A Response to Peter Gai Manyuon’s Article “Who is Who in South Sudan?”
By Mangong Mawien Madut, Kampala, Uganda
On 22 September 2013 last month an article of Peter Gai appeared in south Sudan News Agency (SSNA) online website which he titled “Who is who in South Sudan?” I would like first to appreciate my friend Peter Gai Manyuon for his writings although I had never agreed with some of his articles I read before. It is a constitutional right that any native has a freedom to express his/her opinion. So Gai has a right to share his opinions to South Sudanese about the political situation in the country.
Sorry I must first apologize for replying Gai ‘s article lately. Actually I was busy with my academic mission. He (Gai) said people might wonder why he titled an article like that. He added for those who like togetherness, patriotism and equality will agree with what he wrote in his article. So If I may beg my friend to withdraw such words, which he assumed when people disagree with his misinformation in the articles, then such people might not like togetherness, equality and patriotism.
It is absolutely wrong, and undeniably Peter Gai has misplaced the statement. Disagreement doesn’t mean people don’t like above mentioned. My friend Gai wrote that South Sudan has many tribes and the biggest tribes are Jieng and Nuer, politics has been practiced on tribal lines. He continues, leadership had been on two sides of the coins excluding most of other tribes in the new Nation.
Surprisingly! How did Peter Gai a journalist missed telling the trusts and misinformed the people? The word exclusion doesn’t have space to be used in South Sudan government for the reasons we knew because all South Sudanese know the formation of the former and current government of South Sudan since 2005 up to now. Therefore, there is no need for us and the public to be misinformed and told what is not seen or has ever existed in the government. We shall keep trying to balance time to reply such misinforming articles of some writers who want to feed people with what does not exist.
Questionably! Where does the word exclusion come from? I will give brief about our government. We had National legislative assembly (NLA), which MPS from various constituencies are appointed to through free elections by the citizens of their different geographical areas. However, there is no doubt there. There is a fair National assembly representation. Then come to the formation of the cabinets in National government. I hope the cabinets are appointed in form of representing all tribes (people) living in each state. Which means all tribes are represented in the national government according to the States or Peter Gai wants to tell us that 10 ministers must come from one State if it has many different tribes and clans? Isn’t what Peter wants to say?
If yes, then there is no a government that each of her states must have such number of ministers in the national level and if no, then why he (Gai) said many tribes are not considered in the government when the national cabinets are appointed according to the states where those tribes are residing? I think it is not only my friend that has such ideologies about national political structure in South Sudan.
Many people have been accusing and claiming that there is tribal domination in South Sudan, which is just a true propaganda and defamation of tribe if a fair research is allowed to be conducted. Gai should try to write apparently how other tribes are excluded in the government because I don’t see the reasons he used the word an exclusion or did he (Gai) meant the former and current serving government officials came from two tribes? Are they only from Nuer and Jieng? If no, then he (Peter Gai) had intentionally and wrongfully alleged the two tribes.
I think my friend is not informed or even aware that there are many key positions, which have been led since 2005, and still up to now within the current government there do non-Jieng and Nuer hold positions. So where is an exclusion and domination here? Admission of trusts and realities among ourselves we (South Sudanese) is better instead of preaching unfounded allegations.
A second response to Peter Gai ‘s article titled Dr. Riak Machar should be given one term to be like Nelson Mandela will come lately.
The author lives in Kampala, Uganda, and can be reached through his email: mangong120@gmail.com
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