaction of “South
Sudan National Army.” I have put the word South Sudan National Army in
quotation because in reality there is no national army in South Sudan.
The above assertion was confirmed by what happened during the present
crisis as it has clearly exposed the true nature of the national army
of South Sudan. In short, there is no national army as I will give the
reasons shortly but first, what is the national army.
The term national army typically means the lawful army of the state as
distinct from rebel armies or private armies that may operate there.
For the army to be regarded as lawful, it must be established by law
of a country duly passed by the Parliament. In that respect, the
Transitional Constitution of South Sudan, 2011 in Article 151
establishes the National Army of South Sudan and its functions.
The functions of the National Army (SPLA) are to:
—(a) uphold the Constitution;
—(b) defend the sovereignty of the country;
—(c) protect the people of South Sudan;
—(d) secure the territorial integrity of South Sudan;
—(e) defend South Sudan against external threats and aggression; and
—(f) be involved in addressing any emergencies, participate in
reconstruction activities, and assist in disaster management and
relief in accordance with this Constitution and the law.
In order to perform the above functions, the national army must not be
controlled by an individual person or it must not owe allegiance to an
individual. The national army is other words must be there to protect
the nation but not the interest of any person including the president.
This was proved by the Egyptian Army in 2011 when it asked Muhammad
Hosni El Sayed Mubarak to step aside when people went on the street
demanding for his resignation. The same army did the same thing with
Islamist President, Morsi.
As explained above, where the army is national then it also strong
army. In addition, where the army is strong, there is also strong law
and rule of law. This has been observed by Niccolo Machiavelli in his
book, the Prince, “the main foundations of every state, new states as
well as ancient or composite ones, are good laws and good arms you
cannot have good laws without good arms, and where there are good
arms, good laws inevitably follow”.
I wished the President of South Sudan would read the Prince by
Machiavelli and put it into practice and had he done that South Sudan
would have had strong army and the good law.
It is also important to stress based on the above quotation that
without strong army, no matter how good the laws are there will never
be strong law. In simple term, strong army is the foundation of strong
law.
Nevertheless, with regard to South Sudan, there is no national army
and this is why there is no bad law. The weaknesses of the army of
South Sudan are rooted in the fact that the army is highly
politicized, polarized and composed of bunch of militias and
auxiliaries.
Thus, it is the fact that has been exposed by the removal of Former
Army Chief, General Paul Malong Awan which is troubling. The main
lesson learned about the nature of the army we have in South Sudan in
the recent incident is that our army is tribal army but not national
army. This is because a national army defends the nation not tribe
mate as seen in the case of General Malong.
When the army heard that Malong was sacked, many SPLA soldiers from
Aweil took their guns and followed him, which shows that the SPLA from
Aweil are not there for the interest of South Sudan but to protect
personalities. What saved South Sudan, however, was Malong not
National Army because the SPLA Army from Aweil was ready to shed blood
if Malong had not changed his mind to come to Juba.
The incident has also proved what happened in 2013 when the conflict
broke between Riek and Kiir. As soon as conflict started, all the SPLA
members from Nairobi ethnicity deserted the government in defense of
Riek. At the same time, Dinka SPLA members began targeting Nuer
members because of their ethnicity and moreover, both sides have been
accused of killing South Sudanese citizens because of their ethnicity.
In addition, the recent conflict between Bor and Murle and Bor and
Mandari, exposed the same fact that SPLA is not a National Army. This
was shown by the fact that the SPLA members from Bor Community
supported Bor Youth in killing Murle forgetting that they have a
national duty to defend South Sudan.
Defending South Sudan means defending citizens of South Sudan and all
people inhabiting South Sudan including Murle are citizens of South
Sudan. This further means that the SPLA has a duty to protect all
citizens where their lives are under threat.
In the same way to show that there is no national army, it is not
wrong to state from personal observation that almost all SPLM leaders
including the President are guarded and protected by their
tribe-mates.
In addition, people are appointed in the SPLA based on tribes not
because a person desires to serve the nation called South Sudan. The
SPLA has been turned into business and employment forum where generals
employed their own people leaving tribes without any generals out in
the army no matter how capable a person is.
Because of that the army is highly fragmented as all members have
different agenda and expectations.
In summary, as one of my friends observed sometime back and which I
have learned in the present crisis caused by the removal of General
Malong, I can simply conclude that there is no national army in South
Sudan.
What is there is not national army but something composed of militias,
auxiliaries, businessmen and women, untrained individuals.
All the above groups are made up of different persons with conflicting
loyalties and interests; hence they are always weak in protecting
interest of South Sudan since they put their interests or interests of
their tribe mates above the nation.
In order to have strong national army that puts the interests of South
Sudan above their own interests, the Government should sieve the
present army to find out who are really trained and who are not. Those
who are trained should be reoriented to take up responsibility of
protecting the nation not individuals. Then, those who are not trained
must be sent to the field for at least three years to undergo
intensive training.
If the above is not done, then, I am afraid, South Sudan will remain
weak in everything and people will continue to suffer as they bear the
brunt of negative force of bad governance caused by corruption, or
which causes corruption as the two are symbiotic.
Therefore, if there were a strong army and good law, then, the bad
governance and corruption would have been controlled and citizens lead
happy lives. As a result, South Sudanese would have lived in justice,
liberty and prosperity.
NB//: the author is Human Rights lawyer that can be reached through:
juold...@yahoo.com
May. 11 Featured, Uncategorized no comments
By: Daniel Juol Nhomngek, Kampala, Uganda, MAY/12/2017, SSN;
On May 9, 2017 South Sudanese national army (SPLA) Chief of General
Staff Paul Malong Awan was fired by President, General Salva Kiir
Mayardit and replaced him with General James Ajongo Mawut.
Consequently, tension began to grow between the President and the
sacked general.
In fact, the tension was more exacerbated due to the fact that
soldiers were deployed on Juba streets and around the sacked General’s
home while plainclothes national security agents drove in and around
the capital telling people to go inside their houses (according to
www.southsudannewsagency.com/index.php/…/south-sudan-army-chief-sacked-2/).
As the government went on preparing for war as seen above, Malong was
preparing for peace. Therefore, he left Juba with intention of going
to his hometown, Aweil, the same night as a way of reducing tension.
However, leaving Juba was another problem as the government began
panicking.
That kind of hysterical behaviour shown by the Government stroke the
nation with fear and in particular, those who were overwhelmed with
fear were those along the path he was about to pass when he was going
to his home area, Aweil. The places that he was about to pass through
were: Yirol, Rumbek, Gok State, Tonji and other places he would have
passed as going to Aweil.
Many friends of mine I talked with in Rumbek in respect to the same
matter expressed the same fear of war breaking out at any time. This
was made worse when General Matur Chut laid the ambush to attack
General Malong if he had passed through Western Lakes.
Fortunately, the governor of Eastern Lakes, Bor Phillip and the
goodwill of the sacked General saved South Sudan from bloodshed. For
that reason there is a need to appreciate the two personalities for
the good work they have done.
Nonetheless, the incidence exposed the weaknesses on the side of the
government in Juba as it’s shown that it does not know how to handle
the matter. The same weaknesses explains the outbreak of 2013 South
Sudanese war, which is still ongoing now. Had the SPLM handled the
crisis within it at that time, the war would have been averted like it
is done now.
However, that was not my interest as my interest was not whether there
would be war or not but my interest was to see the reaction of “South
Sudan National Army.” I have put the word South Sudan National Army in
quotation because in reality there is no national army in South Sudan.
The above assertion was confirmed by what happened during the present
crisis as it has clearly exposed the true nature of the national army
of South Sudan. In short, there is no national army as I will give the
reasons shortly but first, what is the national army.
The term national army typically means the lawful army of the state as
distinct from rebel armies or private armies that may operate there.
For the army to be regarded as lawful, it must be established by law
of a country duly passed by the Parliament. In that respect, the
Transitional Constitution of South Sudan, 2011 in Article 151
establishes the National Army of South Sudan and its functions.
The functions of the National Army (SPLA) are to:
—(a) uphold the Constitution;
—(b) defend the sovereignty of the country;
—(c) protect the people of South Sudan;
—(d) secure the territorial integrity of South Sudan;
—(e) defend South Sudan against external threats and aggression; and
—(f) be involved in addressing any emergencies, participate in
reconstruction activities, and assist in disaster management and
relief in accordance with this Constitution and the law.
In order to perform the above functions, the national army must not be
controlled by an individual person or it must not owe allegiance to an
individual. The national army is other words must be there to protect
the nation but not the interest of any person including the president.
This was proved by the Egyptian Army in 2011 when it asked Muhammad
Hosni El Sayed Mubarak to step aside when people went on the street
demanding for his resignation. The same army did the same thing with
Islamist President, Morsi.
As explained above, where the army is national then it also strong
army. In addition, where the army is strong, there is also strong law
and rule of law. This has been observed by Niccolo Machiavelli in his
book, the Prince, “the main foundations of every state, new states as
well as ancient or composite ones, are good laws and good arms you
cannot have good laws without good arms, and where there are good
arms, good laws inevitably follow”.
I wished the President of South Sudan would read the Prince by
Machiavelli and put it into practice and had he done that South Sudan
would have had strong army and the good law.
It is also important to stress based on the above quotation that
without strong army, no matter how good the laws are there will never
be strong law. In simple term, strong army is the foundation of strong
law.
Nevertheless, with regard to South Sudan, there is no national army
and this is why there is no bad law. The weaknesses of the army of
South Sudan are rooted in the fact that the army is highly
politicized, polarized and composed of bunch of militias and
auxiliaries.
Thus, it is the fact that has been exposed by the removal of Former
Army Chief, General Paul Malong Awan which is troubling. The main
lesson learned about the nature of the army we have in South Sudan in
the recent incident is that our army is tribal army but not national
army. This is because a national army defends the nation not tribe
mate as seen in the case of General Malong.
When the army heard that Malong was sacked, many SPLA soldiers from
Aweil took their guns and followed him, which shows that the SPLA from
Aweil are not there for the interest of South Sudan but to protect
personalities. What saved South Sudan, however, was Malong not
National Army because the SPLA Army from Aweil was ready to shed blood
if Malong had not changed his mind to come to Juba.
The incident has also proved what happened in 2013 when the conflict
broke between Riek and Kiir. As soon as conflict started, all the SPLA
members from Nairobi ethnicity deserted the government in defense of
Riek. At the same time, Dinka SPLA members began targeting Nuer
members because of their ethnicity and moreover, both sides have been
accused of killing South Sudanese citizens because of their ethnicity.
In addition, the recent conflict between Bor and Murle and Bor and
Mandari, exposed the same fact that SPLA is not a National Army. This
was shown by the fact that the SPLA members from Bor Community
supported Bor Youth in killing Murle forgetting that they have a
national duty to defend South Sudan.
Defending South Sudan means defending citizens of South Sudan and all
people inhabiting South Sudan including Murle are citizens of South
Sudan. This further means that the SPLA has a duty to protect all
citizens where their lives are under threat.
In the same way to show that there is no national army, it is not
wrong to state from personal observation that almost all SPLM leaders
including the President are guarded and protected by their
tribe-mates.
In addition, people are appointed in the SPLA based on tribes not
because a person desires to serve the nation called South Sudan. The
SPLA has been turned into business and employment forum where generals
employed their own people leaving tribes without any generals out in
the army no matter how capable a person is.
Because of that the army is highly fragmented as all members have
different agenda and expectations.
In summary, as one of my friends observed sometime back and which I
have learned in the present crisis caused by the removal of General
Malong, I can simply conclude that there is no national army in South
Sudan.
What is there is not national army but something composed of militias,
auxiliaries, businessmen and women, untrained individuals.
All the above groups are made up of different persons with conflicting
loyalties and interests; hence they are always weak in protecting
interest of South Sudan since they put their interests or interests of
their tribe mates above the nation.
In order to have strong national army that puts the interests of South
Sudan above their own interests, the Government should sieve the
present army to find out who are really trained and who are not. Those
who are trained should be reoriented to take up responsibility of
protecting the nation not individuals. Then, those who are not trained
must be sent to the field for at least three years to undergo
intensive training.
If the above is not done, then, I am afraid, South Sudan will remain
weak in everything and people will continue to suffer as they bear the
brunt of negative force of bad governance caused by corruption, or
which causes corruption as the two are symbiotic.
Therefore, if there were a strong army and good law, then, the bad
governance and corruption would have been controlled and citizens lead
happy lives. As a result, South Sudanese would have lived in justice,
liberty and prosperity.
NB//: the author is Human Rights lawyer that can be reached through:
juold...@yahoo.com
Elisabeth Janaina
May 16, 2017, 12:53:06 AM5/16/17
to southsudankob
No National Army in South Sudan: A Lesson learned from Malong’s sacking
May. 11 Featured, Uncategorized 12 comments
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12 Comments
False Millionnaire
May 11, 2017 at 9:49 pm
If Malong has every good intention to go home,that’s the best
thing to do giving the gravity of the circumstances. The God’s
foresaken likes of général Chut who terribly failed western lakes
masses are the problem in opting to confront him with violence instead
of accommodating and reasoning with him in appeal for peace like the
intelligent masses of the great land of Issaiah Kolang Mabior named
Yerol are doing.
When the bad luck took Garang away,the least SPLM/A among the
ranks understood the successor wasn’t fit to feel the vacuum. The
blind intégration of the malitias with their high ranks sacrificed
Garang’s well organized SPLM/A.One couldn’t be too wrong to say that
that first mistake was the basis for the events of 2013.The temptation
to try to ascend to the helm of power was too great for the likes of
Dr Riek to resist giving the fact that it became easy to see that the
SPLA had become 75 % nuers and that two hours’ fight would do the
trick.
It’s needless to talk to much but it’s very intriquing what’s to
be achieved with this crisis giving the too many problems that are
threatening to bring down the sky upon the masses who are sheltering
miserably under a leaking roof with neither food nor security.Have the
élites really understood the stragic position the Brits and the
yankees have taken along the Nile and in the depth of the security
concil?Why is this crisis now when RSS has already been played deep to
the neck into a UN’s trusteeship formula?
Reply
Elhag Paul
May 12, 2017 at 6:13 pm
Misuse of the word ‘elites’. There are no repeat no elites in
South Sudan. Please check the meaning of the word properly. What we
have in South Sudan is a bunch of criminals: murderers, rapists,
robbers, thieves, cattle rustlers, illiterate buggers deluding
themselves to be political leaders. Their foolery is now catching up
with them. The violence they are dishing out to others is now about to
be turned inward on themselves. For decades we told them this thing
called splm/a will destroy all of us unless it is disbanded. They
refused to listen. Let them now prepare for the chicken coming home to
roost.
The most strange thing though is that False Millionaire is
accusing General Matur Chut of irreasonableness. The question to ask
is: have the Jieng ever been reasonable in South Sudan? Look and
review all the political decisions taken by the Jieng system/regime,
which one has ever been reasonable? Crap!!!
Reply
kolong
May 12, 2017 at 5:39 am
Daniel,
good observation but baffled though that you are just seeing this
now….! other citizens have known this for quite a while and there is
nothing to hide.
troubling issue though is that the President in subsequent
clarifications pledged to allow Malong use his own security if he felt
insecure after the axe, what that meant is anybody’s guess!
Reply
info@southsudannation
May 12, 2017 at 12:53 pm
Kolong,
What it means is that the so-called National Army aka SPLA is
a deeply divided army, with the jieng carrying the biggest portion
while the other tribes are just insignificant. Even General Thomas
Cirillo had clearly unveiled this problem.
As reported, Gen. Malong was able to move out of Juba with a
big convoy of jieng soldiers armed to the teeth and nobody dare to
impede or curtail his moving out of Juba.
Where was the so-called National security or the police and army?
Editor
Reply
Deng Deng
May 12, 2017 at 1:46 pm
Earlier, some of us wrote South Sudan is a failed state ruled by
warlords, rogues and crooks. Unfortunately, it fell deaf ears. Civil
servants feel they are indispensable, they can misbehave, loot, abuse
power and authority and go scotch free without accountability. This
has set wrong precedence. The president is the appointing authority.
He has absolute right to hire and fire. I am wondering what is this
fuss about. Gen. Malong! He should not behave to be above the law and
unruly. If he dares, he must be arrested and the law takes its course
period! Enough is enough!
Reply
Gatdarwich
May 12, 2017 at 6:04 pm
Juol,
You’re a staunch supporter of the traitorous Jenges Nationalist,
Murderer Malong. For the first time ever, you humiliatingly admitted
that “South Sudan has no national army”. Truth denial persons like
yourself(Juol) always and eminently acknowledges the truth when the
shit hits home. Killer Nyankiier has meticulously assassinated
murderer Malong both militarily and politically. Killer Nyankiir will
and shall never give murderer Malong a chance to revenge against him
because Dinka kingdom cannot have two equally powerful kings period.
Survival of the fittest game is on between Killer Nyankiir amd the
traitorous-Murderer Malong.
Enjoy the show!
Reply
Daniel Juol Nhomngek
May 14, 2017 at 5:28 am
It is misused of words, I have never been a stanch supporter
but I am driven by my personal observation because I need to be
independent not to go by what other people think. It is because you
are one sided that was the reason you used to see others as not
independent. This is because you do not have a third party in your
struggle a person should either be for them or for you and no third
party. Sorry for you.
Reply
Mading
May 12, 2017 at 6:26 pm
Editor. Not every situation is confronted militarily, the way
government handled that situation is the way any smart leader can do
things. May be things would have been different now, if it was handle
in the way you want it, but government waited until things cool down
before it get in touch with Gen Malong, and thing went well. Thanks to
Eastern Lakes state governor Bor.
Reply
Roberto Kasongo
May 13, 2017 at 6:54 am
Daniel Juol,
It is so sad that you just learned there is no National Army in
South Sudan. Most citizens including children knew long time ago that
we have group of militias and each group fights for their leaders
interests. If we have National Army in South Sudan, political,
ideological, and cultural differences can be resolved peacefully. Just
look at the way murderer Paul Malong reacted to his dismissal as Army
Chief. He was allowed to leave Juba with his followers, he thinks he
is untouchable and South Sudan is his property.
Roberto kasongo ( Bana Equatoria )
Reply
Okuc
May 13, 2017 at 7:14 am
Daniel,
We have been saying for long time that the power base of Jieng is
fragile and it is the matter of time it will start crumbling like a
house its foundation buckled under force.
The Jieng elites thought that by maintaining the former liberation
army whose echelons are Jieng commanders they are 100% secure of their
domination over the rest of none- jieng in South Sudan. The SPLA have
been used as a tool by Jieng elites to suppress and up root the none-
jieng from their ancestral lands in Equatoria, Upper Nile and West
Bahr Gazal on the pretext of fighting rebels in those States.
Your admission that there is no National Army in South Sudan is
recommended because some of you, I mean your fellow Jiengs who deem
themselves beneficiaries of Jieng regime in Juba through the abused of
power by Kirr and his mentors so – call Jieng council of Elders(JCE),
are panicking when the cracks are starting to appear on the power base
of oppression in South Sudan.
Reply
BILL KUCH
May 13, 2017 at 7:23 pm
Nhimngek,
It has been like that and is always going to be. Anyone recruits
for personal choice and the recruitment never been based on tribal
ideas. It has been about someone who is willing to sacrifice. So, it
is an individual commitment. Therefore; we should be talking about
something relevant.
Reply
False Millionnaire
May 14, 2017 at 8:42 am
It sounds like an old recorded song played over and over in an old
tape player in an advanced age of creative modern communication
technology.
Criticising Kiir sums up all what has gone wrong in RSS if that’s
too difficult to comprehend in so far as he is the man in the center
of power around which everything revols.Elhag hasn’t understood yet
that having failed to differentiate between Kiir with power and
ordinary jieng without power,he has succeeded to set ordinary masses
against each other in a miscalculation of suing to tople Kiir. The
jieng view him now as an enemy preying on jieng in compromised
security conditions. But does he understand himself having become à
serpent whose head runs the risk of getting choped off in the thinking
of the families whose relatives got lost in the hell?
Now whose action is a crap,Kiir’s who is carcaterized as jieng’s
King or the small time Elhag with a lunny king’s dreams who relishes
the carnige he has masterminded upon the masses?
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