Arman said he was deeply saddened by the recent incident that occurred in Nasir, Upper Nile State, and the incident does not completely align with the long struggles of South Sudanese

By James Chatim

A prominent Sudanese politician and a leading figure in the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N), Yasir Arman, has urged South Sudanese to desist from war.

Arman, who left the Sudanese Communist Party and joined the SPLM in 1987, became very close to the former leader John Garang and was appointed as a military leader and spokesman.

During the recent political and security tensions in the country after deadly Nasir clashes, Arman advised South Sudanese to unite and leave behind the war in his statement captioned “Dear Southern Sudanese, Unite and Leave War Behind.’

Arman said he was deeply saddened by the recent incident that occurred in Nasir, Upper Nile State.

He said the incident does not completely align with the long struggles and great sacrifices made by the people of South Sudan for self-determination and their future.

Arman, who fought along the then SPLM/A during the liberation struggle, noted that the path of the South Sudanese to independence had not been easy.

“The civil war has left deep wounds, and that there are immense challenges due to economic and social conditions. These challenges complicate the process of nation-building, and the mistakes of the elites further add to the difficulty of this path,” he stated.

The veteran politician, however, said he still trusts in, and calls for the deep wisdom that the people of South Sudan and its tribes possess, to rise above wounds and past grievances.

“Every concession made to prevent war and avoid dragging South Sudan back into conflict is a concession worth making because it is undoubtedly a thousand times better than war,” he said.

The politician said he had wanted to deliver this message earlier, but his attention was occupied with what happened to him at Jomo Kenyatta Airport in Nairobi, Kenya. “Nevertheless, the South has never left my mind or heart. Even in my conversation with the Kenyan Interpol officers, I recalled the liberation days of South Sudan,” Arman said.

“I first visited Kenya in 1988 when I was a vibrant youth full of energy and ambition. It was a year of relentless autumn rains. At that time, we were in Eastern Equatoria with our visionary leader, Dr. John Garang De Mabior, near the town of Kapoeta.”

He said truly pleased by President Salva Kiir’s firm call for peace and rejection of war, as well as the response of Vice President Dr. Riek Machar.

“The greatest service that can be offered to the people of South Sudan and Sudan is to prevent war and not allow those inside or outside South Sudan to ignite conflict.”

Arman expressed his heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims of the Nasir conflict, especially to the family of Major Gen Majur Dak whom he knew personally during the years of the liberation war.

He continued that the catastrophic and painful war in Sudan has claimed countless lives, torn the social fabric apart, led to the collapse of the state, and because of their closest kin with South Sudan, they do not want them to suffer the same fate.

“In the end, we are all Sudanese. The war in Sudan should serve as a lesson to prevent South Sudan from falling into the same dark tunnel. We need South Sudan, especially in light of Sudan’s current tragedy. If both countries descend into civil wars, the entire region will suffer immense consequences,” he explained.

He highlighted that no one can teach South Sudanese about the horrors of war, adding that for the love of God, they should avoid war and leave it behind.