"We the willing, led by the unknowing, are doing the impossible for the ungrateful. We have done so much, with so little, for so long, we are now qualified to do anything, with nothing" By Konstantin Josef Jireček, a Czech historian, diplomat and slavist.
South Sudan’s coat of arms, in which the eagle symbolizes vision, strength, resilience and majesty, and the shield and spear the people’s resolve to protect the sovereignty of their republic and work hard to feed it.
The gov’t has passed into law a controversial Security Bill despite stiff protest from members of the official opposition party–SPLM-DC (and curiously, some SPLM members from Equatoria) who stormed out of the House.
MPs from the gov’t side simply went ahead, voted and passed the bill into law (probably pending presidential signature). One opinion is that democracy (the majority) carried the day against intransigence from a belligerent minority.
Another opinion is that the majority (gov’t, but not necessarily democracy) has bulldozed its way into law, much as Khartoum used to do against South Sudanese.
Pick your opinion and supporting evidences. You may call it an arm-race between the “constitutional gov’t” of President Salva Kiir Mayaardit in Juba against the “democratic rebellion” of Dr. Riek Machar in the bushes.
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See below a comment from Dr. Lam Akol:
The official opposition in South Sudan Parliament today stormed out of the sitting debating the National Security Service Bill. This followed the refusal of the Speaker to allow time to study suggested amendments to the bill. The Minority Leader had invoked the Conduct of Business Regulations that stipulate that 72 hours should be allowed for studying any amendments tabled before the House. The SPLM caucus had just concluded a meeting and one of them was reading suggested amendments to the bill when the Opposition raised the point of order. The Speaker rejected the demand causing the opposition MPs to walk out. They were followed by the MPs hailing from Equatoria. Despite the lack of quorum, the Speaker went ahead and the controversial bill was passed. It is now abundantly clear that the government wants to ram this repressive bill down the throats of the South Sudanese.
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See below a comment from Danis Daniel:
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…So I hear after seizing your property and arresting you without a warrant…they will NOT materially provide for your basic needs while in detention…AND you will be prevented from contacting your families or lawyers if the communication is determined to “prejudice progress of any inquiry or investigation of the case….And you or your family will do nothing to safe you(self) BECAUSE the Officers of the Service will be IMMUNE from criminal prosecution and CAN NOT be removed from office except by presidential order. And the officers will only be punishable by death if they offend the agency in acts of jeopardy, not, when they offend you, the ordinary citizen(s), cos they are immune to you. And there will be so many of them everywhere, because the law allows for the recruitment of networks of paid ‘agents’/informants who are not permanent employees of the Service. WOW…!!
PaanLuel Wël – Founder and Editor-in-Chief of PaanLuel Wël Media
PaanLuel Wël is the founder and editor-in-chief of PaanLuel Wël Media Ltd, a prominent news and commentary platform dedicated to covering the news, history, culture, literature, and socio-political affairs of South Sudan and the world. Established in July 2011, the website was born out of PaanLuel Wël’s vision to create a space for free expression and constructive dialogue during a pivotal moment in South Sudan’s history.
Through PaanLuel Wël Media, he has cultivated a vibrant intellectual forum that features a diverse range of voices, from poets, authors, and academics to activists, commentators, and community columnists. The platform is rooted in the belief that an informed and engaged citizenry is essential to the project of nation-building and social transformation.
PaanLuel Wël is a passionate advocate for the power of media to educate, empower, and connect people across political, ethnic, and generational divides. He is committed to fostering a culture of dialogue, tolerance, and inclusivity and is deeply invested in mentoring the next generation of South Sudanese writers and journalists.
