Let's embrace oneness and kick out individualism
BY: Mabor W. Malou, JUBA
Quote: “We have come from far, we are still far and we are going far.”
>From the Pope representative to South Sudan Independence 09th July
2011.
JULY 21/2011, SSN; South Sudan had struggled for decades to fight
against the marginalization by Arabs in the North; this is manifested
in the number of wars waged on the regimes in Khartoum by different
groups in South Sudan. Why did we fight the Arabs in the North? The
simple answer is that we fought to liberate ourselves, to be
recognized and not be considered as second class citizen in our own
land.
Now that we gained our independence on 9th July 2011, what are we left
with? We are left with economics, capacity building and good
governance wars. We can not achieve all those issues without being
united in all our parameters of diversity.
If I have a magic power to tune all your minds to the kind of unity we
had during the bush days, believe me, South Sudan will be second New
York City in five years. During the war, our soldiers from all over
South Sudan fought anywhere, not necessarily your own town and the
only goal is to liberate the people of South Sudan and be free
regardless of ethnicity, sex, religion, etc.
These soldiers can share one cup of durra (grains) i.e. between two
grown up men. If the content of that cup is cooked, the end product
can not even satisfy a two year old child who is practicing and
learning how to eat. Still we pushed on as South Sudanese and did our
duties perfectly.
On the other hand, our traditional leaders did a lot of contributions
in terms of bulls, goats, sheep, chicken, grains, groundnuts and any
other thing they think that can motivate our fighters. These things
were taken from the civil population no matter how poor you are, you
must contribute if your turn comes.
When the conflict became tough and people refused to join voluntarily,
Chiefs were instructed by SPLA leadership to evict strong young men
from each and every clan to go and fight. And that is how we struggled
together as brothers and sisters until reach 9th Jan. 2005 that is the
birth of Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) in Naivasha.
Peace dividends misused When the Peace was signed in 2005, there
were high hopes and expectations from each and every South Sudanese
who had contributed to the liberation in one way or another. The
leadership in the South Sudan tried its best during the interim period
to meet some of the South Sudanese expectations.
Unfortunately, some elements within the leadership who gloriously
forgot our collective suffering turned their backs on their brothers
and sisters who used to move with them day and night and used the
peace dividends into their own individual benefit and development.
The few institutions established are toothless. They can not prosecute
these fellows who have taken what belongs to all of us. Now that we
have learned from our six years experience, I kneel down with my hands
open to the sky in front of every South Sudanese who is charged with
National duty, not to serve individual, ethic group interest but serve
for common good of all.
Take for example, in our ministries, commissions, a mere office
manager can have a fleet of cars, decent houses leave alone the top
guys. Where do they get the money? The money is acquired through
devious means and it is the money which can be used for construction
of schools, hospitals, roads and any other national project whereby
all of us can benefit.
Egocentric spirit eliminated Personally, I don’t blame such group
because we have just come out from extreme and accumulated poverty and
each and every one of us wanted to be rich quickly.
Therefore, let us consider the interim period as a time of individual
consolidation and self development. Let us improve on the little which
our capable government has done for the last six years. Our government
can do wonders if the spirit of egocentric is eliminated.
I can correctly cite the example of independence celebration; if you
are in Juba bear me witness what the government of South Sudan has
done in less than two months over exceeded what it has done in half of
the interim period. Starting from Juba International Airport, J. One
(State House), Dr. John Garang De. Mabior Mausoleum, construction of
the biggest roundabout on the way to Munuki and Gudele which has
become a site for local tourists at night because of fancy fountain
which projects water in different colors, all the tarmac roads are
very clean with some being provided with street lights. Bravo!!
Bravo!!
If we can continue with such a tremendous speed, in five years time,
then we will prove the Arabs wrong who said that we can not govern
ourselves. There will be no more scapegoating again as it used to be
during the interim period, that if anything goes wrong we quickly
transfer the blame to the North. Thanks God no more North. We are the
Republic of South Sudan a sovereign entity.
Stop thinking as tribes Since we have entered into a new phase, all
of us burry the following vices in order to achieve national cohesion:
Let us stop thinking as tribes, but as South Sudanese. If we work for
the common good for all South Sudanese then we have served the
interest of our ethnicities in different capacities.
It is a pity when one moves in the ministries and commissions in Juba,
you find only one clan or ethnic group occupying the whole department,
no any other tribe included, is it fair brothers and sisters?
What of those who do not have relatives in the government, and private
sectors? They feel neglected by their own people though they can be
competent enough to delivery services.
They can resort to criminal acts. We avoid employment on the basis of
whom you know but based on what you know for quality and growth of our
new nation.
Stop employment of foreigners Let the government, local companies
cease the employment of foreigners to the positions meant for South
Sudanese. We have very skillful South Sudanese now and I hope there is
no point of giving their jobs to internationals. I personally
recommend consultants who have short period and go back. It is very
expensive to maintain an international staff than a national in terms
of accommodation and security.
Economically, it drains our country. We are paying them from the
economy which is supposed to be circulated locally but the
international staff sends this money to their respective countries
every month which leaves us with little money in circulation. On top
of that, we do not have strict laws and rules to regulate the money
leaving the country.
The list is endless but let me conclude by emphasizing on quality
education for all by our government, health to be decentralized up to
bomas level where majority of the civil population is dwelling.
By Mabor W. Malou; Juba – South Sudan
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