Without Me, You Will Not be You: A Response to Daidit Maa’s Article
Without me, you will not be you
By Peter Ayuen Madul
Many opinionated articles have been popping up on my Facebook page and I often laboriously took liberty to read them. I always like reading people’s opinion for I believe in learning from friends through deciphering their thoughts. What I am penning here may not auger well with some friends but I believe it is worth my time.
In an article written by Daidit Maa in response to Philip Thon Aleu’s article, Daidit Maa poured out many emotional thoughts which I believe were not brought about by what Philip wrote, but were simmering grievances within the writer. I got concerned with the drums of hatreds and enmities being beaten by the people whom we proudly called the “cream of our community’. If you read Daidit Maa‘s article plus Facebook comments put on the Thon Aleu’s piece of writing, You wouldn’t hesitate in anticipating the type of future leaders Bor community would have. As I do believe to be an ardent member of the community in question, I would like to make some corrections where they are needed most and add my voice on how to make Bor community socially cohesive.
I picked some pressing concerns with Diadit Maa’s article for I see it to be an opinion or response rather which is doing more harm than good to the community that we are all proud of and always wish to be active members. He wrote emotionally and went to the extent of mentioning people’s names and voiced Bor community with contempt. I would want to advice my learned brother Daidit Maa to shy away from mentioning peoples’ names when penning his opinions.
More so, allowing oneself to be overtaken by petty issues of differences in opinion is considered belittling to a gentleman of high caliber like Daidit Maa. I know you became abrasive not because Thon’s criticism of the dancing is wrong, but you look at it as an affront to your only son (Thok tok) reputation. In the bible, it is written tell the truth and the truth shall set you free. I believe Thon was telling us nothing but the mere truth. It is high time for us as the future leaders of the community we are busy dividing to shun negative ethnicity. Within me, I have strong believe in equality and see everybody as a brother whom we could keep many promises with and walk extra miles towards development of our community in particular and south Sudan In general. Nonetheless, I strongly urge my brother Daidit Maa to do the following in his future writings:
First and foremost, don’t overreact to guys’ opinion, and if you do so the peers whom you are with may consider you to lack emotional intelligence. You overreacted to Thon’s article that is why your piece of writing raised concerns from me and other like-minded gentlemen. In Thon’s article, I didn’t see anywhere in it mentioning peoples’ names and talking ill about a particular community. Thon deserves a thumb up; Bravo Thon. He was articulate and splendid in criticizing what he thought contrary to our Dinka Bor traditions. I implore Daidit Maa to borrow half a leaf if not a full leaf from Thon’s professionalism in writing.
As one of the bereaved families, for I lost my cousin and step grandma in Bor massacre, I find it painful when I see the people I claimed to be my own brothers dancing while I am weeping. The worst of it is the singing of my Uncle Deng Ajak’s song. It is provocative for your neighborhood to sing your own song when they have full knowledge of your bereavement. Some writers claiming to be responding to Thon’s article wrote with negative attitudes toward Bor, this is terrible, and the regrettable part of it is that all the authors are educated gentlemen.
I wholeheartedly ask them to rise above clanism. If Bor community was not good, why did you sing its songs during the release of the political detainees? This is a clear indication that we are one and we all need each other now and forever. Guys, lets know that what we say or write today will be used against us in the future. The current leaders are not tomorrow’s leaders; tomorrow’s rod of leadership is with us. Avoid division!
We must understand why those who dance, dance, and why those who picked issue with dancing voiced it out loudly. The two voices must be accommodated and that is what the spirit of brotherhood dictates.
I realized of late that Facebook has become an imaginary frontline. Face bookers with bad minds post shameful and divisive comments to whatever post that popped up in their Facebook page. For your information, Facebook is a social website that enhances socialization and spirit of comradeship.
When one starts viewing anything posted at ethnic angle, and takes it as a chance to wage war and preach hatreds, I really pity such people and urge them to refrain from such act as it is not concurring with the original intention of inventing Facebook. I ask those who commented on Thon’s article to write responsibly; let’s not divide the community that exists before us and that will still exist after us. We must nurture it for future generations.
We all need each other for Bor community to remain intact. We are the pillars of our community and hence we must get united to fight all the social vices. Brothers, we must always know that, without me, you will not be you and without you, I will not be me.
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