James Gatdet Dak, the press secretary to South Sudan’s First Vice President, on Saturday evening took it to social media to publicly praise the country’s incumbent president.
James said on his Facebook post that President Kiir “deserve the award” for bringing the much-needed peace between the Sudanese people.
Gatdet was arrested, detained and sentenced to death in 2016 only to be bar by the presidential pardoned in 2018 to be hanged.
In what many believe as an effort to cement the ‘terrible’ relationship between him and the government, he had to ought to “praising his former detainer” in order to gain more favor, asserted by prominent social media activist, Atem.
While criticizing Gatdet for his positive recognition of the president, he defended himself by saying “peace is made against one’s enemy” and South Sudanese should learn to forgive one another.
Perhaps he faces much disparagement on several South Sudanese WhatsApp forums, with some termed it as “sodomize mentality” to please his former pesterers, referring to rumours that Gatdet was sodomized by the national security agents while in Blue House. There is no evidence to support these claims, whatsoever.
Many people see James as a man of peace, a symbol of unity and forgiveness because of his quick response to his situation after he was released from prison. He calls for peace and forgiveness among South Sudanese. He even wrote a book to strengthen this ideal.
The South Sudan president was awarded the Peace Prize Award on Saturday afternoon in Juba, South Sudan by Universal Peace Federation for tirelessly working to bring to an agreement the Sudanese rival parties.
Kiir expresses his gratitude for recognition while urging South Sudanese to work together.
President Kiir’s peace award already received much acclaim and denouncement alike from the South Sudanese across the globe. His opponents termed it as ‘fake award’, while the supporters have confidence in Kiir as a man of peace.
“If Kiir can not bring peace among South Sudanese, how is it that he was awarded such a prize?”, asked in disbelief a prominent political activist living in exile.
Whether the president deserved it or not, the reality that he mediated the peace between the two Sudanese rivals already made it into the page of history.
Alongside him, two other South Sudanese, Tutkew Gatluak, his security advisor and Dr. Dhieu Mathok Diing were also awarded for their role in bridging the gap for the president.