Why South Sudanese in the Diaspora Must Drop South Sudan’s Politics! (Part 1)
6 min read“You in the Diaspora always seem to ‘know it all’ and have so much to say: giving your “thoughts, analyses, theories, solution, views and resolutions.” Pay more attention to being productive citizens in your adoptive countries. I have nothing against any of you in the diaspora personally, but it’s the sense of patronism and Mr. Know- it- all-I-have-come-to-save-you-from-yourselves attitude many people in the Diaspora always seem to have.” –by Deng Arok Thon—the son of the Late Arok Thon Arok, 12 May 2012.
South Sudanese in the Diaspora need to desist from discussing South Sudanese politics
Kur Wël Kur
January 2, 2015 (SSB) — A number of South Sudanese single young men and women migrated to western countries.In USA, 3,800 lost boys settled, among which, a handful has married; and God has blessed almost all these marriages with children, some lost boys are blessed with five children. In Australia, the lost boys who came here unmarried have married, with only a few still lingering and looking for compatible partners.
Australia, New Zealand and Canada, processed and accepted many young families’ cases. Most of these families, especially in Australia, bore children, with at least one child per a family, some families are blessed with 7 or 9 children.
I do appreciate the power of God, which has shone over and blessed us with children; however, my concern comes in the some corners of our present and future lives. These corners include: lack of unity as migrants (Africans in particular Dinka communities), lack of community infrastructures: church building, Communities centres and age care facilities. Youth crimes and mistakes (school dropouts): Alcoholism, gang related violence, crimes against women and violence toward general population. Traffic offences.
Lack of unity as migrants (Dinka communities)
Too much hatred and bitterness simmer on social sites such as Facebook and news/opinions sites such as paanluel Wël, borglobe and New Sudan vision. These kind of bitterness and hatred originate from communities here in diaspora and at home; my country men and women waste their valuable time on nonsensical topics, topics such as why is my Boma misspelled? Why these people try to dominate us? Or I don’t want this name; I want that name!
These questions reel in and out of our social sites.
A friend of mine has become an activist of divisions, so he tags his likes on divisive topics to prattle on stupid and minute matters. His thinking capacity kills me every time I read his wasteful posts and I have died of his writings several times.
However, I acknowledge that some topics worth discussing. I stumbled on a topic about uncle Majier’s position in the war of liberation, his contribution to the course and the cause of his death; I sieved two gentlemen’s comments out of hundred plus comments. These fine minds instilled the hope of a better day for this community, of a united community, of a pure justice and of the best nation in me! The gentlemen go by the names Macar Buol and Paanluel Wël (the chief editor of Paanluel Wël blog).
Apart from the rare and too demanding topics like the one I cited above, the rests edge away more important concerns in western countries. I believe, we in the Western countries, missed the point every time we try. We must submerge in an epiphany that the future of our children belongs to these countries and it does not belong to South Sudan. With this ‘great realisation’ (epiphany), we will start to slow down on South Sudan’s politics and commence to pay attentions to the politics and hatred towards us in our children’s countries. If we think and act in term our closeness in these countries and forget our differences in our country of births, we will succeed in whatever we aspire and admire.
Important concerns in western countries
Lack of community infrastructures: church building, Communities centres and age care facilities
A cousin of mine touched this topic in his article entitled “Vulnerability and Poor Lifestyle of South Sudanese Abroad” and I commented on his article as such:
“Mameer, I like when you listed the projects we can afford as communities in Australia! Remember, a population of one thousand members (easy for South Sudanese communities in Adelaide, Melbourne and maybe in Perth) can raise a thousand dollar every day if each member contribute a dollar a day and that will be 30,000 dollars a month!! If we do this, the government can match this amount with the equivalent amount!!
The church members can do this too; 2 dollars for each member every Sunday for 400 members (infants included because their parents can pay the allocated amount) can raise 800 dollars a week or a Sunday! With this constant income, the congregation can afford to pay for the church (building)! Thanks for the article!”
Exactly, that’s how we are supposed to pay for any property, be it a church building, age care facility or a community centre.
On 19/12/2014 (Saturday), Bor youth leadership in South Australia (S.A) held a meeting for the election of new officials. I had a privilege of making a few remarks! I targeted the youth in their teens, early and middle twenties. I told them that some of them will retire to age care facilities before their lives end because Australia is practicing a world class medicine and nutrition. Unlike some of us who came to Australia when we were in our late twenties and early thirties.
I told them to take their education seriously and avoid school dropouts, gangs related problems in order to graduate as nurses, engineers, psychologists, social workers, just to name but the very few! After their education, they must embark on the ways of bailing our communities out of ignorance, illiteracy, and prejudices from other races. This will lead to a respectable development of our communities. Otherwise, they must prepare for a total humiliation; a humiliation at public age care centres, their nappies will be changed last or changed after a couple of days!!
Alcoholism and traffic offences
Alcohol has shredded many families in diaspora. In Australia, most cases of domestic violence are caused by issues related to alcohol. Many young people have lost licences and are convicted because of alcohol. In Australia, any percentage of alcohol above 0.05 blood alcohol concentration (BAC), receives a zero tolerance from the authority (police).
Consequences involving drink-drive can be severed; these include disqualification of driving licence and prison terms for serial offenders.
Disobeying traffic rules such as driving without licences,making wrong turns or not complying with the traffic lights, attract brutal fines (monetary) or jail terms if offences become habitual. Any family member convicted or restricted by law to do or not do certain things, places high pressures on their relationships (marriages).
Look out for comments from some members of mainstream population about our children’s violence and crimes in part 2….
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