By Deng M. Koch
AUSTRALIA, 11 January 2010 (Gurtong) - The CPA is a widely publicised, internationally negotiated and witnessed commitment between the Sudan People Liberation Movement (SPLM) and the Sudanese Government under the leadership of the National Congress Party of President Field Marshall Omar Hassan Ahmed Al Bashir.
The 2005 peace agreement brought to an end the more than twenty years of protracted civil war in the country; though the overall security situation in the geographically giant African country remains unpredictable and fragile. However, the fragility of the general security situation characterised by continued tribal fighting in the South, which many Southerners blame on covert activities by some elements within the National Congress Party’s security apparatus and or their proxies, has not dampened hopes and aspirations for a long term peace and harmony in the war affected regions of Sudan; hence the Southerners and other marginalised Sudanese join their counter-parts back home in celebrating the peace deal which is marked every year since it was inked in Naivasha on January 9, 2005.
Therefore, this year’s celebration was marked by the Sudanese Australians, along with their friends and human rights and peace advocates in different styles and fashion; but with consistent calls for unity and co-operation among the people. Characterised by various South Sudanese community groups’ dances and singing, there were a number of guest speakers, Sudanese and non-Sudanese alike, who made some important comments and urge unity in the Southern Sudanese society.
His Lordship Catholic Bishop Michael Mckenna of New South Wales blessed the event and pledged his continuous support for the community.
In his opening speech, the Secretary of the South Sudan Community Association of Victoria, Ambrose Nhial Mayardit Mareng, on behalf of the organising committee welcomed and thanked all the supporters and sympathisers of South Sudan in Australia who had persistently supported the community in their endeavours.
He also said referring to his fellow Sudanese: “You and I are one, you and I are the way and together we can advance our country in all aspects of nationhood”.
Councillor Stephen Jolly who represented the Mayor and the city of Yarra within the Metropolitan Melbourne, the venue of the event, was particularly passionate about the situation endured by South Sudanese back home in their country.
“It’s a great tragedy that South Sudanese have so much oil, and yet all that has gone to China and Khartoum”, he said amidst a rapturous clapping from the audience.
He further underlined that the Sudanese were working hard and integrating into the Australian ways of life. “You are working hard in the councils, offices and factories; Sudanese are working hard and are quickly integrated into the city of Yarra for the last five years,” he said.
The Deputy Principal Liaison Officer of the Government of South Sudan (GOSS) mission in Australia Dr Jok Top, acknowledged the presence of other GOSS visitors and partners to the CPA.
While giving a background explanation to the CPA, he said: “All South Sudanese sheds of oolitical opinions welcomed the CPA; the same could not however be said about the Northern political forces, some of who saw the agreement as a bilateral deal between the SPLM and NCP.”
“We Southerners must advocate for peace, not as slogans but must live it; we must love each other; otherwise, the coming war will be either we shall be or we shall never be!” he added.
The visiting SPLM Director of the Diaspora Affairs Mr Paul Bor Gatwech thanked the audience and the organisers for giving him an opportunity to speak.
He narrated some background information about the CPA including the challenges that are faced by the peace partners and acknowledged that the CPA somehow proved more challenging in its implementation than it was negotiated.
Nonetheless, he assured the audience that none of the principal peace partners were willing to resume the costly war in the country.
An Australian human rights advocate for change Mr Robert Wood urged the South Sudanese to work hard in order to realise real change in their country.
Quoting a philosopher, he said, “Peace is people becoming different, not just about political agreements but about leaders and the led deciding to be the change they want to see around them.”
Surprise Telephone Call by President General Salva Kiir Mayardit
There was a joyful mood in the hall and amidst singing, shouting and dancing came an announcement from the organisers that it came to their attention His Excellency General Salva Kiir Mayardit, Chairman of SPLM, Commander- in- Chief of SPLA and President of the autonomous South Sudan was about to call and say hello to his people on the occasion of the 5th anniversary of the CPA.
“Was it real or a white lie?” some doubting Thomases murmured and wondered! Some even continued to make some noise as Nyadol Nyuon Bany, master of ceremony, desperately pleaded for calm and absolute silence to receive the imminent and quite a historic call.
Then in an unprecedented move, a voice (believed to be that of the GOSS Representative to Australia, Comrade Mariano Deng Ngor) introducing the readiness of His Excellency to speak to his people via the telephone link roared as the loud speakers relayed the sound.
The initially doubting members of the audience were now quietly jostling for position closer to where the voice was clearer. Then came indeed the voice of the man many here can identify with as one of their own in the struggle for their motherland; the President asked: “Can you all hear me well?” and the excited audience wasted no second in responding with a thunderous, “ Yes we do, Your Excellency!”
He then took the opportunity to pass on his personal greetings and wishes for Christmas and the New Year to all the Sudanese Diaspora in general and those in Australia and London and the wider Europe in particular. This was because His Excellency never gets the chance to audibly say this to his people in the mentioned areas of the world.
In a concise but very important and encouraging address, President Salva Kiir Mayardit urged South Sudanese to unite and work collectively in the interest of their country and people.
Noting that this was the last celebration of the interim period defined in the peace agreement as the next one is the time of referendum, and which was a very great day for all the peace loving Sudanese people both within and without the country, the President emphasised that every citizen’s positive contribution was appreciated and acknowledged by his government, no matter how small one’s contribution was, it all counts.
The President further urged the audience and all the citizens, wherever they may be, to have a unity of purpose and spirit of cooperation at all levels of the society.
“We have to work together to see to it that the last of all protocols enshrined in the CPA are implemented”, he said.
He further reminded the audience that it was the people of South Sudan who will decide for or against the unity of the country based on the need for uniform and non-discriminatory development, prosperity and equality of all the citizens in the country.
He concluded by urging the South Sudanese Diaspora to unite their efforts in all aspects of nation building, make use of the available opportunities in the host countries and go back home to help in developing the war torn region.
He also encouraged the citizens who had the opportunity to acquire relevant knowledge to go back and help the people including humanitarian work for their people who are in need back home.
Meanwhile, Miss Nyadol William Nyuon Bany (daughter of the founding SPLA Chief of General Staff) who was the master of ceremony thanked His Excellency for taking time out of his busy schedule in order to greet and address his people via telephone link on the occasion of the 5th anniversary of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement.
She then asked the President if he could kindly allow more time to answer any lingering questions from the audience, but before His Excellency could respond, an emotionally charged crowd of Sudan People Liberation Army war veterans led by members of the Liberation Army’s former Children’s Division, the Red Army, invaded the floor dancing and singing some SPLA popular military morale songs; as a way to salute and appreciate their long time Chief of General Staff during the protracted, more than twenty years of ferocious civil war; and who is currently their Commander- in- Chief of the same patriotic and peoples army, General Salva Kiir Mayardit.
Among the war veterans were some equally patriotic yet largely unsung heroines of South Sudan, women whose ululations reigned in the air on top of singing voices. It was indeed a very exciting moment for many in the celebrating audience.
“Salva Kiir Mayardit we will carry you up high, our training camp commander, you who gave us power and strength, our training camp commander! So it was you who trained the Jamus Army of liberation, Timsah and Tiger, we are fighting for Sudan our country, our country!” they sang.
It seemed none in the excited audience cared about asking questions to be answered by their President, hence the interruption became a permanent one and the President’s voice was drown out into a disconnection as dancers and singers were in full celebratory mode.
There was a non-stop dancing and singing by various South Sudanese community groups ensued which included children’s choir from Warrap State who sang some important messages in their songs as they beautifully danced; Dombai traditional dancers of the greater Tonj, Ruweng community dancers, Lou/Jikeny Nuer Dancers and Twic Mayardit dancers who moved the audience with their patriotic songs lamenting the sacrifices made by SPLA and other Southern heroes/heroines accompanied by their vibrant dancing.
Their songs carried particular advice and warning to the traitors and betrayers of the Southern cause! Others were Shilluk and Yirol Community dancers, not forgetting some young rappers of the community.
Asked by Gurtong what his reaction to the day’s events was, the Southern Sudanese Community Association Chairperson Mr Barnabas Bol Kuot said: “Different community organisations should function like different branches of the same tree, meaning we can always work together irrespective of our political opinions, creeds, ethnicity or geographical affiliations; in the interest of our mother country”.
“The fact that our President, His Excellency General Salva Kiir Mayardit accepted our invitation to address the audience via the telephone link, even though it was such a short notice, on the occasion of the 5th anniversary of the CPA is a great honour and quite a humbling experience; hence I salute His Excellency for this, on behalf of the Southern Sudanese community in Victoria. You can see how excited the audience is”, he added.
The Occasion was organised by five different community organisations namely: Southern Sudanese Community Association in Victoria, SPLM Chapter in Victoria, the general Sudanese Community Association, Sudanese Lost Boys Association of Australia and the New Sudan Youth Association of Australia Inc.
Mr Kuot thanked all the community organisations and individuals who participated and made the day a successful one.