PaanLuel Wël Media Ltd – South Sudan

"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.

The Rust of Words ( a Novel )

By David Aoloch Bion 

Chapter Seven

On the third year of peace, James Majok  visited  Border checkpoint. On this border post, there were hugest   revenues taxed by Custom and Commerce departments. Majok boarded a room in the hotel to spend a night  After that he went out to drink beer in the nearby bar. He sat on his table alone. The sun was setting. He ordered himself a  bottle of beer.

Three gentlemen came, they looked around. The other tables were full with men boozing  . The only table which was not full was the one of  Majok so . they joined him . The men speak the same language with him . They introduced themselves to Majok  , he also introduced himself.

“Do you drink beer?” Majok asked

“Yes, we do” replied  one of the men

“Please, can you come, waitress” Majok called .

“I am here sir” said the waitress .

“Bring nine bottle of beer”

“Why do you order many like that?” asked one of the men pathetically , “will you manage to pay the bill?”

“Don’t worry, just take it” said he

The waitress brought the beer. The men started to drink.

“Where do you work, Majok?” inquired one of the men

“I work for finance in Napata”

“Do the revenues, which are collected here, reach  Finance or the central bank ?”

“Yes , the money is remitted in finance ‘’ he affirmed .

‘’ Speak the truth ‘’ said one of the men .

‘’ Why do you doubt the money reaching us? ‘’ he queried

“The magnitude of corruption is greatest ” uttered  another man

“Really, which kind of corruption  ?”

“Well , when a new car arrives  and it is supposed to be taxed  and  cleared for  15,000 pounds by Taxation . The clearing agent requests  7,500 pound from   the owner of  car. He, Agent  goes direct to the custom officer, he gives him 2000 pound, the custom office will give 500 pound to police at the gate to release the car from the taxation compound.  on the way to city , he , the agent will go bribing other policemen  on the way  with remaining 5,500 pound till  the car  reach the city . They tell the  police, if you don’t  take this money, I will pay  15,000  pound to  government and you  will not get  single coin , after all  no one is  doing the right thing , no one has integrity , all are corrupted ” he  divulged it to Majok.

“Indeed, I ponder when I  see many new cars, vehicles in the city but a months past without receiving revenues for those cars ‘’ Majok said

Another form of corruption is changing the names of the goods in receipt to different good. For example, if you import cigarette, or beer, these two goods  are highly taxed. So the Custom and  Supply officials will conspire with clearing agent and businessman  to change the name to maize. If the truck full of cigarette is taxed by 20,000 pound, the owner can pay 10,000 pound.because it is taxed as maize not a cigarette  The officials  will  5,000 pound for themselves and  5,000 pound for the government’’ he narrated .

“Another form of corruption is with the receipt book. Last year, the custom officers have two receipt books, one is for the official book and other is the private book. In a day, they  write ten leaves from the  official  one and they  write 5 receipts from their own private book . They  report the money of five receipts.only . Recently, they went  to  Interior, they smuggled  out the official  original receipt book” another man revealed .

“When I go back to Napata, I will report it  to the Servant in Charge of Finance” James Majok stated . he opened his note book and he wrote the poem entitled :Sunny Colour in Stomach

Sunny colour in stomach

There are two red cows on earth

One is Evil, one is Good

Every man, the black man

Has a sunny colour  stomach

Like the different finger prints

Colour of corruption

Colour of correction

I have my colour that is why I  sprinkle the seed with  hot water

You have your colour that’s why

You help the poor

They have their colour that’s why

They steal public money

Men and women, don’t jump into

Things like housefly.

Have lion might to work harder for

Common good

Have fox wisdom to think harder

For common good.

James Majok  left for  Napata. He reported what he learned  at the border to Servant . The Servant called his interior counterpart. This fraud  was investigated, four men were arrested at the border and the director of logistic  at the interior was for smuggling  out the official receipt book . One month later, all the arrested men were releases without charges .

Through corruption, nepotism, tribalism, embezzling , ten percent  of the population enriched themselves.  They built few  concrete tall building  among the grass thatched huts in city.

Some expensive world class cars were cruising  on the dusty road around the country. Whiffing and puffing  dust at eyes of poor peasants  .

There was no good road network connecting the ten provinces  but for the interest of few who  have money ,   there  is  airports in every province . This is so,  because if the Servant  want to travel to any province he charter a plane to  take him there ..

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