Justice Ambrose Riiny should remember that “Problems cannot be solved with the same mind set that created them.”
3 min readMy Response to Justice Ambrose’s Speech
By Amol De Mabior, Liverpool, UK
June 19, 2015 (SSB) — Those of justice Ambrose Riiny Thiik may attempt to distance themselves from the mess they have (The so-called Jieng Council of Elders) created in South Sudan. However, the whole nation at large knows the negative role his ill organisation in the name of Jieng Community has played at the onset of the current crisis.
To begin with, it is a common fact that the old guards took the central stage in the recruitment of the tribal militias in the Dinkaland a cross the seven states in the country in support of government in Juba.
Now, looking deep at the situation in our backyard, one could definitely equate this organisation to Musa Halal’s Arab supreme group, who acted as “government agent” and recruited the infamous Janjaweed militia in Darfur, Sudan. The motives of the two groups may differ, but one fact reminds; they are “government agents” to their respective governments, and this disqualify them to be impartial.
Having said that, I do not see Jieng Council of Elders as true agents of genuine peace, who could negotiate peace between the government and the other SPLM factions namely; the SPLM in opposition, the SPLM former detainees aka the G10 plus, and other stakeholders.
Honestly, I do not have any problem with communities associations in South Sudan to excel, as these rights are well articulated in South Sudan Transitional ‘Constitution’ 2011. But I am extremely unease with the negative role these bodies play in influencing and hijacking political parties programmes with the pure intention to serve tribal elites.
Hence, this group of the old guards is part of the problems, which is now engulfing our beloved country, and their mindset cannot be part of the solution. They should leave the political affairs of the South Sudan to political parties, since they claim to be nonpartisan.
In my view, the group should refrain from negative activities such as the continuous recruitment of militias, repent, and embark on initiating inclusive grass-roots peace conferences to unite and reconcile our people (the sixty four tribes) across the country.
In conclusion, I strongly believe that history has given South Sudanese both a powerful sense of identity and a visionary sense of direction. Hence, as we embark on a modern phase of our story as people, we should remain faithful to the pioneering principles of our founders. There should be no way to allow ourselves to be mislead by destructive leaders.
Certainly, after more than painful years of struggle and success I believe that our history is not just what we did yesterday, but what we continuously make today and tomorrow.
The author is a concerned citizen of South Sudan, who resides in England, the UK. He is reachable at amol_504@hotmail.com
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