What do South Sudanese citizens really want, peace or change?

You know, if we have become a Nation, we must critically learn to be mindful of every tit for tat agreements. Let’s always understand that once the time is gone, then gone are its chances of change.

 But singing every day or repeating the same names of the same perpetrators Kiir-Riak, Kiir-Riak, Kiir-Riak or SPLM and SPLM-IO will benefit us nothing at all! See the continuous rates of rapes, killings, displacements, and above all the tendency in the hearts of these privileged politicians, they are still demanding us to remain loyal to their leadership.

 What does this call for? Or how can we name it? Does it call for us to side with SPLM or SPLM-IO i.e. Kiir or Riak reps? Or should we comply with the FDs or South Sudan Oppositions Alliance? How does this tragedy depict itself from your own perceptive?  In my own Opinions, I can see that there is nothing wrong about us being from different tribes. 

No problem in being a Nuer, Dinka, Acholi, Bari, Baka, Zande or any of our South Sudanese tribes. Now, I want to ask that how can we as people of one identity, supposed to react or behave on this dilemmas, (politically affiliated conflicts) seeing that we totally have given into lawlessness and have forgotten on how to answer to our long life struggle for freedom of autonomous right—the effort which was rewarded eventually by the achieved Country, the Republic of South Sudan.

 In my Opinions, it is change that is what you South Sudanese Citizens need. With Peace and its implementations, you are robbed of your assets by those big, big and huge budgetary demands for those positions hungry elites—who will be coming always to feast on your public assets again. But now, we are under another worse threats, we are under another threats those call for a nationalism and an escalated pluralism lucid enough of any self-centeredness. 

 Let us as people of the same Nation stand up for our common right, and restore our broken glory, our beautiful diversity and its respectable dignity—which this profligates through misdeeds had damaged. Let us forget all the grievances we undergone, remember, we were negatively incited against one another by those whose absolute aims were to maintain their positions and power. 

We must have this in mind, that we all have a reasonable and meaningful truth on why we must join our hands as one people and boldly defy power-attaining initiatives biased on tribal methodology. Let us not open ourselves wider for these racist to continue exploiting us or our next to come generations.

 One of the wise-man had this to quote: (For if there is a bad tragedy to be, let it be in my life time, but let it not comes in my children life times!)  Yea, he is absolutely correct! According to my Opinions, I can see that this man is totally responsible and knowing enough on how it is so, so important to live mindful of your coming descendants.

 Let us help ourselves out from this deteriorating situation, mark this: no matter what ailed you, no one from these grappling over-power groups (inside and outside elites) would let go of their positions. We all found ourselves herein this world without signing up to it—we will be crossing also to another, without signing for it. 

Therefore, it is convenience for us (South Sudanese Citizens) to mingle ourselves for our common good, but not hinder one another biased in any personal wishes. For freedom, with all its features is basic rights of humanity, they’re inseparable possessions of any humankind living under heaven—that should be respected by perpetrators of all ages.

 I don’t really understand what evil that incites some to go on violating the very basic right of life liberty and pursuits of peace and happiness of others—but whoever costs it, or on whatsoever concern they cost it—is undoubtedly damned by God, such inhumane deeds! We have fallen again into jeopardy, we have fallen right-back into similar suffering which we had just slipped out of its fatigues from Islamic governments—we are in again in double-kicks! 

Just let us not be spurred down, I meant to say let us not get fooled by those who have filled their bellies with food of sins. Now is the time to outgrow all malice and concretely speak out solid truth: let us say enough is enough to this tribal governance which built its nest over our blood! Our land which was supposed to be looked blissful, enjoyable and graceful to all of us—has now been turned into acute poverty and ugly place! 

I call upon you to get out from all your differences and let us boldly and collectively champion total change. Therefore, let’s remember what brought us here so far, and let’s boldly utter out the enough is enough in one clear tone and jointly let‘s say no or yes in the loudest voice that could be heard worldwide.

A.     Definition of the Government

“The government is a small organ of a nominee which is chosen by the people to represent them on services deliveries, render order and execute the regulations governing that particular society or community—which can be changed from time to another as merit its mandated ends or when it is seen incompetent or unresponsive or unsuitable and ineligible on reasons stipulated by law.”

B.     Definition of the people

People are the majority of the community or in other word Citizens that flocked in to a certain large area of land known as cities, towns, counties, Payam and villages—who resided in those locations with total right and freedom to conduct their daily lives. Who, when the need for order and law arise, can resort to choose cable men and women in small scale form to represent them in order to solve cases those arise among them and usher in obligations, fine, and reproved the culprits without passivity? That is what is called in another language indirect democratic rule of people.
C.     Memorandum of understanding between the peoples vs. nominee

    -The People

The people are bound by a law of loyalty within the boundary of contentment, or when that organ is able enough to qualify the positions they occupied—that is the anchoring condition. The people remain obedient to its nominee to as far as cooperation and loyalty is concerned—that is what we called Obligation.

   -The government

The government on the hand must work with great stamina to ensure an anticipated needs that are necessarily i.e. security, shrewd maintenance of public assets, services deliveries, protect the rights of everybody equally and open vacancies for job-seekers. That is what we called “Responsibilities”.

D.     Government is answerable to the People not vice-versa.

The people are bound by the law of responsibility only when they are maximally satisfied on meeting their needs, it is only when that small organ (govn’t) is able to realize that anticipated needs which develop from time to time or which vary from time to another—failure to do so, that organ must abdicate that position immediately if not, there will be dangerous tragedy following.

 But if that organ qualifies its sphere, the then organ can merit remaining in its position with revered legitimacy as the steering system governing its people. The government has no much powers amounting from its own, but it operating within the consented regulations—she must from time to time verifies itself before the people she is governing—that is what we called accountability. So the government is answerable to her people. And in this context, people are the ones to tick good or wrong to any system that represent them—because there is a possibility for people to live without government but there isn’t possibility for government to exist without people. In that content, government goes away, but people don’t.

E.      People fall into imbroglio when the right set is not realized

-People (Nations) are likely to fall into imbroglio phenomenon when they fail to realize the set rights and obligations (that include loyalty) and the conditions those realize the true memorandum of understanding between the chosen and the chooser—and what qualifications anchoring the role of nominee (govn’t) in a form that must be satisfactory (responsibility). People must in the foremost, realize what they want, how they wish it and when they want it. 

And in this context, they (people) must get to harmonize their opinions, stand for their common right and have a critical language (boldness and sound mind)—but that can never happen except with an informed society—people with open mind, who can clearly see things with reasoning mind. Such people don’t beat the elephant’s shade, rather they hit at the perpetrators’ heads! So, the only people who could quickly survive such imbroglio more easily are those who question the liability and make thorough follow up on their set rules those governing them with absolute courage with clause why? When? How? Which? Who? 

One of the wise man said, “The best ways to hide a lie is between two truths”. In order for South Sudan to be a beautiful Country, we must have clear aims so that we not fooled around by any new politicians who do not even know our core values. Let’s start to embrace respect toward our communities’ integrity—and believe in our domestic societal coexistence as one people—and be proud of that. 

Liberality, which advocates for self-respect and minority respect are elements that could cement such multi-culture society—students of political science I believe they can second my Opinions.  I was impressed when the South Sudanese community voiced out that they want Federal government. One advantage of Federal system is that no regime could have an absolute power the states especially in such a Country majority of the political figures are primitive—they can easily ruin the Country unknowingly by their corrupted propagandas that fuel ethical violence.

-The government (Nominees) on the other hand, also, must realistically perceive their roles and acts them out tangibly without wasting anytime. The problem with African governments as to why their government is facing troubles is that some of the politicians don’t even know exactly their roles or what they’re supposed to do towards their own Countries. They (gov’ts) see their people complaining about something they themselves should have solve them earlier before they become emergencies. 

But ethical pride, when mingled with ignorance, could become more dangerous than anything else. Our African politicians love to play games of politics, but lacked the core morals of political values—which in other word ridiculous and childish—I came to realize that that was why the African societies are backward, it is this virus that is eating their seeds of honesty which was supposed to yield them true prosperities the world around us are exploiting. All human beings are created rational, thus, when you promise them something, but once made without fulfilled, could cause lack of trust, the lack that will inevitably bring anarchy and lawlessness which can’t be controlled, but becomes more costly—then when this element was just lowered in the beginning. So, to prevent that from happening, government officials should immediately stop being dishonest and start enacting out those anticipated needs to their people, and cease from mocking their own societies.

F.      Coming to my siblings (South Sudanese citizens)

What has happened to us (conflicts) is not something new or strange thing. Simply, it is a call to Nationalism and it is a core test on our capacity and ability to come together and solidly unites as One Family of Nations regardless of our clans or traditions. Those elements are what prove that we are able to govern ourselves by ourselves—without which we are lying if we allege that we can establish One Nation like such great a Country, South Sudan whose tribes, cultures, customs and languages differ absolutely from the others. The test is, if we, as peoples in the same Country can be able to lower down our own self-centered and aimless prides—and to cohesively join stand for our common right as people with equal interest, then we can make it to one. 

Some of us use to say that these dilemmas are caused by certain tribe or it is certain is the ones disrespecting others which led to provocation of conflicts. My opinions are different completely; I just call such opinions senseless opinions. For if I am to ask that: who among our tribes escaped displacement, starvation, poor health, destruction of livelihoods and lives, what can be your answer? The right answer is that this bad-happening had victimized us all, I meant that we all have suffered its consequences—the Country pushed into it ignorantly and it has already given in on all four. 

Here, the student of truth can ask himself or herself, that what is then the real problem? So to answer that, allow first to narrate to you this little story. It goes; certain people were caught in a bad happening. That situation set them in total imbroglio, and they were desperately looking for solution. The problem was that one of the bus fore-wheel got punched when they were driving bus on the road to their long, long destination. And when the wheel got punched, some were saying that the bus must be downloaded off of the items, people and everything else, which some quickly rebuffed saying that the heavy vehicle should be push. 

But another group who seemed to be more conservative advised that they should wait, even if it could take them long time, they must endure to stay where they were stuck in. These different opinions resulted into heated argument—it got tenser against each one of them that escalated conflict. But by a good luck, a mad man happened to be passing by, who, in hearing such what caused such negative brawling, got him shocked!

 He (madman) interrupted them saying, “instead for you disputing over the same bus with different opinions, why not just replace this punched fore-wheel with the good one from those hind wheels?” He continued, “You can do that until when you reach your destination, then you can buy another new wheel and put in the place where you have removed one—so don’t waste your time and energy”. But one from the group defiantly said, “But you are a madman, you are not supposed to be one to tell us what is right to do?” But madman replied, “Yes, I am a madman, but I am a fool”. That small and simple story covers ours exactly!

-Then are we now stuck in blaming our identities minus seeing to the real problems from the right perspectives? Are we really identifying what we need? I meant is that we have allowed ourselves to be exploited. No equity, no services delivery, no transparency, no financial stability, no health, no education, no security, no good roads, no freedom of speech (Media houses censured) no fair elections in order for us so that we have a chance to elect our cable men and women plus others.

 For us to achieve that, we need to have strong mental capacity, open mindedness is the informed mind that can analyze what can avail to us common interest as One Family Nations, yea, not vice versa! Know this: we South Sudanese Citizens are the ones robbed, exploited, fooled, raped, destroyed, killed, mocked at, ridiculed, neglected and deprived by these profligates who are wise enough to cheat us by “divide and rule methodology”. 

 For if I can ask you this question: that who among our tribes on this Country is still flourishing in her own bliss, then what could be your right answer? The true right answer is that we all South Sudanese are: cheated, misused and above all, we are forced to be silent about it—through the use of military diktat and  ugly intimidation by this current regime.

 Rev. Malong Baak