What kind of the country we want in South Sudan?
By Dhor Aher
Now that the question of “what kind of the country” we want is back into the limelight, let me add in my two cents.
Couple of years when I was student and very much in love with the American’s political system, I toyed the idea of a federal government with a strong presidency in the context of the South Sudan. Looking back now, I was naïve, probably in the state where most college students see themselves as political philosophers.
I was naïve to realize that common enemy in Khartoum united South Sudanese, and since there wasn’t enemy after Referendum, we went back digging into our ethnic archives. So fellow countrymen/women, South Sudan is a conglomeration of tribes, and we need to be on a mission of finding the right formula to unite all these tribes in one country.
The Afghans, realizing diversity of their country, came up with the brilliant idea of “Loya Jirga”, a sort of a tribal council representing all the Afghanistan’s tribes to deliberate and provide a consensus on the national issues. Can we as South Sudanese come up with our own genius system that will appreciate our ethnic diversity?
The Gurtong many years came up with the idea of the “House of Nationalities”, striking the premise that the cultural diversity of the South Sudanese is their biggest wealth (Gurtong). I don’t know their intention, but it seems Jacob Akol Jiel and his folks at the Gurtong seem to be a head of their time. Also I have an opportunity to read and listen to Dr. Jok Madut Jok, and appreciated his wisdom in differentiating “national building”, which is promoting things that recognize our ethnic diversity and a political system in term of a well-crafted constitution.
As a country, we seriously need to address the question of ethnicity instead of avoiding it. It is a very important issue for the prosperity and stability of the country and that is why a politically developed country like the United States still have affirmative actions in college admissions, hiring in the federal government, giving out government’s contracts, etc.
We need to have an inclusive society where every single tribe feel indebted to promote the well-being of the nation of the South Sudan. I came up with this concept many years ago, “in building a country, you need to get it right at first trial because a single mistake will cost the country time, resources, and lives to correct it”. South Sudan can’t afford a series of experiments of “REPUBLICs”.
We have failed post-independence political system, and now is the opportunity to get it right. If we again toss this idea of “What kind of the country” we want under the carpet, then we will be cursed for generations.
#Dhor’s Political Antidote!
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