Three notes on South Sudan
7 min readby Dennis E. Paul
Sometimes thoughts and ideas refuse to expel themselves from one’s mind. I have three such thoughts that I am having difficulty ejecting.
First, however, I need to mention that I wrote a piece in Sudan Tribune shortly after John Garang’s death.
In that piece I erroneously asserted that John Garang supported separation of Sudan into two states. Since publication, I have – with great effort – attempted to remove my foot from my mouth. My efforts have not been met with success.
Now, eight years later, I apologize to the South Sudanese citizens and combatants that know better.
I also offer a humble apology for the inadequate research that gave cause to the incongruity.
And, I offer a third apology for using a language that suggests that I personally knew the eminent father of South Sudan. Just as I am distant from those who bravely fought, died, or were wounded in battle for the causes John Garang courageously supported, I am distant from John Garang’s person.
With those apologies, please allow me to continue sharing my three notes on South Sudan.
One
I imagine creating a situation in which South Sudanese in Diaspora (throughout the world) can make return visits to South Sudan, and if credentials allow, work in a capacity at various levels of education for a school year commitment. I suggest allowing a stipend and living facilities in whatever degree of comfort might be available.
Similarly, I imagine that while it would not be the goal of the program for participants to live in luxury, they would be offered comforts that would entice participation.
In addition to humbly sharing what they have learned from outside South Sudan they would be contributing to the education of fellow South Sudanese and relieving some of the teaching burden. A question is raised: Could these participants be allowed a sabbatical or leave of absence from their employers in the United States, Canada, Germany or Australia?
Parenthetically, I suspect many have already paid return visits to South Sudan – and have enhanced progress – however subtly or indirectly — in South Sudan
Two
I imagine a situation in which sufficient funds were raised worldwide to provide all South Sudanese children and adults with individual computers. In addition, each having access to online teaching programs. Self-taught and self-tested students, whether adult or child, would have a $125 personal computer. The system would employ a facilitator to travel from village to village, (or from district to district-in large cities) to instruct and assist students on use of computer and education programs.
I imagine computers with multiple power sources. They would receive power to the battery by crank, by photoelectric power (sizable photoelectric cells) and by plug-in to an electric current. I imagine photoelectric cells powering large volt batteries one hundred kilometers from anywhere so computers could be plugged in at night to be used for study. [See
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OLPC_XO-1]
The financial obligation: Crudely estimated: four million US dollars per each state for ten states. Half would be raised in diaspora – Hollywood, professional athletes, grassroots donation. Would it be rewarding to contribute to the elimination of illiteracy?
The other half would be obligated to state and federal governments of South Sudan. Sustaining costs – replace damaged or stolen – and computers for new students each year would be met by federal and state governments. Reimbursing the “Trust” in years to come and as the population grows. South Sudan, the intellectual capital of the world? Ohyeeeeee!
Three
It need not be asked if there is going to be a transition from rural and self-sustaining farm communities to electrified society and market economy in South Sudan. However, the question that can be asked: Is a transition going to be accomplished without hostility, violence, disorder or intertribal malice?
This question, unfortunately, has been answered with intense suffering in several places in South Sudan.
I think of the observations by Robert O. Collins in his exemplary book: “Shadows in the Grass: Britain in the Southern Sudan, 1918 to 1956,” [Yale University Press, New Haven
@1983] which offers insight — not so much into transition specifically – but into historical attempts to effect social, political and economic advancement in South Sudan.
One excerpts, while only indirectly touches on the issue, confers this insight: “Interminable hours were spent in these early years by inspectors seeking to adjudicate the vagarities of cattle, the frailties of women and the secrets of vengeance, and many readily admitted that their decisions undoubtedly perpetuated gross injustices in the eye of the people. [Collins, p 5]
Collins quotes (p 235) an economic forecast by Philip Ingerson, Governor of Bahr al-Ghazal in 1935: “There is no present hope of a striking increase from economic development. [Lieutenant Colonel] Stewart Symes, and his officials never seem to appreciate fully that modernization is dependent upon economic growth, not on simple tinkering with the administrative structure to effect a few petty economic through reorganization. All that administration could produce,” Ingerson continues, “was ‘case and maintenance,’ not economic growth and development.”
I hope that something positive can come from understanding these past experiences – both the failures and the successes.
A multitude of economic stimulants could be implemented in South Sudan. It is likely that present economic ministers in South Sudan have considered and implemented various options.
One such stimulant: Infusion of international investment. While there has been a significant increase in international investment to Africa in recent years, South Sudan would benefit from greater commitments.
Additionally concepts enlisted by Junior Achievement such as teaching principles of business would be beneficial. Additionally, help from organizations like Technoserve which offers realistic and constructive start-up business solutions to developing nations would be constructive.
As a corollary, there is a multitude of obstacles in the path toward “moderninity.” Perennial labor strife, difficulty developing a “safety network” for the neediest, continual obstruction due to illiteracy and an absence of understanding and use of contraceptive provide obstacles in the transition to ”moderninity.”
Yet, in attempting to suggest solutions, I am reminded of Zecharia Manyok Biar’s insights in his article “Tribalism is in trouble,” Sudan Tribune, 12 July 2013.
“Feeling of real security and happiness are realized when one regards him/herself as a true friend to people from other tribes. It is this feeling that makes people love their workplaces where workers are from different communities. Any member of the Red Army who was in Panyido in the 1980s would understand what I am talking about here…
…Ironically, happiness was not realized within each community. There were tensions between clans. Big boys within one clan would also mistreat small boys, making them think about their parents they left back at home.
Yet, our wrong perceptions of other tribes make us still believe that the situation we were in could be worst [sic] if we were mixed up. Unlike us, Captain Pieng knew our situation would be better in mixed-up groups. That was why he pressed on with his plan even though we booed and deserted him twice in general parade after he mentioned his plan to mix us up…
…Within some months, general mixing up was done. We immediately found that children from other communities were good people. Happiness increased and death reduced. We realized that caring for one another in mixed members of different tribes was better than what we had experienced in Alamaat. We found out that friends from other tribes were often willing to give up their own lives to care for you when you were sick. They could fear that you would pass your own sickness to them. They would care for you like or even better than your own brother.”
Personally, I like to integrate the word
compromise into any dialogue and any conversation regarding disunity. It has omnipotent power to relieve suffering for multitudes.
I have been eluding my idea. The idea is this. Establish programs that allow high school and college graduates to work (paid) alongside of family and friend in garden and field. Working humbly and with ”excessive“ respect for the “non-educated” coworkers and family.
And in another part of the year, in offices as administrators, in social and agricultural research in their professional capacities defined by their education.
This would produce crops and a sharing of “intellectual” ideas and provide a degree of harmony between educated and uneducated.
All of these ideas are open to revision and adaptation.
End of story
Addendum. The writer offers a humble note of appreciation for the many hard-working students presently in schools and universities in South Sudan.
Dennis E. Paul resides in Des Moines, Iowa. He can be reached at dp10608@gmail.com
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