![South Sudan economist Peter Biar Ajak speaking before US Senate Foreign Relations Committee [Photo via NowThis]](https://i0.wp.com/www.sudanspost.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/157FC41F-6946-4E11-8289-81D2C06593F0.jpeg?resize=1051%2C591&ssl=1)
In an interview on the Kenyan-based television station in May 2022, Biar who is a renowned activist and civil rights advocate claimed President Kiir failed had failed to address mourners at the late Kenyan leader Mwai Kibaki’s funeral service in Nairobi due to “a hangover”.
The comment sparked controversy on social media forcing the Kenyan broadcaster to issue a public apology to the president “for the agony and anguish our mistake has caused you (Kiir), the government, and the people of South Sudan.”
In a statement this morning, Biar apologized to Kiir, saying there was no excuse for him to utter the comment against the president who is also an elder, despite having grievances against his leadership and the National Security Service.
“I write this letter to express my sincerest apology to you in regards to comments I made on KTN one year ago touching on the person of Your Excellency. Over the course of the last one year, I have reflected on what I said. Although I am not sure whether my apology will satisfy you, I want to assure you that I am giving it freely without admonition of anyone. It is my conscience and convictions that are urging me to do so,” Biar said.
“There is no excuse I can provide to explain away my transgression. This is not to disregard the genuine grievances I have against Your Excellency and elements of National Security Service (NSS) from your government. Indeed, my grievances are many and I have no doubt you are aware of them. I endured nearly two years of brutal and humiliating detention simply for exercising my freedom of speech – a right for which Your Excellency and the masses of our people fought for more than two decades to realize.
“And after being released from this unjustified imprisonment, your NSS agents still followed me to Nairobi, where I was undergoing medical treatment, and forced me into exile to lead a life of a refugee for the second time in my life. But even those grievances cannot justify what I said about Your Excellency.
“This is not only because of the position you occupy and your personal efforts in the creation of our nation, but most importantly because you are my elder and uncle. And according to our Jieng customs, nothing can ever excuse my wrongdoing.
“My intention when I made those remarks was to hurt you. I wanted you to feel the same pain I felt. I wanted you to understand how much it hurts. But hurting you neither healed me nor brought me satisfaction of any kind. And while relatives and friends immediately implored me to retract my statement, my pride and anger prevented me. But I now realize that hurting you because I was aggrieved stemmed from a desire for retribution – the need to apply the ancient Jewish law of “an eye for an eye” from the Old Book, which can only make the whole world blind if taken to its logical conclusion.
“I came to understand that our people could be hurting each other because of the pain they might have suffered in the past. That is why vengeance is rampant across our society. And because of this, we are not allowing ourselves to heal, but only perpetuating the vicious cycle of grief. I have come to firmly believe that our country can only heal with genuine forgiveness, which cannot be coerced or bought. “Rather, it flows effortlessly from a changed heart. As such, I beg Your Excellency to have a change of heart and to forgive my egregious offense.
“This does not mean that I am ending my political and philosophical disagreements with your government. Far from it. For when Your Excellency and the masses of our people flocked to the bush and waged a war against Khartoum in which more than two million lives were lost, the leadership of the SPLM/A and the people of South Sudan wanted to bring forth a government that can elevate the conditions of our citizens. Our people fought and died to create a government that would un-lift the heavy and artificial burdens that Khartoum had placed on their shoulders – a government that would unite all tribes of South Sudan into a single indivisible nation, nurture their talents and provide them opportunities to pursue a free and dignified life, and afford our youth and the future generations of our country an “unfettered start, and a fair chance, in the race of life.”
“The inability to create such a government after the triumphant birth of our Republic was the genesis of our differences. The eruption of violent power struggle between Your Excellency and First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar that devastated our country and subjected our people to unnecessary suffering, the failure to faithfully implement various peace agreements between you and Dr. Machar ending this violent power struggle, and the severe repression of the fundamental freedoms that our people won with blood, sweat and tears only intensified our disagreements.
“But we can debate those differences with civility, respect, and without personal insults or violent intimidation. And as my elder and President, you did not deserve the remarks I made. Regardless of whether you will accept my apology or not, I promise you that I will do everything within my power never to repeat this same mistake ever again.
“I know that your anger towards me is great and I will completely understand it if you find it difficult to afford me the benefit of your mercy. All I can do is to acknowledge my error, beg compassion from Your Excellency, and hope that your heart will not remain hardened against your son forever.
“From the depth of my soul, I am sorry for the injury I have caused you. I truly hope that you are able to forgive and to let go of whatever bitterness Your Excellency may feel towards me. May God Almighty heal the wound in your heart and afford you the peace of mind that He gives to each and every one of us even when undeserved – so freely.”
