The "New Sudan," vision and its effects on Southern Sudanese unification
By: Kim Deng, Bilpam, South Sudan
The 1955 Torit mutiny marked the beginning of the 17 year old war that was ended by the defunct Anya-Nya I and by the Anya-Nya II insurgencise from 1975-1983, were fought on the priciples of the right of self-determination-meaning the establishment of an independent and sovereign State in the South. When the Addis Ababa Accord of 1972 was signed as an attempt to bring the country its first civil war [1955-1972] between the government and the rebels’ movement to an end, there were a pocket of Any-Nya I elements who doubted about the implementation of the Accord due to lack of commitment and seriousness from the government side. Those few separatists remained in the bush despite the Accord until many other rebelious soldiers of the Sudanes Army rejoined them after Akobo mutiny in 1975 spearheaded by CDR. Vincent Kuany Latjor, eight years before Bor and Ayod mutinies erupted in 1983 respectively. They became a unified force and carried the name SSLM/A or Anya Nya II, the only well-known name for many people under CDR. Vincent Kuany Latjor’s command, whereas the greater Bilpam became their Headquarters. There were over 7,000 troops behind SSLM/A [Anya-Nya II] and the objective of their movement was for total separation of the South from the rest of the country unlike SPLA/M with its "New Sudan," vision.
After the arrival of "Newcomers," in 1983 as Anya-Nya II call them, two camps were formed within "New-arrivals/Newcomers," Camp A, was under the leadership of Lt. Col. Samuel Gai Tut Yang, Mr. Kuot Atem and CDR. Abdalla William Chuol Deng. Meanwhile, Camp B, led by Col. Dr. John Garang, CDR. Kerubino Kwanyin Bol and CDR. William Nyuon Bany. It is noteworthy mentioned the factious between the two camps and it was due to critical following factors: 1) What should be the sole objective of the movement and its principles, and 2) Who shall lead the movement [SPLA/M?] Camp A, proposed that the objective of the movement shall be "self-determination for South Sudan which mean total separation for South Sudan from the rest of the country, and it shall be led by Mr. Kuot Atem follows by Lt. Col. Samuel Gai Tut Yang," instead camp B, did not only reject that proposal, but came up with its own ideology, an ideology of "’United Socialist Secular/New Sudan,’ and the leader of the movement shall be Lt. Col. Samuel Gai Tut Yang follows by Col. Dr. John Garang."
It took the two camps few months before camp B rushed to use force against camp A due to fact that, the Ethiopian government which sealed a conspiracy and surreptitious deal with Garang against the separatists was acting behind the scene rather than being a mediator between the two rivals. From their last meeting, CDR. Rhino William Nyuon Bany who doesn’t care about the human life pulled out his pistol and hold it with his right hand while pointing it at Lt. Col. Samuel Gai Tut Yang and CDR. Cobra Abdalla William Chuol Deng, and said "from today onwards, anyone who appears to oppose Dr. Garang’s leadership and the objective of the movement must not be silenced by talks, but bullet." Thus, Camp A, took technical withdrawal from the area (Itang) without a fight to avoid casualties which may result within the town and to give camp B more time to resverse its dead-end judgments toward South Sudan issues.
To make the matter worse, after Col. Dr. John Garang’s group secured its position against Lt. Col. Samuel Gai Tut’s group, the seizure of Lt. Col. Samuel’s group by Mr. Marxist-Leninist Garang’s group did not satisfy Garang’s appetite, but went further and channeled his plan to annihilate the SSLM/A [Anya Nya II] in Bilpam by force due to fact that this seccessionists’ movement shared the same objectives and principles with Camp A. Therefore, to secure the "New Sudan," vision fully, the "Any-Nya II HQTRs, Bilpam must be destroyed and/or dislodged from its foundation," Garang declared. And on other hand, Mr. Mengistu Hailemariam of Ehiopia, a man who got separatist rebels’ movements [Woyane & Shabiah] in his own backyard , decided to impose his socialist ideology on southern Sudanese, and that mission must be fulfilled by someone who believes in that vision; "Dr. Garang must be the right person," according to calculation of Dergue regime base on its interests and bipartisan issues between the two allies.
With no regret, the Ethiopian armed forces along with few elements from Garang’s group launched an asault against the Anya-Nya II position in October 1983 which caught them by surprise. The Anya-Nya II Headquarters, Bilpam was not only smashed down to ground, but also many of its separatists’ fighters were eliminated and those who caught alive were ordered to dig out their own graves before excuted them by firing-squad if they repudiate joining the former Marxist-Leninist SPLA/M. Of cours, many deserters from SSLM/A [Anya Nya II] joined Garang’s group conditionally, amongst them; CDR. John Kulang and CDR. Kuach Kang.
There exist relationship between the Anya-Nya II and Lt. Col. Samuel Gai Tut’s group came in exsistence before and after Garang’s group failed to engage Lt. Col. Samuel Gai Tut’s group in dialogues, but in confrontations in Warfield as he [Garang] declared from his under ground rally. Thereafter, Lt. Col. Samuel Gai Tut’s group merged with SSLM/A [Anya-Nya II] under his leadership since Vincent Kuany Latjor, the Anya-Nya II first leader was caught alive and put into very isolated World (prison) after his Headquarters, Bilpam was burned down to ash by the two Marxists [Mengistu & Garang.] Without Ethiopian armed forces back-up, can Garang’s group alone be attempted to annihilate Anya-Nya II forces in Bilpam?
In war, the skin of Fox is at times necessary as that of a Lion, for cunning may succeed when force fails. Speaking from his undergound rally as mentioned so far, in a message to his disciples, he declared that "the first bullet must be fired against the separatists [Anya-Nya II]," as an attempt to impose his self-claimed "New Sudan," vision on Southern Sudanese and hijacked the movement from its founders/separatists altogether, coincidence?
A year later, Lt. Col. Samuel Gai Tut’s group, [SSLM/A /Anya-Nya II] who were expelled from Ethiopia came back to engage Garang’s group in dialogues because there exists, the great hope from the separatists’ side in the vision of reunification of unionists [SPLA/M] and separatists [SSLM/A/Anya- Nya II], as it had been the case against "Dergue" regime of Mengistu Hailemariam by two rebel factions [Woyane & Shabiah/separatists and unionists] from his own backyard who accomplished their mission in May 1991 when they waged a war agaisnt the tyranny regime under unified force. What if the Sudan’s rebels [Unionists and Separatists] put their differences aside since 1983 and confronted the common enemy, the Khartoum government[NIF/NCP] as a unified force? I leave the answer(s) for you.
First, they [Anya-Nya II] camped at Mangok, Chatyier and other surrounding areas on their way toward Achua (Itang) where the talks should have been renegotiated. The SPLA/M was reluctant and not fain or serious to deal with SSLM/A [Anya-Nya II] in dialogues, but in warfare instead. While the Anya-Nya II was waiting for talks to resume once again after arrival at Itang, the SPLA/M and Ethiopian armed forces were planning to encircle the Anya-Nya II forces in order to capture their ringleaders alive and/or eliminate/imprison them. This left Lt. Col. Samuel Gai Tut with no other option, but to withdraw his troops from the town which they have surrounded for more than a week after he learned that, Ethiopian government and the SPLA/M were not interested in peace talks, but war.
CDR. Cobra Abdallah William Chuol Deng, a man who fears no man on earth, the human toll was the least of his concerns rejected Lt. Col. Samuel Gai Tut’s order and wanted the whole town to be burned down to the ground, this prompted Lt. Col. Samuel Gai Tut to order some of his soldiers to tie-up CDR. Cobra Abdallah William Chuol Deng. Lt. Col. Samuel Gai Tut did that not only to avoid heavy casualties which may result mainly on innocent people [women and children] in the town, but also to give Col. Dr. John Garang’s group more time to relinquish its poor "New Sudan," vision for the movement. Lt. Col. Samuel Gai Tut’s last word to Col. Dr. John Garang and his subordinates after the talks failed in 1984. Mr. Samuel said, "Mr. Garang, you have not anchored South Sudan to your ’New Sudan,’ vision, but you have anchored your ’New Sudan,’ vision a unified Sudan to South Sudan. In the end, my friend(s) you’ll find it will not work. It will be ghastlier than you can even imagine."
Mr. Marxist-Leninist Garang’s group viewed Lt. Col. Samuel Gai Tut’s group retreat as a defeat to Anya-Nya II, and as such; "the next step must be to chase them until their ringleaders are eliminated and/or caught alive." The second engagement between the Anya-Nya II and the SPLA/M at the battle of Thiajack (Adura) was not a big surprise to Anya-Nya II forces and as a result of that clash, the Any-Nya II forces did not only burned down the town which was under the control of SPLA forces at the time, but inflicted heavy loses on unionists’ side, killed many, scattered and pursued those who could run for their safety until they reached Mangok-Chatyier unknowingly. Yet even though, the victory was on separatists’ side, from the battle of Thiajack, a man who loves and value all human being from all walks of life regardless of ethnicities; a man whose vision has been for South Sudan independence; a man who qualified both in politics and military and above all, a SSLM/A [Anya-Nya II] leader, Lt. Col. Samuel Gai Tut’s life was cut short in that ruthless, aimless and epic conflicts between the separatists and unionists just simply because he opposed Mr. Marxist-Leninist Garang’s self-claimed "New Sudan," vision. This shameful death will never be forgotten for generations to come.
After receiving the bad news, regarding Lt. Col. Samuel Gai Tut’s death, CDR. Cobra Abdallah William Chuol Deng became wild and ordered the Anya-Nya II troops to "fight like mad dogs against the unionists to the last man." As a result, many lives were wasted from both sides in many engagements, counterattack after another. The SPLA/M activities were blocked by the Anya-Nya II forces across the greater Upper Nile until Lt. Gen. Gordon Koang Chuol declared that, "there is no need for Mr. Garang’s "New Sudan," vision to keep South Sudan hostage, but to reconcile with unionists and challenge Garang’s "New Sudan," vision within."
DK. Koat Matthew played a crucial role in that strategic move, but a man of his words and fearless man, Lt. Gen. Lion Paulino Matip Nhial declined the move and said, "I’ll never united the Anya-Nya II with Marxist-Leninist SPLA/M under Mr.Garang’s leadership with his "New Sudan," vision. If I do which I doubt, that will be the day when I walk with my feet upside down." Which mean, over 80% of Anya-Nya II forces under the command of Lt. Gen. Lion Paulino Matip crossed the great Nile from East Bank to the West side, whereas Mayom became their Headquarters, meanwhile, the remaining 20% under the command of Lt. Gen. Rhino Gordon Koang merged with SPLA/M, which gave Garang’s group wide-gauge windows to capture many towns and garrisons from the common enemy [NIF/NCP] including Nasir town itself. Then, what if the whole Anya-Nya II [Separatists] merged with SPLA/M [Unionists] and confronted the common enemy as a unified force regardless of their differences? With no doubt, Mr. Marxist-Leninist Garang’s "New Sudan," vision was a setback to Southern Sudanese unification since 1983 and its brings many advantages to the main enemy beyond unioinsts’ imagination.
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