
“Even if you are a Dinka and you follow the same path, I will call you a terrorist” – Vice President Dr. Benjamin Bol Mel (18.03.2025).
It’s like some people never learns and never considers the implications of their words or actions for that matter. The newly minted Vice President Dr. Benjim Bol Mel. The planned successor of President Salva Kiir Mayardit is speaking out of pocket. His implying and stating his opinions at the burial of the assassinated General Majur Dak Thel. As was there to mourn and celebrate the life lived. However, his speech was a war-cry and a sign of what to come.
This man will hold no prisoners. The VP will use force and willing wage war. That from a government running on shaky-ground and speed running the end of the R-ARCSS. As the modalities and the structure of R-ARCSS is altered in a way, which the different stakeholders are losing ground to SPLM-IG. The IO is stripped of power and having high ranking leaders detained. Therefore, this recent speech at the burial isn’t making things better either. The ones celebrating this… is dancing on the graves and the possibility of more war.
One funeral that can become plenty more. This one here is a tragedy and possible start of prolonged agony. As the VP is direct and doesn’t save anyone.
Just read these quotes…
“Riek Machar should give the orders to IO forces to move if we need peace. Riek Machar should denounce the White Army, stating that they are not part of his IO. I also asked the international community to tell Riek Machar to remove that title, Commander in Chief of the IO. There should be only one Commander in Chief of the armed forces”(VP Bol Mel, 18.03.2025).
“The government of South Sudan is fighting terrorists under the leadership of Dr. Riek Machar Teny unless he denounces the White Army. The international community should help us fight terrorism. I know U.S president Donald J Trump will listen to us” (VP Bol Mel, 18.03.2025).
This here isn’t a sign of mediation, listening to grievances or any sort of consideration of why the Nuer Youth took to arms and didn’t think the Transitional Government would listen to them. We are seeing why they knew this government wouldn’t listen or care about it. That signs are there and now it is complete. Yes, the Naath White Army escalated things and took it a bit to far. However, the Transitional Government could have tried to reign it in and had a third-party to intervene on its behalf for a peaceful mediation. Instead it has decided to hire the UPDF as its mercenaries and burn villages to the ground to prove a point. Let Nasir County and others go into ashes and call it a night. That’s what the VP Bol Mel and others support, as they are speaking of civilians and citizens as terrorists, instead of considering their cause and the reason why they took up arms.
This is what J1 and the VP is missing. They are blaming IO and have no credible evidence of coordinated efforts between IO and the Naath White Army. Neither is there any good news coming from the battlefield. As the UPDF and SSPDF are fine with usage of chemical weapons on civilians and the area itself. That is the sort of measure the state and their allies are seeing fit. They don’t mind burning people to death. Just to settle a score and harm a county and state for decades to come. This sort of affair will be part of the history and tales for decades to come. As everyone will talk and discuss the ones behind it all. They will be known for their orders and why they issued it. As the death, the ones mourning and everyone else will remember these culprits and the ones had no trouble causing this massive amount of death.
There should have been talks and been negotiations. There should have been village elders and others who could have had sit-downs with the youth. J1 and the Transitional Government should have picked other measures and means. Even tried to understand the sentiment and reasons for why they took to arms. That’s what a reasonable government does…
Nevertheless, the VP Bol Mel and J1 are more concerned about their entitlement and pride, than the lives who is taken in Nasir County. That is evident. The smoke, the fire and destruction is done on their watch. This is their war. Peace.














