By MAJOK NIKODEMO AROU *
Posted to the web on 28 April 2006

12/12/2005 - AS age began to tell on the King of Forest, the lion was getting so frail that he could no longer lay claws easily on preys. Yet his fierce looks and wits remain. The predator decided to invite his long time friend Mr. Fox, who got vexed about what would be intentions of the king Lion.

The fox was a little bit perturbed about such an invitation, because he has not recently met his redoubtable friend. Moreover, he was so anxious about the past monkey business affairs which the aging King had assigned him to perform. Most of the feats were accomplished, others were pending. Anyway, he decided to go to the lion’s den.

The fox greeted the lion, who was not paying attention when he entered. The majesty might have been daydreaming, or reminiscent about the past. However, the fox had realised that the king was in a way or another in trouble. So he tipped him that all his subjects were still loyal and under his directives. Nevertheless, those reassuring words meant nothing to the old lion, who had not caught any prey for the last two days.

The fox wondered as he could not see the servants and slaves. Apparently, the slaves and servants fled when the ailing and elderly king was loosing grip on power and could not even provide them food. Even more, the loyal ones disappeared.

The sympathetic fox suggested that he saw a donkey in vicinity of the den. So he promised the lion that he could lure and drag him into the den. Then, he left the lion and went to coax the donkey to
come down to the den of the old king. The fox alleged the lion has decided to step down. Of course, the fox used hoax and crux to convince the donkey that he was the sole legitimate heir to the throne.

As the euphoric donkey arrived to the den, he was immediately attacked by the hungry lion. But the vigorous donkey managed to flee with ear bleeding. Confounded, he asked the fox why the lion attacked him and cut his ear. The fox replied that he was being groomed so that the royal crown would be fixed on his head. The long ears could hinder that, he wittily asserted.

The naïve donkey accepted the explanation. When he had another ear cut, the fox was ready with same explanation.

The simple minded determined donkey, who was so eager to be a king, entered into the den for the third time. He had his tail cut by the lion, who could not at this stage overpower his vigorous would be prey.

At long last the waning donkey became suspicious about the actual intentions of the lion. Nonetheless, the sweet-tongued fox hurriedly explained that he could not sit on the royal chair with the long tail. So it should be trimmed and groomed so that he sat on the chair comfortably!!

The ambitious donkey accepted the explanation and returned to the den where he was given a final deadly slap.

Now, the handful of unsung heroes, whom are being groomed to steal the show from the SPLA/M, flay the New Sudan slogan and talk about the referendum by 2011 without even joining hands with the SPLM to clear obstacles being posed to scupper it when time comes.

Instead, they should assist the SPLM and look into serious border issues which were inflicted by Khartoum Governments, notably the current Government of National Unity (GONU), which still continues to trim the South Sudan borders. These daylight robberies are being exercised behind its partner in the Government of National Unity the SPLM.

Pan Thaw (allegedly renamed as Heglig) was the last area annexed to the North. The reason behind that ill decision was, of course, oil. It could be seen in the light of depriving the South from lucrative oil revenues whether the country is united or not.

For the benefit of readers, Pan Thaw is located in the North West of the oil rich region of Bentiu.

Even Wad Kona, an area in northern part of Upper Nile had its borders altered in 1990s, because of gum!!

The area North of Kafia Kanji in Raja, namely Hufrat Al Nihas, rich with copper and other minerals, was annexed to the North Sudan during military leader General Aboud in 1960s.

This exercise of border demarcation game has been continuing for quite a long time. In 1980, President Numeiri issued a decision to annex areas of Raja, Bentiu and Renk to the North- the government and people of South Sudan stood firm to resist the decision. Students across the south took to the streets. So Numeiri was forced to revoke his decision.

In a related development, an MP in the regional government in Juba in 1980, made a barbed remark, wondering why Numeiri did not annex Kapoeta, a gold rich area near Kenyan border to North Sudan!

Indeed, Numeiri stooped to conquer as he later devised a malicious scenario to abrogate the Addis Accord in order to ignite a civil war, which raged for 22 years, claiming two million lives.

The unsung heroes, who claim the North is ready for separation, should ask themselves these questions: why does it trim South Sudan borders? Why should it enlist the Southern Sudanese militias in the ranks of its army? Why does it to date withhold funds from the Government of South Sudan (it only released a fracture of the agreed amounts).

Unfortunately, at behest of some elements in the GONU, the self asserted unsung heroes vehemently flay the legacy of late leader Dr. John Garang De Mabior, when they maintain that the New Sudan means another war.

They shamelessly went so far to say, “If Garang had not died, war would have erupted in the South.”

Would border issues in Upper Nile and Bahr El Ghazal, including the standing issue of Abei and others not lead to another fresh war if not tackled properly despite absence of Garang?!

Beyond shadow of doubt, the legacy of Garang is inextricable from that of the SPLM. It would be
cynical to assume otherwise.

It seems that the lacklustre unsung heroes are unknowingly or rather intentionally set to stifle the progress of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) with overt backup from some influential elements in the National Congress Party (NCP).

When would they question who is a joker player behind hampering of the de-mining efforts south of Juba city, and who is trying to block Juba-Yei road to impede trade flow with the neighbouring countries.

Another baffling major question remains: whether the NCP will honour 1956 South Sudan border is yet to be seen by 2011.

If the affluent unsung heroes do not ask such questions to help identify a culprit, they would be like bald men arguing over a comb.

This exercise of south-ward border extension game has been continuing for quite a long time. The area North of Kafia Kanji in Raja, namely Hufrat Al Nihas, rich with copper and other minerals, was annexed to the North Sudan during the military rule of General Abboud in the 1960s. Pan Thaw (renamed as Heglig) was annexed to the North in late 1970s. The reason was oil. Pan Thaw is located in the North West of the oil rich region of Bentiu.  In 1980, President Numeiri issued a decision to annex areas of Raja, Bentiu and Renk to the North- the government and people of South Sudan stood firm to resist the decision. Wad Kona, an area in northern part of Upper Nile had its borders altered in the 1990s, because of the gum.