Junub Sudan’s Independence Alone is Not Enough
“If the money is eaten by a few, all the rest will go hungry, and a hungry citizen is an angry citizen”—President Kiir at the Governor’s Forum, Juba.
By Butrus Ajak.
When South Sudan finally got independence on 9th July 2011, most of South Sudanese, if not all, were extremely relieved. However, as we prepare to embrace and to pay homage to war fallen mates, heroes and heroines, it worth noting Junub Sudan’s independence alone isn’t enough. There is a lot much more to be done, especially on the transparency and accountability front. It is obvious the above quotation from President Salva Kiir is congruent with what is actually playing out on the ground in the Republic of South Sudan.
Seeing our sons and daughters at the helm of power as custodian of our own affairs was something big. Nothing was like it prior to that occasion. Unfortunately, the then hyped happiness is now quickly being pummelled and dashed off by a tsunami of corruption cases and tradition of paying less attention to issues of urgency. For instance, lack of anti-aircraft rocket, which would have prevented the massacre in Bentiu and Panthou during the NCP aerial bombardment, is one example of the most urgent errands that should have been taken care of before anything else if we were mindful of the vulnerability we are in when confronted by the better-armed N-Sudan.
Exasperatingly, the SPLM comrades who I thought would bring hope to the hopeless–by addressing the issues of nation building and mending the broken hearts–have shamelessly turned into a bunch of self-enriching maggots that no one could have ever imagined or expected of them. It is a compunction they will take to the grave. They took up arms to fix the so-called too-deformed-to-be-reformed system in Khartoum in which we were left out of the loop, where we were marginalized, where we were denied basic infrastructure, where we were denied health service, where there was a lack of self-expression and consumption of national resources by few amongst many other things. Why are the SPLM/A comrades taking up the habit they were so committed and too determined to overhaul?
Thank goodness we have a state. However, a state where common citizens are denied and deprived of their rightful rights is surely doomed to fail and becomes a no man’s state. Why was Deng Athuai abducted and nearly killed and why terrorizing many other citizens you fought hard for and brought freedom to? It shows beyond reasonable doubt that it is not yet Uhuru—liberation is yet to happen. My people still haven’t noticed what it is to be a citizen in one’s own country. A right denied to them for so long, and the SPLM seems to be even denying it the furthest. You the SPLM leadership have started at a wrong footing and it will cost the party profoundly. If an election is held today, the party will lose miserably.
The independence many of us yearned for all these years has just proven not enough. The system is convoluted with widespread grand corruptions consuming the whole nation. Needless to say, the ruling party, the SPLM individuals, initiated it. The SPLM has ruined its reputation nationally and internationally. What was the point of bringing freedom if only you ended up robbing the nation of its meager resources? Where do you leave our citizens who look up to you here? Unless some miracles happen down the road, the SPLM party’s popularity is tarnished beyond repair and it is going down the drainage sooner than later.
Surely the SPLM/A managed to break the country into two, but falls short of delivering an equitable service to the people of South Sudan. They are ruling (ruining?) the nation as if they are leaving tomorrow. I have always been a steep supporter of the SPLM/A party given the determination it showed back in the days of revolutionary struggle. But I am now extremely disappointed and betrayed when its ignominious corruption hits the World news. 4 billion US dollar got trafficked by the few ruling individuals??? I was shocked and couldn’t just believe it. Instead of seizing the opportunity and utilizing the $4 billion to build the national scheme so as to meet South Sudanese’ socioeconomic dire needs, annoyingly, few pocketed it all, leaving the nation rotting in an abject poverty. Is this how we were liberated? I hope not.
As if it wasn’t enough, the burglars didn’t stop there: our men and women who dare to ask the money’s whereabouts are being hunted down and tortured severely. Is this how liberators behave? Absolutely not. These are unusual liberators. Our common men and women must be allowed to feel at home. They must have right to question the government, which governs them without intimidation. To worsen the case, the President has contradicted himself on how he approaches the looters lately. This leaves me with lingering doubt about my president presumption of innocence. He got to stand up for the nation, speak loud and clear who were these men and women who stole the chunk of dollars. There is nothing to fear Mr President because you have more than 8 Million people behind you. The 75 comrades-turned-thieves who purloined and siphoned off nation’s money into their individual’s accounts have inflicted shame and insult on the SPLM/A’s principles and vision. They are no more honorable for they are thugs who deserve their names yell out on top of mountain Imatong. But we South Sudanese want you to take a clear stand and make an unequivocal decision: you either be with them, or with us. I suggest they must get laid off in the government positions forthwith.
Outrageously, I had a lengthy conversation with a friend of mine in South Sudan who told me a lot of people went back home when independence comes. However, they have started going back to the refugee camp citing lacks of health services, ubiquitous insecurity, exclusion and lacks of schools for their children. For how long will our people be refugees in foreign lands Mr. President before it becomes a national shame on you and on every proud South Sudanese? It is searingly heartbreaking to think you have home and it turns out those leading the nation are hungry and angry wolves in sheep’s clothing. Remember Mr President, if the money is eaten by few hungry and angry wolves in sheep’s clothing, all the rest will go hungry, and as you rightly said, a hungry citizen is an angry citizen.
Finally, my president you have to disentangle yourself from the corrupt officials by making sure they are brought to justice and make to vomit what does not belong to them. As your quote goes “If the money is eaten by a few, all the rest will go hungry, and a hungry citizen is an angry citizen”. It is in fact the case now, citizens are frustrated and soon will erupt and spiral out of control, unless you act and act now to redeem your glorious wartime legacy. Secondly, those who nearly murdered Deng Athuai need to be identified immediately or else, we, in the civil society, will always remain knowing your government apparatus did it. Lastly, the SPLA soldiers who killed Mayol Kuch, the South Sudanese-American citizen need to face the law and get contained so they don’t kill another innocent one.
Butrus Ajak is a concerned South Sudan citizen: butrusajak@gmail.com
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