JUBA CITY, August 26, 2024 – The Secretary General of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) Party, Peter Lam Both, recently criticized the leaders of the SPLM/A liberation struggle who came into power in 2005 after the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) that ended the 21-year war. He held them responsible for the current crises the country is facing
Lam Both made these remarks during a ceremony honoring Lt. Gen. Bior Ajang Duot, a respected hero of the liberation struggle who later served as the Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations of the South Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF). Duot passed away on August 13 due to heart complications.
In response to criticisms from various leaders who spoke at the event, questioning the government’s treatment of the families of fallen heroes and veterans, the SPLM leader called for party unity and urged those who had left to return.
One prominent speaker who criticized the leadership was Gen. Garang Mabil, a former guerrilla commander, who became visibly emotional and claimed that the SPLM had abandoned its revolutionary ideals and programs, letting impostors take control. He questioned whether the party was still alive.
Vice President Rebecca Nyandeng de Mabior also acknowledged the government’s failure to deliver services to citizens and support liberation struggle veterans.
“The first phase of liberation required different skills, knowledge, and experience to physically fight for the liberation of the country. The second phase, after the independence of the Republic of South Sudan, focuses on development and providing services to the people. This second phase requires a different skill set,” Lam Both explained. “Therefore, if those among us who joined the struggle in 1983 feel that the second phase has not been successful, it is because it is an immensely challenging endeavor. Anyone can destroy a building, but not everyone can build one. The necessary skill set dictates that those who follow in your footsteps should support you in the second phase. Our veterans, rest assured, you are not forgotten. The difficulties we face as a nation hinder our progress.”
He continued, “From 2005 to 2013, the Government of South Sudan had access to significant resources, with reports estimating up to $20 billion during those years. The responsible individuals were all the liberators of our country, some of whom are present here today.”
A screenshot from a video of Lam speaking at Gen. Bior Ajang’s funeral.Lam posed the question of who should bear responsibility if nothing was accomplished during the prosperous years. He urged for unity under the leadership of Comrade Salva Kiir, emphasizing the need to rebuild the SPLM and achieve the aspirations of liberation. Lam highlighted that the prevailing culture of associating the success or failure of the SPLM with the government needs to change.
The party leader defined a committed cadre of the SPLM as someone who remains loyal to the party’s ideals even when they are no longer in office.
Lam acknowledged that all present had participated in the government and, therefore, the blame for the problems faced in 2013 should not be placed on others. He emphasized the importance of returning to and rebuilding the SPLM while moving forward.
It is noteworthy that President Kiir, who also holds the position of SPLM Party chairman, along with many other prominent leaders, has been leading the country since the interim period in 2005 until its independence in 2011 and to the present day.
