S. Sudan Assembly hears report on Malakal fighting

By Isaac Vuni

March 17, 2009 (JUBA) – In a debate over fighting that occurred last month in Malakal, the South Sudan Legislative Assembly was for the first time in its history divided along party lines since its inception in 2005 and it was clear that prominent SPLM debaters and chairpersons had boycotted the deliberation, paving the way for NCP to dominate the floor of the house.

The parties deliberated on the case of controversial Sudan Armed Forces General Gabriel Tanginya and referred the case to legal experts to come up with a possible remedy for the house to adopt later. Tanginya’s return to Malakal last month, ostensibly to visit his family, prompted a costly military stand-off at the airport and other areas of Malakal.

The former militia leader had been living in Khartoum since being implicated in an even heavier case of fighting in Malakal in 2006 that killed 150 people.

The Security and Public Order Committee made a report based on an investigation headed by Deputy Chairman Hon. James Janka Duku (SPLM, Central Equatoria) accompanied by Hon. Benjamin Majok Dau (SPLM, Unity State) and Hon. Riek Bol Nyoac (NCP, Upper Nile), who looked into the causes of insecurity in Malakal including clashes in February between Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) in the Joint Integrated Units (JIU) and forces of the Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA).

For two days, the house indeed listened to the elaborate insecurity report on the incident in Malakal presented by Governor Gatluak Deng Garang (NCP), chaired by Hon. Speaker Daniel Monydit Deng, chairman of the specialized committee on security.

According to the governor, 57 people were killed and 94 wounded including 26 civilians killed, 21 wounded, 15 SPLA killed, 40 wounded while 16 SAF were killed and 33 wounded.

Though the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) have denied that they sent Tanginya to Malakal to instigate anything, the Sudan People’s Liberation Army claimed that he was accompanied by military intelligence personnel. Southern lawmakers in the debate regularly referred to Tanginya’s militiamen as SAF, since in fact they had been formally incorporated into the SAF in accordance with the terms of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement.

Hon. Simon Kun Puoc (SPLM, Upper Nile), Commissioner of South Sudan Relief, Rehabilitation and Humanitarian Commission (SSRRH), cautioned the August House on the danger posed in Malakal at the instigation of the National Congress Party and said they intend to deny southerners’ chance for participating in the coming general election scheduled for July this year.

Echoing a theory voiced by lawmakers at the time of the fighting, he asked why President Bashir sent his general to cause havoc in Malakal while pretending to come for the presidency meeting in Juba, adding that General Gabriel Tanginya and President Bashir are out to destroy even the coming CPA referendum scheduled for January 9, 2011. If so, he noted, Tanginya and Bashir ought to be taken to the International Criminal Court (ICC).

Hon. Peter Longole Kuam advised southern parliamentarians to refrain from dividing themselves along party lines simply to appease the interest of NCP-led government in Khartoum, adding that President Bashir’s general and elements plotting to oust Governor Gatluak Garang must be arrested either directly or through the ICC since President Bashir has no ability now to represent Sudan abroad.

Hon. Kout Deng Kout (SPLM, Warrap), suggested that NCP should be given another state to manage instead of Upper Nile since NCP and SPLM are principle signatories to the Comprehensive Peace Agreement.

Hon. Oliver Mori Benjamin, a veteran journalist for SPLM from Juba, said that Tanginya is one of the generals who should be held responsible for killing and destruction in Malakal while management of Upper Nile by NCP should be transferred to another southern state.

Members of NCP led by Hon. Caeser Baya Loyalala, Acting Chairman of Legal Affairs Committee, kept on interrupting various debaters to urge them from linking the Malakal incident with the indictment of President Bashir whom their party has nominated as candidate for president in the general election scheduled for July 2009.

Minister of Internal Affairs Paul Mayom Akech said states’ security lies with each governor to coordinate with his ministry. The minister further disclosed that Tanginya has of late been promoted from the rank of Major General to that of Lieutenant General after the Malakal incident.

Acting Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, Bariaba Marial Benjamin, assured the House that the southern region’s president will act on recommendation of the legislators to arrest the controversial general.

During the discussion there were 218 MPs and guest visitor Dr. Jan Nico Scholten while there was no single GOSS minister in attendance. However in the afternoon, the minister of regional cooperation who is also the acting minister of parliamentary affairs and minister of internal affairs, and and the minister of internal affairs, Paul Mayom Akech, participated in the deliberation on the governor’s reports as demanded by members during the morning session.

(ST)

14 Forum messages

S. Sudan Assembly hears report on Malakal fighting 19 March 2009 06:24, by Mimama

Tangi nye should have been arrested by Riek machar during his prompt arrival in malakal. Instead Riek put Tangi nye in his plane and flew to khartoum with him. He knew very well that president Kiir had ordered for his arrest following the killing of massive numbers in malakal by his forces in 2006. The so called South vice president puttting the most wanted criminal in his UN plane and escape to khartoum with him. can you see how a Nuer think? An SPLA/M chairperson protecting Tangi nye by giving him a lift and later claimed that the capture of Tangi nye is a complicated matter. How narrow-minded they are. Riek must be investigated on his involvement on the Tangi nye case.

It is good idea that the SPLM LAWMAKERS refuse to debate the matter because people should not crack their mind offer traitors matters. Salva Kiir must fire Riek if the South is to go forward. He is an enemy within and must be deal with accordingly. OOH! MY GOD when will Nuer learn how to be good leaders.

S. Sudan Assembly hears report on Malakal fighting 19 March 2009 08:18, by badeit dak wie

good morning readers, Why we are un able to learn, why we are un able to post good comments ,why some us are tribalistic and emotionalist why? you better open up your mind and try to write sence, mention people names or tribe, if you think that will make you a good writer or trying to express your emotions it’s not that way,style up , be an intellectual and smart gentleman. Regards.
- S. Sudan Assembly hears report on Malakal fighting 19 March 2009 15:27, by Joseph
  
  Good evening, Bediet Thank you, I read this early morning and I suppose to comment but I stop due to the language that use by Mimama.
  
  I’m from Nuer and Tang from Nuer but I don’t agree with what he did. even MPs from Nuer in Parliment they don’t agree according to article.
  
  Brothers and sisters you should focus on topic and forget trabalism, and you need to attrack the readers other wise people shall stop to read from this web.
  - S. Sudan Assembly hears report on Malakal fighting 19 March 2009 16:03, by Wiyual Wech Puk D. Payol.
    
    thank you Joseph. no one of us we the people from Nuer and members of the SPLM who support what Tanginye has did,but certain Dinka men but not all Dinka did not know. i hope mimama wants to create an other conflict between Nuer and Dinka that will too hot for him to tolerate.let leave the tribalism and look upon development for the whole south sudan.
S. Sudan Assembly hears report on Malakal fighting 19 March 2009 15:57, by Wiyual Wech Puk D. Payol.

Oh!! mimama,re-think of your words that you are claiming for when will Nuer become good leaders.Tanginye did wrong and he is liable for it to be asked,what about Dr Riek,did you see him putting Tanginye in his UN-plane? please if you are still thinking of when will Nuer become good, leaders forget that they are now good leaders.look at how hard the vice president of GOSS Dr Machar is working.i hope he is working hard more than the president of GOSS and first vice president of the republic,salva kiir mentally and physically.
- S. Sudan Assembly hears report on Malakal fighting 20 March 2009 00:02, by Covert
  
  Wiyual, Joseph, your uncle Riek, Tanginye and whoever out there have no distinction at all. No one in South Sudan would be shock of your behaviors.
  
  People in South Sudan can’t wait to see how you people going to end up, because being aimless is what you people do the best. Only people of your type will see you relevant.
  - S. Sudan Assembly hears report on Malakal fighting 26 March 2009 11:21, by Wiyual Wech Puk D. Payol.
    
    Oh!!! mr covert,you don’t get me.Riek is neither my uncle nor my brother.the only relationship we have, is because he is my leader as the others leaders in the southern sudan,and beside this he is my tribe man.Tanginye did some thing bad and no one in the southern sudan would support either from Nuer or Dinka or any other tribes.look the people who were kill by Tanginye in malakal,majority of them were from Nuer,yet Dinka did not believe.let me tell you even my brother-in- law were kill by Tanginye in the recent fighting.i don’t know when will Dinka understand the world and leave their tribalism thinking. they are the people of southern sudan who made you leader from Dr john upto Salva now,don’t forget.

S. Sudan Assembly hears report on Malakal fighting 19 March 2009 07:30, by Dengtaath

Mimama, I think our land S.Sudan can be affected by any of us action, no matter who by the name you trying to categorise.I think we are all obsess for need of quick actions, proud about where we are belonging in term of our ethnicities,irresponsibilities of thinking. We all men having testicles and women carrying breast on their chest but difference the way we view the world and executing issues that are matter on our lives.

Brother capturing Tanginy as got nothing about loyalty of SPLM/A,there are many parties in the South who are not belong to SPLM but not happy with Tanginy, but it has got some thing to do with stability of the CPA. Any bloody occasion that can bring room to the break down of the CPA aggreement, I hope any sound minded individual would regret. I know if the campaign of Malakal, subdueing Tanginy continued with out intervention from the higher authority of SPLM, you wouldn’t dare to send that disturbing message, you would be thinking of what do since the situation with out prediction could have been gone worst.I don’t care whether Riek Machar, Salva Kirr or Wani Ega, but good judgemental is a matter, please leave the leaders alone. Thank bro

S. Sudan Assembly hears report on Malakal fighting 19 March 2009 08:00, by mathem jech amer

I am sorry for the SPLA army for great number lost. 15 SPLA killed, 40 wounded, while SAF, 16 killed 33 wounded. What a shame is it!

Can SPLA prove that they are ready to depend its territory? What if the JIUs in Khartoum fight themselves? How many people will be killed by SAF? Definitely SPLA-JIUs will surrender to SAF-JIUs.With the presence of JIUs and SPLA proper, still we lost big number.

More military trainings and tactics is needed as soon as possible for both JIUS and SPLA proper.

Mathem Jech Amer.

S. Sudan Assembly hears report on Malakal fighting 20 March 2009 00:37, by Aduol Liet

Wait a minute MR, Mathem Jach, are you forgotten your SAF living within Southern Sudan Towns in Juba, Wau,Malakal and many more others places please MR, Jur Arab it is not joking just let your killer of Khartoum government try to resume another new civil war and you will see how bad it will be at this time.Look how many years SPLA fought with SAF and they did n’t defeated SPLA while the SAF has every equipments for wars and still SPLA went a head captured Towns and I will make this predictable that, if the SPLA in Southern Sudan, the SPLA in Nuba mountains and plus this Darfurians movement were still having war with SAF I would assure you that, the Sudan government would truly be defeated by all these movement let your SAF try this time and they Northern Sudanese civilians will be surprsies.

One of the SPLA can fight with 20 SAF during the time they were in struggles as you maybe ask your SAF who were in Southern Sudan during civil war. I think they will tell you how strongly does the SPLA have even Today. For example in 2006, they groups of polices were trying to capture one in Khartoum what happen at that time if you in Sudan, One of these SPLA Fire 20 people and six of them death do n’t hope for another when you have no Ideas the result of war. The SPLA since in the beginning civil war in 1983, they do n’t like the word surrender and that why there was n’t more captures from they SPLA Soldiers during their struggle in the Sudan. It look like you guys have interesting for Resume civil war but I got to tell you all these years they SPLA were just fighting in the Southern Sudan, Blue Nile Region and some part of Nuba Regions however,this time I think there is a good news for the new war if you guys attempted to do that.’’the good news is that, any war attempt by SAF from now up to 2060 years later on, all they SPLA with others oppositions alies will heading to Northern Sudan and I am very sure that, there will be more Refugees people from these stupidness of Arabism Northern Sudan will go back to Middle East nations this is not a jokes I am seriouse it will happen let your SAF try that tactics.The Southern Sudanese will be very happily to see Northern Sudan shared destruction like what happened in the Southern Sudan in two decades of civil war North-South conflicts. If you are hoping for another new civil war North-South just let your SAF try again and you will see how worsen it will be at this time particular Northern Sudan because the new war will reach to Northern Sudan civilians this time it is not a joke I am telling you it is something well known.

Sincerely By Aduol Liet. U.S.A

S. Sudan Assembly hears report on Malakal fighting 19 March 2009 13:21, by postmortem

I am just getting tired of the state of our lawlessness whether in the army or in our civil courts. I am disappointed with our legal provisions that allow killing to be remedied by animals. Human beings are now becoming less important to animals and this explains why individuals are killing with impunity. Why should a custom take over criminal law?

If there are no competent lawyers or judges in the court martial, the government should bring some from the civil courts to try these lawless soldiers. Parliament should repeal all statutory provisions providing for compensation where a person was intentioanally killed. Murder should be considered an offence against the state and if the law provides for hanging to any one convicted, should be hanged.

Tang Ginya should be arrested any time he comes to the South and tried according to the military laws of SPLA.

We are tired of every time investigations are done and reports to parliament but we do not see any action. All we hear is that we have made recommendations and that is all. They get their monlty salaries for for sitting to hear such reports and our people continue to be killed.

S. Sudan Assembly hears report on Malakal fighting 20 March 2009 14:11, by Mjr. W’t K the 2nd

"Not only Tanginya is to be arrested but also he who granted his return to Khartoum". Imagine if Tang was captured when he was pin-down and surrounded by the SPLA, what would South Sudan Legislature be talking about? Because Tang was favour and granted a return to Khartoum by he who did it, he manage to escape the the fierceful SPLA. Otherwise Tang plus all those who granted his return to Khartoum have to be brought to Justice so that they will come and dance in the same beat in the "Rythm of Law". Hence the South Sudan Legislature Assemble hear that ......

"Not only Tanginya is to be arrested but also he who granted his return to Khartoum"........................
- S. Sudan Assembly hears report on Malakal fighting 20 March 2009 17:34, by Gatjang
  
  I am impressed the way my Nuer brothers responded in this article. Very good comment. Mimama, you should have blame Riek for letting the suspect escape but not Nuer in general. I am not Nuer but this first time reading good comments from Nuer broothers and first time giving them a good feedback. Thank Joseph, Dengtaath and others.
  
  There are some few guys who are not on this line today, and they are the worse Nuer who will never change. I like your comments and we should move on with good communication and better future. Growing up with divided minded will very much affect the upcoming generations.
  
  Let point fingers on our government for any fail policies and leave our tribes behind us. Thanks