BY Nul Jacob Mayendit

 

General George Athor, SPLA Head Quarters and Vice President “Chances for peace” are Controversial. Since last years’ April Southern Sudan elections, there has been a lot to notice when Gen. Athor Deng Dut, former deputy chief of staff for political and Moral Orientation [PMO], at Bilpam disputed the last years’ election results when he contested for the seat of governorship against his rival, incumbent Governor Kuol Manyang Juuk who won the seat in Jonglei State.

 

This was given a lot of sympathy by the public as well as the entire leadership of the SPLM/A including myself  associating it with any other disappointments that had surfaced all over the South by those who lost their elections because they failed SPLM scrutiny to stand on the SPLM party tickets. George Athor, as former commander of the SPLA, seems to have a lot of attachments to the SPLA General Head Quarters in Juba, his disappointment was not treated as treason or rebellion against the existing system and this has been evidenced by a lot of telephone communications to him for the last eight months.

By the ninth month of Athor’s” NOT HAPPY”, there were several lives lost at Atar when he ambushed the SPLA soldiers and claimed several others. This was not taken as rebellion to the Government but as an accident by the SPLA command and Southern Sudanese leadership in Juba.Yet this was not realistic at all.

Few months later, the SPLA military intelligence and Southern Sudan police security intercepted plans underway by Khartoum government to supply firearms and food to Athor’s red zone at Paloch, which eventually resulted into capturing of members loyal to George Athor, the plane and Russian pilots  were brought to Juba. Still Government of Southern Sudan did not take any  positive measure to either stop this malicious growing activity day by day but SPLA Generals at Bilpam continued chatting with him on satellite [Thuraya] cell phones.

In the SPLA General Head Quarters, almost every Deputy chief of staff for various affairs have had communication with militia leader George Athor for the last ten months but still there seems to have no chances for return, peace or change, it is not clear what the discussions are all about however, Athor still maintains his usual status.

Late last year, the President of the Government of Southern Sudan, Gen. Salva Kiir Mayardit appealed to all by lifting an Amnesty to different militia groups for various reasons meant to achieve our common goal, Southern Referendum, George Athor Deng disregarded this important national reconciliation and took an advantage of it by mobilizing his arm forces and baptized them to mercilessly kill their own citizens that they should have protected.

On 5th January 2011, there was ceasefire between the renegade George Athor and the SPLA signed in Juba intended to end the atrocities in Greater Upper Nile, immediately,two hundred and eleven[ 211] lives were lost and several civilian wounded at Pangak.

The spokesperson of George Athor, Mr. Dok James Puok stays here in Juba in one of the hotels being guarded by the SPLA soldiers, what are the Vice President and the entire SPLA command up to?

Ministry of internal Affairs and all other security agencies have all the information and activities related to a traitor Gen. Athor Deng and his gruesome plans to attack civilians, the Vice President Dr. Riek Machar’s desire for mediation and love for peace Award in the region has caused more death after Independence, Why has VP built a blockade across the infested areas by George Athor, through opposing the army to seize the rebels up by the SPLA soldiers? Dr. Riek says “Give peace a chance”. When peace was given a chance, we have more than two hundred lives lost.

In the SPLA General Head Quarters, Gen. Athor is always aware of their activities as to when he is likely to be attacked by which division and the name of the commanding officer, this is controversial, indeed it is,

Government of Southern Sudan has in a number of times initiated peace talks with a frustrated member with his cousins in his village calling himself a rebel leader. religious leaders and some Army Generals in the SPLA were send to identify terms and conditions for possible peace talk continuation, but nothing seems to work better other than providing lame and weaker conditions for the Government to remove or terminate liberators of this country such as Gen. Kuol Manyang Juuk and Gen. Gier Chuang Aluong who does triple job [donkey work] for the betterment of this nation. Athor Deng and the peace team have been given enough chances for peace, why more death?

The controversy between George Athor, SPLA G.H.Q and Vice President Dr. Riek Machar Teny is that, death toll increases every other day, there is reliable information on Athor and his cousins around the villages of Upper Nile, SPLA has formidable army mandated to protect the lives and property in the country, despite all of the above mentioned, Athor Deng is left to slaughter civilians at his will.

 There was peace initiated by the GoSS Vice President However, the only news we hear is about lives lost yet the Government of Southern Sudan has all the means and powers to uproot this ongoing insurgency within a period of forty eight hours so as to let the citizens enjoy the fruits of their recent vote for Independence.

Was this what people of upper Nile and Jonglei States voted for; is this how much the Government of Southern Sudan rewards these vulnerable communities for?

In conclusion therefore, If George Athor Deng Dut has mutual attachments to Sudan People Liberation Army and in particular General Head Quarters greater than what Southern Sudanese has with the Government of the day, and when he [Athor] is more powerful than the army we have, if George is more intelligent than the hundreds of citizens he massacres weekly? Let the security of the citizens be on their stake and seek for any remedy anywhere in the country.

The trauma of seeing dead bodies has affected the hope for peaceful Republic of South Sudan. Whereas the government treated some aspects of concern with laziness, security related matters are the most urgent and   we will never keep quite while our dear people wither like leaves for no good course however.

I would like to alert the leadership of the day that, by the time you realize decisions taken up by public, it will be too late to displace blames and anger on others, therefore, the system must be contented with its style and norms for a democratic state in order to attract massive support.

Government of South Sudan should find amicable solutions to end the sufferings and death in Greater Upper Nile, it is enough for Bilpam to at least stop this suspicious communication to Athor which is almost every day, your mediation and perhaps hope for George’s change of mind and vision to man-slaughter is irreversible.

Gen. Athor Deng Dut should be apprehended and brought to books; this will be a symbol of a Republican South Sudan that the majority is anxiously waiting to see on the 9th July 2011.