Gen. Akol Koor Kuc Doesn’t Deserve Such Unwarranted Personal Attacks

June 2, 2019 Opinions, South Sudan

Opinion,

By Andrew Nyuol Madut,

Lt. Gen. Akol Koor Kuc, Director of the South Sudan’s National Internal Security Services, speaking(Photo credit: supplied)

June 2nd, 2019(SSNN) — For last few days or even months, a group of individuals with malicious intentions have intensified personal attacks and character assassination against Gen. Akol Koor Kuc, his family and those perceived to be his closest friends or allies whether real or imagined. These personal attacks have reached unprecedented level for any person holding any public office in the Republic of South Sudan. These individuals have used all the tricks up their sleeves including authoring fake news published on social media (Facebook), rumour-mongering (their preferred modus operandi), blatant lies, baseless accusations, disinformation and any other uncouth methods not worthy of mentioning in this article. All these attempts are aimed at one thing; creating rumours and lies to create an excuse for the dismissal of Gen. Akol Koor Kuc from his position as the Director General of Internal Security Bureau (ISB) within the National Security Service. These attempts were laid bare when one senior officer from the external wing of the National Security Service accosted and assaulted another senior officer perceived to be a close associate and confidante of Gen. Akol Koor Kuc at Juba International Airport in full view of other passengers. This incident was captured live on CCTV. It was so barbaric and uncouth that a senior officer can stoop so low to an extent of attacking his colleague in such a public place. This incident was immediately followed by a publication of an article accusing Gen. Akol Koor Kuc and Lt. Col. Angelo Kuot Garang of all sorts of baseless accusations.

Another good example is the recent publication of the report by the so-called United Nations Panel of Experts on South Sudan in April 2019. This report was biased against the National Security Service and Gen. Akol Koor Kuc. We have confirmed with reliable sources that the erroneous and fake information contained in the so-called UN report was provided by one senior official at South Sudan Human Rights Commission whose intentions is to implicate Gen. Akol Koor Kuc in the human rights abuses as a ground for his dismissal as the Director General of ISB. I will tackle the report by the UN Panel of Experts on South Sudan in the subsequent article.

As if this was not enough, these individuals have also formed fake Facebook accounts in fake names of fraudsters calling themselves Emmanuel Monymoor and Jieng Critics. The sole aim of creating this fake Facebook accounts is to simply publish fake news and unfounded rumours against Gen. Akol Koor Kuc, his family and those perceived to be his close friends or allies.

While it is true that Gen. Akol Koor Kuc is a public officer who can be criticized by citizens of South Sudan with regards to performance of his duties for the public position he holds; it is also true that such criticisms ought to be constructive and limited to the performance of his duties as appointed public official. It is unfair and totally uncalled for to drag his family and those close to him by the virtue of discharging his duties to these trivial and petty fights that have nothing to do with service delivery to the people of South Sudan. I have interacted with Gen. Akol Koor Kuc both at a personal and professional level. He is a man of principles; candid, brave, patriotic, workaholic, dedicated, committed, selfless and above all very loyal to the President of the Republic, His Excellency Salva Kiir Mayardit. Despite all the baseless allegation of corruption and other accusations, Gen. Akol Koor Kuc is a man of integrity. He has impeccable record in public service from his days as a junior officer in the SPLA to becoming a county commissioner where he rendered self-less service to the people that he was representing.

For those who may not know Gen. Akol Koor Kuc due to the nature of his work as Director General of the Internal Security Bureau (ISB), I take this opportunity to highlight few achievements since his appointment as the Director General of Internal Security Bureau in August 2011 by the President of the Republic of South Sudan, His Excellency Salva Kiir Mayardit.

Professionalization of the National Security Service

Soon after his appointment as the Director General of Internal Security Bureau, Gen. Akol embarked on making the National Security Service an accountable and a professional institution by making it a requirement that all officers of the Service undergo basic military training. It is a requirement that has made National Security Service one of the most professional and disciplined organized forces in the Republic of South Sudan. Under his leadership, the Internal Security Bureau has grown both in size and capability to counter national security threats against the people of the Republic of South Sudan both within and outside the country. Despite negative campaign against the National Security Service, the institution remains of the best equipped and professionally managed to speedily respond to any threats against the Republic of South Sudan.

Defending national interest of South Sudan

At the height of fighting in South Sudan following the coup attempt in December 2013, it was the National Security Service that ensured that South Sudan doesn’t descend into a failed state. This was a critical moment for the survival of South Sudan as a state. It was the National Security Service that stopped further bloodshed after the civil war broke out in Juba and other parts of South Sudan.

Contribution to the overall success of the Revitalized Peace Agreement

Gen. Akol Koor Kuc played a prominent role in ensuring that other members of the opposition who had not signed the Revitalized Peace Agreement were brought on board. It took a lot of shuttle diplomacy to convince some members of the opposition to come to Juba and to agree to participate in the implementation of the peace agreement. This was done under the guidance and leadership of the President of the Republic of South Sudan, H.E. Salva Kiir Mayardit. The arrival of Rebecca Nyandeng Mabior to Juba with other members of former Political Detainees did not just happen overnight. It was spearheaded by Gen. Akol Koor Kuc as mandated by His Excellency Salva Kiir Mayardit. The arrival of senior opposition has created confidence among citizens of South Sudan that indeed the peace agreement will be implemented in letter and spirit.

A lot of things have been said against Gen. Akol Koor Kuc. Stories have been concocted. Accusations have been made up against General Akol Koor Kuc. Fake social media accounts especially on Facebook have been created to tarnish the image of Gen. Akol Koor Kuc, his family and those close to him either as friends or by the virtue of their duties within the National Security Service. People have been bribed and paid to make up stories of alleged role of the National Security Service in the killings of certain people. All these have been done with the sole aim of tarnishing the image of Gen. Akol Koor in the eyes of the public as well as set up Gen. Akol Koor for prosecution in some imaginary international jurisdiction. The ultimate aim of those who are conducting endless negative campaign against Gen. Akol Koor is to somehow convince His Excellency the President of the Republic to relieve Gen. Akol Koor from his position and appoint one of their own to that position. It is for this reason that some of these individuals have gone as far as accusing Gen. Akol Koor of harbouring presidential ambitions.

Well, Gen. Akol Koor is a cat with nine lives. Many have tried this path of character assassination and personal attacks against Gen. Akol Koor. It did not work. And it is not going to work this time. Many of those who attempted to follow this path before can testify that such strategies won’t work. Gen. Akol Koor has won the confidence of the President of the Republic, His Excellency Salva Kiir Mayardit. He continues to discharge his duties without fear or favour. Gen. Akol Koor serves at the discretion of the President of the Republic of South Sudan who appointed him to the position of the Director General of the Internal Security Bureau because of the confidence that the President has in Gen. Akol Koor.

In conclusion, I wish to reiterate that Gen. Akol Koor Kuc is a human being like the rest of us. He deserves respect, appreciation and privacy just the rest of us. Personal attacks and characterization against Gen. Akol Koor and his friends which are motivated purely by hatred, vendetta, jealousy and greed are totally unwarranted. Gen. Akol Koor is a career officer and public servant. He is discharging his duties and responsibilities competently and efficiently as the Director General of Internal Security Bureau. Gen. Akol Koor has the ears of the President of the Republic, His Excellency Salva Kiir Mayardit. Gen. Akol Koor is a loyal and patriotic soldier who has stay true to his calling. He serves at the discretion of the President of the Republic who appointed him to his current position. He is serving our country with utmost dedication and commitment. Let’s give him a chance to carry out his duties and responsibilities for the benefits of all citizens of South Sudan whose aspirations, dreams and hopes are vested in the Office of the President of the Republic of South Sudan who appointed Gen. Akol Koor Kuc to his current position.

Andew Nyuol Madut is an Author and Commentator on Current Social, Economic and Political issues in South Sudan. He can be reached at andrew.nyuol@gmail.com.

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