Others shouldn't blame all Dinka for control of the GOSS BY: Peter Lual Ajak, GOGRIAL, SOUTH SUDAN
MAY 13/2011,SSN; I am a resident of Gogrial and I would like to share these pertinent points. In 1995, a few months before I left for Ethiopia, I have seen the changes in the SPLA war. Targeting government barracks like Anya-nya II were doing was not the case. As SPLA were advancing to control some locations in Awiel, Rumbek, Bentiu and Bor, their actions were quite different from what they were broadcasting over the SPLA radio. The torture and brutality against the local population were severe than the threats SPLA was posting against the government forces. Having lost some closest family members, I decided to go to a refugee camp in Ethiopia and remained there for 14 years. Today, there is too much confusion and many people are pointing fingers at Dinka as a tribe. These are some mistakes we should avoid before things get worse. If you can tour Dinka land today, suffering in some corners is worsening compared to when we were together with the North. I know majority of SPLA and government officials in the South are from Dinka tribe. But there are less signs that these officials are working to develop the land. You can hardly find their wives and kids in South Sudan. What we do hear from them in terms of development is: I bought a house in Nairobi, Kampala, Addis Ababa, South Africa or overseas: my family lives there. I have a business or businesses out of South-Sudan, some of my relatives are managing it. And most of those who are building good houses in the country are doing it in some locations outside Dinka land. Majority are erecting permanent buildings in Juba and some towns in Equatoria. These are signs that problems in South Sudan are real and those controlling the government knew the consequences in sometime to come. Today we have regrettable changes and the government of South Sudan pays less or no attention to some complex problems arising everyday. The anger of the people is growing rapidity and Dinka are taken as the same by most of the people who are seriously hurt by the rule of SPLA and government of South Sudan. Taking Dinka as the same must stop because many of us are not benefiting from the rule of SPLA. I believe there are few Dinka who are controlling government of South Sudan but not all. These are people who are well known, and whatever they do should not be taken as Dinka doing it. Such sentiment can lead to suffering of innocent local people and the result can even be worse. When Gorge Athor declared war on SPLA and the government of South Sudan, he might have seen the consequences of their rule. The government is not acting in accordance with the rule of law. Most officers have nothing to loose when the war intensifies. As we are suffering in the hands of Athor today, most of the SPLA top officers and the government top officers are not here in the villages. They are somewhere in Juba or out of the country enjoying expensive lives. Unlike the rest of the people, they can be where their families are at any time. The money they are controlling is flowing out of the country each day. It is not only the desire to be in power, but also their excessive need to control the wealth of the nation that's keeping us in trouble. They're creating enemies for Dinka as a tribe and tomorrow, if they loose their position, of course most of them will go to live outside the country. Then what will happen to the innocent Dinka like me who have no share of the national cake today? Tribal sentiment is strongly growing and SPLA/M is doing it on purpose. George Athor had taken up arms against SPLA because there are problems from the SPLA against the people of South Sudan. By this, I too acknowledge that the biggest challenge we have in South Sudan today is created by SPLA rule. Another mistake is from those who are blaming Dinka for action posted by SPLA. Over reacting will worsen the problems because those Dinka who are controlling the government of South Sudan are punishing us “Dinka” who are not considered beneficiaries of the welfare of our country. As some tribes are complaining that they are not wanted by the SPLA, even among us Dinka, we have the some challenges. Some of us are not wanted by the ruling SPLA/M regime. Some of us are being mistreated the same way SPLA mistreats other tribes. Some of us have lost their resources to SPLA/M officials the same way some people did in different locations in the country. Some of us are in the same or worse pain compared to the other tribes. Therefore, Dinka as a whole should not be blamed as a tribe for the bad things the SPLA are doing all over the country. Those Dinka who are mistreating other tribes in the name of Dinka tribe are making a mistake. Let us remember that there isn't one and a permanent Party in this world. Imagining SPLA as a permanent ruling party is putting most Dinka at risk, and the benefit is only for the few Dinka who are controlling the GoSS today. Peter Lual Ajak, Gogrial-South Sudan; Email [email protected] -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "JFD info" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected]. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/jfdinfo?hl=en.
