Mabior Garang says opposition has ‘surrendered’ to Kiir’s government

JUBA – Senior SPLM-IO official, Mabior Garang de Mabior, has said the entire opposition in the country has surrendered to President Salva Kiir Mayardit’s government for returning to Juba without a proper implementation of the revitalized peace agreement signed by Kiir and his first deputy Dr. Riek Machar Teny in September 2018.

In an opinion piece responding to one of critics, Mabior justified his claim because main opposition groups including the SPLM-IO returned to Juba without putting in consideration provisions of the revitalized peace agreement which calls for pre-transitional tasks to be implemented before the formation of the unity government.

“The manner in which the divided opposition went to Juba – prior to the implementation of security  arrangements – was in essence surrender to the status quo. The provisions of the Agreement have been circumvented, nothing has been implemented according to the letter of the Agreement and it is devoid of any spirit,” he said.

“The only real pressure the regime has felt during this peace process was exerted by the citizens of South Sudan after the politicians had surrendered. The regime was forced to return to the Ten (10) States due to popular demand. It is unfortunate that the struggle for positions in Juba has slowed down this momentum of national mobilization and this minor gain is now being reversed and we may soon be returned to the Thirty Two (32) States by way of Administrative Areas. We already have three (3) unconstitutional Administrative Areas, which are in violation of the Agreement,” he added.

“As we pretend to be implementing an Agreement in Juba, our displaced civil  population continues to suffer in “dignified silence” due to rampant insecurity in the country. There is conflict, from inter-communal violence to the continued use of counter insurgency wars by the deep state. Why do we lie to our selves when there is a pink cow in the room, as it were?

“The reason I say President Salva is not the problem – in the context of the fake peace – is because we have surrendered and we are pretending to the civil population that we are still in the struggle to deliver he promise of the liberation struggle. This is the real obstacle to peace.

“If we can face the truth and admit we have surrendered, it may deliver a more authentic peace than what we currently have in Juba. A negotiated surrender can ensure security so that our people can go to their villages and till the soil. It will create civic space for our children to be educated and break the cycle of trauma our families have faced for generations.

“It is the opposition which is the problem because by pretending to be implementing an Agreement when we all know we have surrendered, makes the regime edgy causing insecurity. We should have the political discipline to be able to admit when we have been defeated and lose the war with dignity. In the process of a sincere surrender we could win the peace.”