Letter to Friends of S. Sudan — excluding Africa
Why IGAD won't Resolve the South Sudan conflict!
Dear Friends of South Sudan, minus Africa and particularly the East Africa region known as IGAD. As you begin the Third Round of the High Level Revitalization Forum, I penned this communication for your conscience and remembrance - well, actually my goal is to ensure all from East Africa end up on the global List of Shame for the impunity allowed in South Sudan. As this 2016 interview snippet from the July war start illustrates:
“One soldier came and he turned the gun to us. He said, ‘If I kill you now, you Nuer woman, do you think there is anything that can happen to me?’”
(Dozens of women raped by South Sudan soldiers near UN camp: witnesses, 27 July 2016 by Jason Patinkin, AP)
A region lost in its own skewed reality as its young sovereign republic is allowed to wreak havoc on its citizens (and the region ignores its "aggravated state responsibility" obligations).
However, in time IGAD's pandering to Juba; its numerous delay tactics impeding the peace efforts and B grade Hollywood movie "Diplomatic theatrics" like yesterday's visit with the legitimate First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar in Pretoria, South Africa will be taught in history, political science and democracy courses in the future when discussing how failed Nation-States lead to failed regions.
However, in time IGAD's pandering to Juba; its numerous delay tactics impeding the peace efforts and B grade Hollywood movie "Diplomatic theatrics" like yesterday's visit with the legitimate First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar in Pretoria, South Africa will be taught in history, political science and democracy courses in the future when discussing how failed Nation-States lead to failed regions.
This anguished letter is really the last resort, a final plea to Nations and people who really care about South Sudan, from a tortured and damaged soul deeply committed to the survival of this nascent land — but as well deeply and utterly disappointed by its leaders and Head of State President Salva Kiir Mayardit.
As well this means I have special disdain for Juba's neighbors: Uganda, Kenya, Ethiopia and others like Egypt who look on as the death toll rises daily while life slowly drains from South Sudan's corrupt and diseased mismanaged body as IGAD members reach into S. Sudan's pockets to get as much as possible before it implodes into 'Somalia 2', an unrecognizable sovereign heap of geopolitical waste.
The elephant on the wall, besides securing Peace, is obviously Dr. Riek Machar being held unconstitutionally, illegally against his will (contra most UN conventions: social, civil, political, human rights!) by the South African government under the auspices of a botched Obama-Kerry US/IGAD foreign policy all because Ugandan-S. Sudanese-other forces, paid mercenaries, could not assassinate the First Vice President.
Dr. Machar somehow survived this 800 mile, 40 day odyssey through bush, savannah and forests with an estimated 20,000 troops in pursuit under then Army General Chief of Staff-now-turned-rebel Paul Malong who had drones, attack helicopters, spy planes and other advanced tracking/ surveillance technology for the capture and killing of the 800 person team of the juridical 1st VP Dr. Riek Machar, his wife Angelina, staff and soldiers. But alas, no head of Machar whom Malong says now to VOA's SSIF this week he was ordered to chase, kill and obtain.
Dr. Machar somehow survived this 800 mile, 40 day odyssey through bush, savannah and forests with an estimated 20,000 troops in pursuit under then Army General Chief of Staff-now-turned-rebel Paul Malong who had drones, attack helicopters, spy planes and other advanced tracking/ surveillance technology for the capture and killing of the 800 person team of the juridical 1st VP Dr. Riek Machar, his wife Angelina, staff and soldiers. But alas, no head of Machar whom Malong says now to VOA's SSIF this week he was ordered to chase, kill and obtain.
Due to Juba's incompetence, Plan B was activated: threaten to submission high ranking members of the SPLM-IO to join a new SPLM-IO-light faction of Taban Gai, facing death or worst which ultimately worked, for on 23 July Kiir replaced Dr. Machar with Gai. With this photo Taban heralded a new level of skullduggery with this supposed quorum in 2016 of the SPLM-IO.
A New Level of Machiavellian Tactics!
A New Level of Machiavellian Tactics!
How did Taban Deng Gai (TDG) elevate himself to the first vice presidency? Brutal, horrific violence, including threats, torture, beating and sexual assault used on men and women officials — video recording some to ensure their submission to TDG's will, see pics!
UGANDA
Where is IGAD in all this, its members serve several roles, Peace guarantors, bankers or combat soldiers,
Uganda admits combat role in South Sudan | https://www.aljazeera.com/amp/
It is clear what is Uganda's agenda: money, markets and asset management:
But the situation in Nimule changed about three weeks ago. The merchants have disappeared and the truck drivers no longer transport goods. Instead, they are shuttling refugees and military equipment [AD: Uganda's cash crops!] back and forth across the border.
Trucks loaded with battle tanks inch forward. The route from Uganda's capital, Kampala, to the border town of Nimule has only just been paved. The convoys of tanks and containers holding military equipment have been on the road for days now in order to reach the South Sudan border.
But on Friday (10.01.2014), the Ugandan government officially confirmed the large-scale deployment of its troops in South Sudan to "guarantee the peaceful course of negotiations," as a government spokesman said.
[AD: really!]
Quote Cont'd...
Defending economic interests
Securing the trade route to Juba might be one of the Ugandan government's main concerns. For the Ugandan economy South Sudan is the largest market beyond its own borders. Almost every tomato, potato, bean and egg that is consumed in South Sudan comes from Uganda.
The Ugandan government earns over 2 million dollars (1.4 million euros) in tax revenue from exports to South Sudan every day. An estimated 20,000 Ugandan migrant workers work in Juba and send money home regularly. The Ugandan elite has invested in real estate and businesses in Juba. . . .
As a reward for backing its partner, Uganda gained lucrative access to markets in South Sudan when it became an independent state in 2011. But those economic ties are now in jeopardy as a result of the emerging civil war.
Uganda sends troops into South Sudan
ETHIOPIA
I was reminded today by a Tweet of Aly Verjee to me regarding how lawless and corrupt it was in the region, when I found a long-searched-for document exposing the long-standing penholder of African Affairs for the World (55 years), Ethiopia, as an arms dealer to the homicidal regime of South Sudan.
So instead of discouraging its young neighbor from war, the continent's Peace arbiter profits secretly from it. This host nation for the African Union headquarters has also signed a military cooperation agreement with Juba in October 2016 and for the record Ethiopia has been a covert source of arms for the SPLA since the 2000s - the struggle (this is SPLM/SPLA common knowledge).
So instead of discouraging its young neighbor from war, the continent's Peace arbiter profits secretly from it. This host nation for the African Union headquarters has also signed a military cooperation agreement with Juba in October 2016 and for the record Ethiopia has been a covert source of arms for the SPLA since the 2000s - the struggle (this is SPLM/SPLA common knowledge).
KENYA
Kenya provides arms as well serving as the depository for stolen money from Juba and its corrupt officials. In order to keep their connection strong many of Kenya's MPs visit Juba as it was in the 2016 election season, with reports noting Kiir's treasury was open to them for funding their campaigns AND the suppression of opposition members in Kenya: James Gatdet; Aggrey Idris and Dong Samuel Luak taken — the former now sits in a national security prison in Juba with a death sentence while the latter two men's location is unknown nor whether they are dead or alive!
[Experience in Kenya says if they didn't deliver (Idris & Luak) to Juba as planned due to publicity of their January 2017 trial - Kenyans will 'remove' them to prevent exposure of their international crimes of kidnapping (international-protected legal) refugees and residents].
But such an international crime will hit the Kenyan pocketbook for a decade if such deaths are true, Southerners will not forget such treachery I can tell President Kenyatta this much. Particularly given even a governor, Marko Lokidor Lochapio, was abducted from Kakuma UN camp in late December 2017 (a legitimate internationally-recognized refugee) who is believed to be dead from his treatment in Juba's security prison.
Gov. Marko Lochapio
Gov. Marko Lochapio, chained
[Experience in Kenya says if they didn't deliver (Idris & Luak) to Juba as planned due to publicity of their January 2017 trial - Kenyans will 'remove' them to prevent exposure of their international crimes of kidnapping (international-protected legal) refugees and residents].
But such an international crime will hit the Kenyan pocketbook for a decade if such deaths are true, Southerners will not forget such treachery I can tell President Kenyatta this much. Particularly given even a governor, Marko Lokidor Lochapio, was abducted from Kakuma UN camp in late December 2017 (a legitimate internationally-recognized refugee) who is believed to be dead from his treatment in Juba's security prison.
Kenyans MPs campaigning to ban South Sudanese opposition conclude visit in Juba, here
Note: if one of the Kenyan MPs who visited Juba in 2016 promised to ban Juba's critics and opposition in Kenya (on Juba's bucket list) is now the new secretary in the Foreign Minister's office who just happened to represent IGAD in its S. African visit to Dr. Riek Machar on 14 May WHERE the group tried to push the 1st VP to relocate instead of releasing him as their 26 March 2018 communique, here, stated:
is that man, Ababu Namwamba (on right with glasses in above photo) - Chief Administrative Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs — impartial — or will he be — as his country is a supposed "neutral" Peace guarantor?
is that man, Ababu Namwamba (on right with glasses in above photo) - Chief Administrative Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs — impartial — or will he be — as his country is a supposed "neutral" Peace guarantor?
[AD: My experience in Kenya is money rules over all, including principles]
So Dear Friends, for the citizens of South Sudan and those who try to help them — only suffering and loss. Last weekend in Juba's Gudele area a pastor and his wife were shot dead trying to rescue a troubled family on Saturday, 13 May while unfortunately another pastor attempting to help was critically wounded as well.
RAPE - JUBA'S WEAPON of WAR
If Juba's oppressive political violence is not enough, sexual assault is such a standard state tool — all ignore it, whether government or UN or embassies - during the 2016 war start, on 11 July, soldiers set on foreign aid workers in the Terrain Hotel complex. After several hours most women rescued had been gang-raped (RSS’s deputy justice minister, Martison Oturomoi, told reporters one woman had been raped by 15 men) - the AP described the heart-wrenching encounter of this woman:
The soldier pointed his AK-47 at the female aid worker and gave her a choice: "Either you have sex with me, or we make every man here rape you and then we shoot you in the head . . ." (Rampaging South Sudan troops raped foreigners, killed local - AP, 16 August 2016)
The shameless part was the response from the UN and embassies of the women, including the United States...no one came, even peacekeepers refused to go out and save the at risk residents. See,
UN peacekeepers in South Sudan 'ignored rape and assault of aid workers'
U.S. Kept Quiet After Americans Were Attacked by Soldiers in South Sudan
A few who were left overnight at the destroyed complex and were rescued by South Sudan security forces the next morning, after being assaulted into the night.
Rape and other forms of Gender based violence (GBV) practiced by all sides in the civil war has become so widespread that even a 2-year-old child was among the victims of this war, according to the U.N. special representative on sexual violence in armed conflict speaking at a briefing to reporters concerning her trip to the northern town of Bentiu in October 2014:
Rape and other forms of Gender based violence (GBV) practiced by all sides in the civil war has become so widespread that even a 2-year-old child was among the victims of this war, according to the U.N. special representative on sexual violence in armed conflict speaking at a briefing to reporters concerning her trip to the northern town of Bentiu in October 2014:
“In my 30 years of experience, I’ve never witnessed anything like what I saw in Bentiu,” said Zainab Hawa Bangura.
(South Sudan sexual violence 'rampant,' two-year-old raped: U.N - Reuters)
The five year war in South Sudan has had a devastating impact on the citizens, with death estimates provided to AFP in late 2016 by aid workers and government officials from 50,000 to 300,000 persons. Plus, millions (4 million plus) had to abandon their homes seeking safety from murder, rape, assassination and torture, mass destruction on a scale unseen since Rwanda, Bosnia.
A UN Development Programme national survey based on over 1,500 interviews indicated that 63% of participants said a close family member was killed during the war.
With the untold suffering faced by a nation that survived an earlier 21 year war ending in 2005, its agony was extended with this current five year conflict — resulting in possibly a lost generation warned the UNICEF executive director in January 2018 after visiting areas devastated by war:
“70 percent of the children are out of school, that is highest in the world. There is too much violence,” the UNICEF head Henrietta H. Fore said.
This is the context which informs this first article I pen since leaving South Sudan.
Now, we must ask a simple question: can the neighbors of South Sudan who serve as guarantors for the 2015 peace agreement be trusted to ensure the resolution of this war?
As Abu Deng, one experienced in the practices, culture and nuances of the ruling class - only one answer comes to mind,
No...
Here is why!
On 26 August 2015 Salva Kiir and Dr. Riek Machar signed a peace accord giving hope to millions that the long-awaited chance for progress and economic prosperity was possible but it took until April 2016 before this dream was manifested in an actual transitional government.
Yet problem after problem surfaced, conflicts over selection of offices, over resources — with parliamentary allocations and assignments, led to tense cabinet meetings and so by July tensions were high and so with the 2 July 2016 killing of an IO member of national security by government soldiers and then a clash on 7 July resulting in the killing of five soldiers from Kiir's side the atmosphere in the capital saw anger near boiling.
In Juba, just under 800 soldiers and innocent civilians were killed and buried in mass graves by the Red Cross over the 3 days of fighting.
After 10 July 2016, sides began to set, Uganda started by sending troops initially to protect its citizens as they were evacuated back home but Museveni realized his nation's economic success was tied to the survival of a Kiir government (which could be more easily manipulated than a Machar one). Combat troops and military equipment began to pour into the conflict and South Sudan, which already had a military cooperation agreement with Uganda from October 2014.
EGYPT
Egypt signed as well a military cooperation agreement in March 2014 and since the 2016 war started it has been assisting South Sudan in humanitarian efforts plus with training and equipment.
Reports and photos of large Egyptian cargo planes at Juba's airport have surfaced too since 2016, with the UN Panel of Experts in April 2017 accusing Egypt of providing arms to South Sudan, see http://www.un.org/en/ga/
Reports and photos of large Egyptian cargo planes at Juba's airport have surfaced too since 2016, with the UN Panel of Experts in April 2017 accusing Egypt of providing arms to South Sudan, see http://www.un.org/en/ga/
The Arab Republic has obviously ulterior motives with a South Sudanese "partnership" - partly economics (investments) but more significantly using its geopolitical influence initially to lobby African nations to convince the AU to lift the suspension imposed on it when former president Mohamed Morsi was overthrow in 2013.
As well Egypt wants to wield power over Sudan and Ethiopia in regards to Nile water usage and specifically over Addis and its Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam project which they believe will steal too much water from their metropolitan capital and its 20 million inhabitants.
KENYA II
Additionally, Kenya has been supplying arms and ammunition to the Juba government since the interim period, SIPRI data shows that from 2005 to 2009 Kenya was the largest recipient of Ukrainian arms imports in Sub-Saharan Africa, further analysis showed the final destination for much of these weapons was South Sudan.
Meaning while Kenya was serving as the principal peace facilitator for the first CPA — it was moonlighting as an arms transit point for Juba's shipments, likely pocketing a handsome profit while maintaining a shiny reputation as a Peace arbiter. See, update of the SIPRI Arms Transfers Database (15 March 2011).
Meaning while Kenya was serving as the principal peace facilitator for the first CPA — it was moonlighting as an arms transit point for Juba's shipments, likely pocketing a handsome profit while maintaining a shiny reputation as a Peace arbiter. See, update of the SIPRI Arms Transfers Database (15 March 2011).
Even after the civil war started again in 2013, Ukrainian heavy machine guns and grenade launchers originally slated for Kenya by purchase were found in 2014 within South Sudan borders. An analysis showed that Kenya colluded with Ukraine to keep its arms transfers covert according to the UN Panel of Experts in 2015, see http://reliefweb.int/sites/
SOUTH AFRICA
Joining this group is South Africa which signed a military cooperation with Juba in January 2018, which involve conducting joint military exercises, training and capacity building. Responding to a Parliamentary question on the cooperation agreement with South Sudan, the defence minister revealed the deal also includes procurement of defence equipment (yes, buying arms for Juba!)
Note: this MOU apparently has more political importance then the trial and subsequent execution order by hanging of a retired SADF officer convicted of terrorism and conspiracy in South Sudan. A commentator in South Africa's Mail & Guardian newspaper on 2 March 2018 had this below to say about what he calls the kangaroo court in Juba and his nation's actions. He believed the opposition and its leader should be treated equal given RSA supposed peace-making (neutrality) mandate:
Note: this MOU apparently has more political importance then the trial and subsequent execution order by hanging of a retired SADF officer convicted of terrorism and conspiracy in South Sudan. A commentator in South Africa's Mail & Guardian newspaper on 2 March 2018 had this below to say about what he calls the kangaroo court in Juba and his nation's actions. He believed the opposition and its leader should be treated equal given RSA supposed peace-making (neutrality) mandate:
Mediators are not supposed to play favourites.
It also fuels speculation about what South Africa’s motives really are for involving itself so deeply in South Sudan. If it’s really born of a genuine desire to bring peace to South Sudan, this hardly seems the way to go about it.
(South Africa takes sides in South Sudan, March 2018)
(South Africa takes sides in South Sudan, March 2018)
The commentator is correct - the self-interest quotient for South Africa is strong and smells of economic interests manifested in the April 2018 announcement by the Johannesburg-based Telecom company MTN that it plans to expand its network in South Sudan.
KENYA III
The self-interest of Kenya and its elites can be seen clearly too with the announcement that President Uhuru's family bank group, CBA, will be expanding into South Sudan. Yes, IGAD we in the West call this 'conflict of interest', See,
Kenya's banks in South Sudan have added greatly to parent banking group's profits likes KCB, which was identified as laundering billions of dollars for South Sudan elites and corrupt government officials according to the 2016 Sentry Report, War Crimes Shouldn't Pay
And if integrity mattered, the murder/torture of the Kenyan voting head some days before the election would be questioned. The top official was in
charge of electronic voter identification and vote counting seen as crucial to avoid rigging, and was the second in command in the election commission's IT department. See,
OR
the revelation by Cambridge Analytica's managing director that his firm engineered the entire election process for President Uhuru's win - if justice and accountability matters. See,
Here's how Cambridge Analytica played a dominant role in Kenya's chaotic 2017 elections
Note: The firm has now shut down after the revelations of its malfeasance.
MASSIVE COLLUSION AND CORRUPTION
MASSIVE COLLUSION AND CORRUPTION
By now, words like cooperation, collusion, partnership should take on a sinister tone when mentioning members of the IGAD...but quit any skepticism their collaboration, i.e., collusion is real:
Did Al-Sisi, Kiir, and Museveni Form a Tripartite Alliance against Ethiopia and Sudan?
And the South Sudan government of Salva Kiir is maximising all opportunities to consolidate its power. On 16 November 2017 after several consecutive meetings with the concerned parties (SPLM, FDs), the Cairo ”Declaration of Unification” of Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) was signed at the headquarters of the Egyptian General Intelligence under the auspices of Egypt’s al-Sisi and President of Uganda Yoweri Museveni.
But this is not just collaboration for fun and friendship, it's one steeped in public treachery, a regional and intercontinental effort to drain all the resources from South Sudan to foreign bank accounts or to investment/luxury homes.
Uganda has come under fire for it new found status as a serious gold producer, having gone from official gold exports of 11kg (24.2lbs) worth $237,000 in 2014 to 8.8 tons (19,400lbs) in 2016 worth $340m without a commercial mine in the country; making it the second largest export after coffee. A June 2017 report by Global Witness called Uganda: Undermined revealed that minerals from the DRC and South Sudan were coming through Uganda on the way to Dubai to global markets. The gold is being refined at East Africa's only refinery near Entebbe, called African Gold Refinery, and it was inaugurated by President Museveni himself, who has connection with the refinery through an in-law. See, here
Uganda gold refinery raises alarm over conflict minerals
So gold for the people of South Sudan's future is exiting via Nimule to Ugandan pockets and beyond while Museveni hosts 1 million plus refugees for the sake of publicity and squeezing money out of the international community through fraudulent accounting of refugees which has resulted in millions of international aid money stolen. See, here
Malong says $100m given to Kiir Family in Nairobi while Hunger in S. Sudan
In an interview last week the former South Sudan Army Chief of Staff Paul Malong revealed that President Kiir ordered $300 million transported to Nairobi after some consignment (exact unknown, yet oil, gold or diamonds I suggest) was sold.
There in Kenya's capital he had $100m delivered to his family in the exclusive residential area of Lavington (possibly via the Sentry-ID'd corrupt financial institution KCB).
He had a $100m delivered to his Presidential Office in Juba and a $100m distributed among enablers and activities (i.e., operations against opposition, critics) listen here at minute 58:00 — https://t.co/zVjrcVLg2q
But the story gets darker, as the new nation falls deeper into debt and despair; currently 400 of 1900 health clinics/hospitals (Watchlist) left; 70 percent of South Sudanese lacked access to adequate health care; 4.5 million displaced from home (2.5m in five neighboring countries); 7 million citizens hungry, many bordering on famine with some unpaid government employee salaries for one year; embassies closed in London, Italy and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
President Kiir's Official Shadow Banker and Money Launderer
Yet the inner circle of Salva Kiir, Akol Koor, Taban Deng Gai, Ezekiel Lol Gatkuoth and supporters (Martin Elia Lomuro, Riak Gai Kok, Makur Koriom) is getting rich, fat on oil sales via connections like Sudanese investor and quasi-Khartoum "persona-non-grata" Dr. Ashraf Sidahamed Al Hussein Al Cardinal and the Nigerian-owned/Dubai-based Sahara Energy Resource DMCC (given a 600,000 barrel allotment of oil for May 2018) with Mr. Al Cardinal authorised 300,000 barrels per month until May 2019, which is worth $200m USD at current oil prices.
President Kiir's Official Shadow Banker and Money Launderer
Yet the inner circle of Salva Kiir, Akol Koor, Taban Deng Gai, Ezekiel Lol Gatkuoth and supporters (Martin Elia Lomuro, Riak Gai Kok, Makur Koriom) is getting rich, fat on oil sales via connections like Sudanese investor and quasi-Khartoum "persona-non-grata" Dr. Ashraf Sidahamed Al Hussein Al Cardinal and the Nigerian-owned/Dubai-based Sahara Energy Resource DMCC (given a 600,000 barrel allotment of oil for May 2018) with Mr. Al Cardinal authorised 300,000 barrels per month until May 2019, which is worth $200m USD at current oil prices.
Yes, indeed Dr. Ashraf Sidahamed Al Hussein Al Cardinal is Kiir's personal money launderer "enabling" the South Sudanese President and his inner circle to transfer the People's money from government accounts and turn national resources into cash then hide the funds in overseas banks. The Sudanese businessman has been at this 'disservice' since independence and is said by sources to be involved in similar Illicit activities in Iran.
As well, he has one billion US dollars secured...secreted away in a Dutch bank along with this $30 million he will pick for this May oil sale from Juba. He is the ultimate enabler I would say if these discoveries confirm to be true.
Mr. Cardinal is the official launderer-Shadow Banker for the President (who uses Martin Elia Lomoro & Makur Koriom as well for such purposes) which then allows Kiir to pay off his neighbors; buy weapons; suppress any opposition; detain any opponent or eliminate any critic in the region with his IGAD Club members' assistance...
Please USA and EU, here are suggestions for Abu Deng's 2018 Sanctions List:
1) Salva Kiir
2) Taban Deng Gai
3) Akol Koor
4) Ezekiel Lol Gatkuoth
5) Ashraf Sidahamed Al Hussein Al Cardinal
Time for tougher Trump Administration action, since impunity is the norm there in Africa it seems Mr. President!!!
Finally Dear True Friends of South Sudan, even You dear Africa Leaders of conscience!? MFM, maybe PK... are you listening — what incentive does President Salva Kiir have to bring Peace, as he noted last month:
“What is my incentive if it is peace that I will bring and then step aside? Nobody can do it,” (President Kiir, Dr. Garang Memorial, 25 April 2018)
The End
