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political tensions and fear that the Nuer would take over Juba, whether planned or not,
helps explain the extent of the cruelty directed against Nuer men in Juba in the days that
followed the NLC meeting. 11
In his opening speech, Salva Kiir said: “(Indiscipline in the party) will take us back to the
days of the 1991 split … (and) we all know where the spilt took us … this could jeopardize
the unity and independence of our country and we must guard against such things. My
dear comrades, I am not prepared to let this happen again.” 12 Senior SPLM officials
including Riek and Garang’s widow Rebecca Garang challenged Salva Kiir in the, by all
accounts, highly acrimonious meeting that followed. On December 15, even though Riek
and other senior SPLM members boycotted the meeting, the NLC agreed to a voting
mechanism and other documents. 13
That night, only a few hundred meters from the venue of the NLC meeting, at the General
Headquarters (GHQ) of the SPLA, Presidential Guard (PG) soldiers loyal to Riek fought other
soldiers stationed there. The fighting spread that night to other parts of Juba. Pro-Kiir SPLA
forces pushed the bulk of renegade Nuer soldiers out of Juba by around 1 p.m. on
December 16. That afternoon, in full military uniform, Salva Kiir told a televised press
conference that Riek had orchestrated a coup, a charge riek denied. In his five minute
statement Salva Kiir again talked about the 1991 split, calling Riek a “prophet of doom”. 14
On December 16 and the following days Dinka soldiers and other government security
forces brutally cracked down on Nuer men in Juba, including widespread killings and
arbitrary detentions, described below.
11 Human Rights Watch research in the 1990s found that in general forces in neither Riek’s SPLA-Nasir nor Garang’s SPLA-Torit
factions were held to account for burning homes, looting, killing civilians during the bloodshed in the 1990s. Riek has
apologized for the Bor massacre since South Sudan’s independence.
12 President Kiir’s speech can be viewed here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5y3bp6Oehis (accessed June 5, 2013).
See minute 12:00.
13 The most contentious issue was how the chairman would be selected; including whether by secret ballot or open voting by
a show of hands (the latter was seen as being to Kiir’s benefit). A constitution, code of conduct and basic rules and
regulations were also debated and passed.
14 President Kiir’s press conference can be viewed here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=boLU20O5JDI (accessed June 5,
2013). Kiir said: “Let me reiterate my statement during the opening of the NLC meeting a few days ago. My government will
not allow the incidents of 1991 to repeat themselves again. This prophet of doom continues to persistently pursue his action
of the past and I have to tell you that I will not allow or tolerate or such incidents once again in our new nation.”...
SOUTH SUDAN’S NEW WAR 18