CORRUPTION AND INSECURITY: THE WAR WITHIN SOUTH SUDAN TO FIGHT
BY: MADING DE MANYOK
Corruption and rampant insecurity in the country, including its capital, have become the devastated war area within South Sudan to fight in order to allow nation building. Fighting corruption and insecurity by all South Sudanese citizens is the best instrument and initiative to secure the nation from external enemies especially Khartoum government sponsored militias who are formed to destabilize us in our state though fighting corruption within the turn as fueling the insecurity within the country.
We South Sudanese citizens must focus for our future generations to come not as we those who fought greatest wars for our freedom, equality and justice. I believe, if South Sudan governments and its citizens take that initiative of declaring war against such culprit especially corrupt officials and those perpetrators who killed citizens within South Sudan. It is our obligation as an entire South Sudan government and its citizens to work trans-day to correct conducive atmosphere for us South Sudanese people and others to live.
It is we ourselves who will make our nation to be in the blacklist because of our rampant corruption practice and insecurity within our country to the rest of the world to hate us. It is we who can make this nation to be cursed or bless due to our cultural behaviors within us. Now, South Sudan is a sovereign and independent state recognized by world body organization so-called United Nations (UN) and our continental organization so-called African Union (AU). We are now in free and independent nation whereby we can enjoy and celebrate 2.5 million of our brother’s blood who sacrifice their life for freedom, justice and equality. Why don’t we make them be proud for their struggling or we have created other Arabs which we fought for decade to also live within us here again?
If there are some wrong element live within us here who are against the country not to be respectful all over so then we must work together to accomplish what we fought for within those decades’ years of struggle. Without respecting the country’s constitution, South Sudan will be another Somalia state in Africa where people lose hope in the government because there is no life and property protection.
For the case of corruption, it is the matter of facts, when there was no letter written by South Sudan president Salva Kiir Mayardit to expose those corrupt officials to South Sudanese citizens about where South Sudan’s crude oil money are going. Not only South Sudan as the new nation on earth is the victim of corruption, but the whole world is affected by corruption disease. I don’t know whether our medical doctors and physicians who always keep manufacturing several medicines over the world have forgotten to do any research on how to manufacture corruption medicines to end it forever so that the world will be free from such chronic disease so-call corruption in Africa and the world at large. It is obvious in South Sudan when someone talks about corruption; he/she will be threatened, kidnapped or killed because of saying it out but it doesn’t matter whether you kill him/her or not. It will not make our nation behave well if government corrupt officials are not apprehended into house of law to face justice because corruption is the cause of this rampant insecurity believe you me or not.
Before South Sudan gains its independent, there were no such kind of delusive killing and rampant kidnapping of innocent civilians or some people to be driving into an unknown destination. South Sudanese had inherent foreign cultures to develop their nation but absolutely wrong, we South Sudanese people are so unique and different from the rest of the world, not because of the political or economic atmosphere, but our cultural behaviors make us unique. However, what we show know about corruption is that, itself exist anywhere and anytime so long you are entitle with responsibilities whether in public or private offices. It exists in our families between man and woman, it exists between employers and employees and many categories involved among the people. But that doesn’t mean that when corruption exists, we should forget to carry on our duties and responsibilities as citizens who are willing to develop the nation. When you practice corruption in the country, then you are the biggest enemy within the country who don’t care for the nation
Indeed, when President Kiir wrote letters to his 75 former and current government officials to return the stolen money or mismanagement of public funds as we can term it. Well, the letter of president Kiir…We fought for freedom, justice and equality …”Yet, once we got into power, we forgot what we fought for and began to enrich ourselves at the expense of our people……”was very clear to the general public that he was not wrong to do that since he is the caring father of the new nation and overall in-charge of all activities of the Republic of South Sudan like other countries’ presidents. He knows his officials one by one who are doing well and who are not. For that matter, President Kiir deserves credits in fighting corruption in his government. But who is helping President Kiir in fighting corruption away in South Sudan? It is our daily responsibilities as a truly citizens of this beautiful nation who know where we come from and where we are heading to.
When the lawmakers of South Sudan Legislative Assembly discussed the statement, passed the resolutions calling on the President to suspend all the present officials in government who are implicated in the corruption scandals as stated in his letter. The parliament and civil society called on the President to freeze the bank accounts of the accused officials, pending investigations and prosecution of the culprits as they are awaiting justice to prevail. Though Hon. Awut Deng Achuil and Hon. Dr. Lual Deng Achuek become the most victims because of respect President’s letter, who come up with utmost faith to admit that they have received letters. We entire South Sudan citizens have no doubt in those former ministers who have declared themselves due to the president’s letter. Where are other 73 officials?
Our national government representatives (legislatures) and all civil societies have rallied behind the president support to fight corruption. Legislatures and civil societies demand all 75 governments’ current and former officials who are accused of mismanage public funds to be suspended from their duties to fulfill majority demand but no avail for their request. This is because to fulfill the rule of law in this nation as far as every citizen is concerned. Being accused does not mean that you are the victim when law never found you guilty.
It is not a matter of killing, kidnapping and threatening people who talk about corruption in this country. We all want proper governments that encourage development like good roads, clean water, telecommunication network, proper security, good hospitals, good schools and other that citizens needs in their country. You can kill as many as you want, but you cannot kill the determination of South Sudanese citizens whether you like it or not. I believe killings will not be the best option to silence those who talk about corruption, but to admit and apprehended yourself to house by law. You are accused of public funds mismanagement not excuse to mismanage the public funds.
The government institutions which are entitle with responsibilities like Anti-corruption commission (ACC) and ministry of Justice in South Sudan need more mandate to carry their responsibilities without interference and hijacking these duties. This is because our transitional constitution has never granted our government institution like Anti-corruption Commission more powers to trail corrupt officials in order to fight corruption as their mandate. I think the more power we give to anti-corruption; the more corruption will end its mission in South Sudan and this is what we can do to kick it out here.
However, when we all vote for independence, we were tired of mistreatment and corruption in Khartoum government which we can’t repeat again in South Sudan. I believed in fighting corruption and Insecurity in South Sudan requires more mechanisms to be used not government institutions alone but all citizens must participate in fighting it out in South Sudan. This is because there was much hope and excitement from the public that South Sudan will be a new nation in term of the political system and economic development to enrich the country’s resources for development but not on individual need alone. We all deserve right to help president Kiir in fighting corruption and Insecurity in our country for better accountability and good government to be in place.
Failure to report any corruption methodology in any government offices or privates to anti-corruption commission or authorities’ concern will make this nation be ruled by corruption and President Kiir will be alone in fighting corruption in South Sudan. We fought our oppressors together, we fought for our freedom together, we vote for our destiny together, then let also fight corruption together for Justice, Liberty and Prosperity.
Mading De Manyok live in South Sudan, madingmanyor@myway.com
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