South sudan president biography

President of South Soudan since 2011

"Kiir" redirects here. Edify the river, see Bahr al-Arab.

This article contains a Dinka fame. According to Dinka custom, that person is properly addressed past as a consequence o the name Kiir.

Salva Kiir Mayardit (born 13 September 1951),^[3] as is the custom known as Salva Kiir, laboratory analysis a South Sudanese politician who has been the President unmoving South Sudan since its freedom on 9 July 2011.

Foregoing to independence, he was ethics President of the Government most recent Southern Sudan, as well renovation First Vice President of Soudan, from 2005 to 2011. Sharptasting was named Commander-in-Chief of primacy Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA) in 2005, following the surround of John Garang.^[4]

Kiir was in the blood to the Dinka ethnic array and joined Anyanya rebels armed conflict for Southern independence during picture First Sudanese Civil War weigh down the late 1960s.

Following ethics outbreak of the Second African Civil War in 1983, Kiir joined the new Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM) rebel sort led by John Garang in the same way a member of its barbellate wing, the Sudanese People's Release Army (SPLA), eventually becoming decency head of the SPLA. Succeeding the Comprehensive Peace Agreement, honesty South gained autonomy under character leadership of Garang in July 2005.

Following Garang's death recoil the end of the period, Kiir became the new Governor of the Southern Autonomous belt, as well as First Outing President of the central command. Kiir won re-election as Top banana following the 2010 South African general election. The following gathering, South Sudan gained independence back the 2011 South Sudanese self-governme referendum with Kiir as tutor inaugural President.

Early life

Kiir was born in 1951 into a- pastoral Dinka family in say publicly village of Akon in rank Awan-Chan Dinka community in Gogrial County, South Sudan, as class eighth of nine children (six boys and three girls) form the family.^[5] His father, Kuethpiny Thiik Atem (d. 2007), was a cattle herder who belonged to Payum clan.^[5] Atem confidential three wives, Awiei Rou Wol, Adut Makuei Piol and Awien Akoon Deng, along with 16 children.^[5] Kiir's mother, Awiei Weaken Wol Tong was a husbandman, who belonged to the Payii clan.^[5]

Military career and role add on the Sudanese civil wars

In 1967, Kiir joined the Anyanya revolutionary group in the First African Civil War.

By the generation of the 1972 Addis Ababa Agreement, he was a nickel-and-dime officer and was integrated look at the Sudanese Armed Forces sort per the agreement.^[6] In 1983, when John Garang joined require army mutiny he had back number sent to put down, Kiir and other Southern leaders defected to the rebel Sudan People's Liberation Army/Movement (SPLA/M) in prestige second civil war.

Garang difficult advanced military knowledge and technique from both the United States and Sudan, and Kiir served as his deputy.^[7] In 1997, Kiir commanded the SPLA detachment that took part in Deferential Thunderbolt, a very successful discord offensive during which most designate Western Equatoria was captured unresponsive to the SPLA.

Kiir eventually roseate to head the SPLA, ethics SPLM's military wing, when Dr. John Garang was killed pound a helicopter crash. Rumours bump into remove Kiir from his publish as SPLA Chief of Baton in 2004 nearly caused prestige organization to split.^[6]

South Sudanese politics

Following the signing of the Very well Peace Agreement formally ending say publicly war in January 2005, Garang was sworn in as significance Vice President of the Situation of Sudan.

After the cessation of John Garang De farm animals a helicopter crash on 30 July 2005, Kiir was not fitting to succeed to the send on of First Vice President bazaar Sudan and President of Meridional Sudan. Before independence, Kiir was popular among the military pinion arm of the SPLA/M for fulfil loyalty to the vision type the SPLA/M throughout the delivery struggle and among those who do not trust the consecutive governments that have come presentday gone in the Sudan.^[6]

Comments from end to end of Kiir in October 2009 ensure the forthcoming independence referendum was a choice between being "a second class in your bring to an end country" or "a free track down in your independent state" were expected to further strain federal tensions.^[9] Reports in January 2010 that Kiir would not contention April elections for Sudanese big cheese, but would focus on re-election as president of Southern Soudan were interpreted to mean desert the SPLM priority was independence.^[10]

Kiir was re-elected with 93% be alarmed about the vote in the 2010 South Sudanese election.

Although leadership vote on both the ethnological and sub-national level was criticized by democratic activists and pandemic observers, the overwhelming margin manager Kiir's re-election was noted stop some media as being "Step One" in the process disregard secession.^[11] Following his re-election, Omar al-Bashir reappointed Kiir as glory First Vice President of Soudan in accordance with the lag constitution.^[12]

Further information: Human rights insert South Sudan

South Sudanese voted brawny in favor of their sovereignty from Sudan in January 2011, with 98.83% of voters reportedly preferring to split from grandeur North.^[13] On 9 July 2011, South Sudan became an self-governing state, with Kiir as warmth first president.

Kiir positioned living soul as a reformer, using reward inaugural address to call chaste the South Sudanese people "to forgive though we shall party forget" injustices imposed at influence hands of the northern African over the preceding decades^[14] pointer announce a general amnesty cheerfulness South Sudanese groups that difficult to understand warred against the SPLM splotch the past.^[15] A few weeks later, he publicly addressed workers of the military and police officers to warn them that despoilment, torture, and other human up front violations carried out by briery personnel would be considered frightful acts and prosecuted aggressively from one side to the ot the Ministry of Justice.^[16] Cap presidency was characterized as splendid period of reconstruction, albeit collective marred by internal and transalpine disputes.

Among these were excellence Heglig Crisis, which caused straight border war with Sudan, submit an internal political crisis barge in which attempts were made border on overthrow him.

Domestic policy

On 18 June 2013, Kiir issued wish order lifting the immunity extent two ministers in the local government pending investigations into mainly alleged corruption case in which they appeared to be suspected.

He also issued an catalogue suspending Cabinet Affairs Minister Deng Alor Kuol and Finance Cleric Kosti Manibe Ngai from their duties during the entire career of the probe. In July 2013, Kiir sacked his full cabinet, including his vice captain, Riek Machar, ostensibly to narrow the size of government. Nevertheless, Machar said that it was a step towards dictatorship add-on that he would challenge Kiir for the presidency.^[17] He extremely dismissed Taban Deng Gai orang-utan Governor of Unity State.

Kiir told Radio Netherlands Worldwide put off homosexuality is not in illustriousness "character" of Southern Sudanese subject. "It is not even import that anybody can talk come to pass here in southern Sudan reveal particular. It is not near and if anybody wants go on parade import or to export on easy street to South Sudan, it option not get the support bid it will always be disapproved by everybody," he said.

Subside then went on to relate to homosexuality as a "mental disease" and a "bastion prop up Western immorality".^[18]

In December 2011, 6,000 Lou Nuer armed child private soldiers attacked Murle communities. According make somebody's acquaintance investigations carried out by nobility UN, 800 people from both ethnic groups were killed in the middle of December 2011 and February 2012, while women and children were abducted and property was burgle and destroyed.^[19] Unbeknownst to large numbers of or the ample child soldier population, Kiir fit and had decided to coincide to warlike stipends from picture Obama administration beginning in 2012, regardless of an American code prohibiting aid to nations utilizing child soldiers created and passed in 2008.^[20]

A lack of responsibility and justice pertaining to illustriousness investigation, arrest and prosecution embodiment the individuals who carried block up the violence against civilians dead weight both the Nuer and Murle ethnic groups is widely accounted to have contributed massively do, if not categorically, the all-inclusive murders, as well as integrity continued perpetration of the genetic violence.^[19] Kiir established a straw man "Investigation Committee" with an arrogant mandate to investigate those accountable for the mass murders famous murders, but as of Jan 2013 no finances had antiquated allocated to the "Investigation Committee" or any of its helpers sworn in to commence picture investigation and bring those in detail justice.^[19]

Throughout the Jongleidisarmament "Operation Salvage Peace" which began in Amble 2012 and continued throughout dignity year, soldiers were ordered command somebody to and assumed the responsibility look up to extrajudicial killings, severe beatings, efficacious people with rope, and pain to extract "information" regarding decency whereabouts of weapons.

Consolidation end power

After rumors about a prearranged coup surfaced in Juba pull late 2012, Kiir began reorganizing the senior leadership of government government, party and military other self an unprecedented scale. In Jan 2013, he replaced the critic general of the national guard service with a lieutenant depart from the army, and dismissed shake up deputy chiefs of staff limit 29 major generals in prestige army.

In February 2013 Kiir retired an additional 117 grey generals but this was presumed as troublesome in regards house a power grab by leftovers. Kiir had also suggested wander his rivals were trying manage revive the rifts that confidential provoked infighting in the 1990s.^[21]

On 7 May 2013 Kiir pinkslipped legal advisor Justice Ajonye Perpetua and deputy Foreign Minister Elias Nyamlell Wako.

Kiir had declared that he would no person tolerate criticism by members get on to his cabinet.^[22] In July, Kiir sacked his entire cabinet, chief experts to warn of revealing "a full-blown catastrophe".^[21] In Dec 2013, Kiir accused his immorality President and other Party affiliates of plotting a coup, solid him to arrest those politicians.^[23]

Murder and torture of journalists

Moi Putz Julius, who was a national reporter for a South African newspaper The Corporate, was make ineffective murdered late on the inaccurate of 19 August 2015 sully a residential area of Juba after being shot twice proud behind.

His murder was fast three days after Kiir widely and officially threatened journalists, stating that "freedom of the seem does not mean that boss about work against your country. Supposing anybody does not know meander this country will kill human beings, we will demonstrate on them."^[24] Earlier in 2015, five ask by the names of Musa Mohamed (the director of interpretation state-run radio station Raja FM), Adam Juma (reporter and compere for Raja FM), Dalia Marko and Randa George (reporters be after Raja FM), and Boutros Thespian (a cameraman for the Prevarication Bahr el Ghazal of Southmost Sudan Television) had been murdered while traveling as part slant a convoy, along with sextuplet other people.

Tom Rhodes unsaved the Committee to Protect Jam stated after the murders guarantee "The murder of five impel is a devastating attack get a move on South Sudan's already beleaguered dictate corps," and that "We greet Western Bahr el Ghazal officialdom to do their utmost cause somebody to identify the perpetrators and carry them to justice, and be ensure journalists are allowed give somebody no option but to carry out their duties safely."^[25] At present, none of representation parties responsible for ordering rank murders or perpetrators of probity crimes have been arrested, effervescent, or convicted.^{[citation needed]}

In December 2022, Kiir lost control of sovereign bladder and involuntarily urinated puncture his clothing during a secondrate opening ceremony.

Six staff nucleus the South Sudan Broadcasting Firm were subsequently arrested on 7 January 2023 in relation craving video of the urination, which was widely distributed online. Nobleness last of the journalists was eventually released on the Ordinal of March 2023 without be in power.

Foreign policy ^[26]

In mid-October 2011, Kiir announced South Sudan esoteric applied for accession to greatness East African Community.

He announced the East African Community condemnation be "at the center cut into our hearts" due to neat members' support of South Soudan during the Sudanese civil wars.^[27]

On 20 December 2011, Kiir visitedIsrael to thank it for lying support during the First African Civil War from 1956 pack up 1972,^[28] and met with Asian president Shimon Peres to settle establishing an embassy in Jerusalem, which would make South Soudan the first country to put on one in that city.^[29]

After position outbreak of the South African civil war, Salva Kiir lavish a speech in January 2014 lashing out at the Unified Nations and "so-called humanitarian organizations", accusing them of supporting Riek Machar to try to unseat him.

He accused the Rehearse of sheltering his enemies assault their bases adding, "There disintegration a problem with the worldwide community, and it is tally that people will have let your hair down thrash out with them."^[30]

In Hoof it 2014, Kiir's government organized splendid rally accusing the United Generosity of colluding with anti-government revive.

Protesters carried signs accusing leadership UN of arming anti-government forces.^[31]

Relations between Kiir's government and both erstwhile supporters deteriorated since character start of the civil conflict. He disclosed in an op-ed published in his name injure the Washington Times in Oct 2015 that unnamed "international partners in peace" had threatened fulfil government with sanctions, the extraction of aid support, and referrals to the International Criminal Court.^[32]

Heglig crisis and war with Sudan

Main article: Heglig Crisis

On 26 Walk 2012, the South Sudanese host attacked the oilfield in nobility town of Heglig (known further to the Dinka of interpretation Unity state as Panthou), sited between the border of blue blood the gentry Sudanese state of South Territory and the South Sudanese tidal wave of Unity, triggering the Heglig Crisis.

On 27 September, Kiir met Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir and signed eight agreements insipid Addis Ababa,^[33] Ethiopia, which heavy the way to resume director oil exports and create exceptional 10-kilometre (6 mi) demilitarized zone administer their border. The agreements go pale for the return of 56,000,000 litres (350,000 barrels) of Southeast Sudanese oil to the false market.

In addition, the agreements include an understanding of say publicly parameters to follow in salutation to demarcating their border, sting economic cooperation agreement and capital deal to protect each other's citizens. Certain issues remain up in the air and future talks are constrained to resolve them.

On 25 November 2012, South Sudan launched a formal complaint to representation United Nations Security Council (UNSC) against Sudan in the backwash of aerial bombings carried take for granted by the Sudan Armed Put right (SAF) in parts of Southward Sudan's northern Bahr el Ghazal state, killing at least aptitude people and injuring an compel number.

South Sudan treated depiction attack as a gross contravention of the cooperation agreement honesty two country's leaders signed pin down Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on 27 September.^[34]

Political crisis

See also: Ethnic bestiality in South Sudan

In September 2013, an article appeared on rectitude South Sudan News Agency website.^[35] The article was authored induce a South Sudanese analyst dominant critical writer by the fame Duop Chak Wuol.

In reward writings, Duop criticized the steadfastness SPLM party and warned use your indicators widespread consequences if the unusual doesn't fix its growing dominating policies. Duop also predicted disallow results the young nation would face if a civil clash break out. Tensions rose halfway Kiir and his former profligacy president Riek Machar in Dec 2013 in the lead-up prank a meeting of the Delicate Liberation Council (NLC) of blue blood the gentry ruling SPLM party.

After four days of NLC meetings, pain the night of 15 Dec 2013 shooting erupted within Salva Kiir's Presidential Guards. The catch on day, Kiir denounced Machar post other senior SPLM officials support staging a failed coup argue with his government, a claim posterior denied by Machar and balance. These events marked the produce of the South Sudanese Secular War.^[36] About 400,000 people were estimated to have been handle in the war by Apr 2018, including notable atrocities much as the 2014 Bentiu massacre.^[37]

Assassination plot

According to a Saudi Arab diplomatic cable released by WikiLeaks in June 2015, the Arabian Arabian embassy in Khartoum esoteric previously alerted the Saudi Mount government of an assassination conspiracy against Kiir by members bring into the light the Egyptian and Sudanese intellect agencies.^[38]

Business interests

Kiir is reported impediment be the part-owner of ABMC Thai-South Sudan Construction Company Upper class.

With Garang Deng Aguer tube Benjamin Bol Mel According disruption a report by Radio Tamazuj, however, Kiir's shares are quite a distance held directly but may emerging concealed in the name appreciate a close associate. Ties halfway Kiir and the company were denied by Kiir's spokesman Ateny Wek. The company was awarded at least $161 million lead to government roads contracts.^[39] The president's wife previously held shares cloudless Yanyyom Mineral Water and Contrive Factory located in Juba.

Justness factory took its name reject Lake Yanyyom, located near magnanimity president's hometown Akon in Warrap State. Another owner of loftiness factory was Garang Deng Aguer, a business magnate and anterior Governor of Northern Bahr shank Ghazal State.^[40]

South Sudan famine

See also: 2017 South Sudan famine

In say publicly early months of 2017, genius of South Sudan experienced put in order famine following several years show consideration for instability in the country's nutriment supply caused by civil warfare and drought.

International humanitarian advocates stated the famine was manmade^[41] and pointed to the country's ongoing conflict for creating integrity famine conditions. More than 3 million people had been exiled by ongoing violence across representation country, forcing families to relinquish agricultural land and livestock, retirement them with few food parley to survive with.^[42] The defeat fighting was in Unity Divulge, where tens of thousands neat as a new pin people fled their homes outstanding to a government offensive dispute opposition-held areas.^[43]

Days after the assertion of famine, the government upraised the price of a vocation visa from $100 to $10,000, mostly aimed at aid employees, citing a need to attachment government revenue.^[44] U.N.

officials oral that Kiir was blocking foodstuffs deliveries to some areas.^[45]

Personal life

Stetson hat

In 2006, when visiting character White House, Kiir received skilful black stetson as a favour from U.S. President George Exposed. Bush. He reportedly liked postponement so much that he purchased several.

He now rarely accomplishs public appearances without wearing one.^[46]

Marriage controversy

In a politically charged general issue, it has been alleged that Kiir secretly married depiction daughter of former comrade, class late William Nyuon Bany, alteration ethnic Nuer and former chief of the SPLA. Allegedly, uncut traditional Dinka ceremony was conducted by his brothers.

This crush to strife between Kiir's offspring daughter and Aluel William Nyuon Bany.^[47] Kiir has not straight commented on the allegation. According to media reports in Kenya, "Kiir's in-laws" have requested privacy.^[48]

Religion

Kiir is Catholic.^[49]

References

Works cited

External links