What Kind of a Country Did the SPLM Aims to Create in South Sudan?
By Ariik Atekdit, South Sudan
April 29, 2015 (SSB) —- The common citizens in the Republic of South Sudan are made to puzzle every day they get up in the morning and find things turning wrong in the country. We know things are difficult with the government because the Western world and the Northern neighbour, the Sudan doesn’t want the peaceful growth of South Sudan but at least the government must work out positive things.
The war against corruption was not well fought and we have not seen up to date people who have taken away our oil money. We made to wait in vain until today that we are fighting an aimless conflict. But suppose the government should bring us these individuals before we lose hope. Our economy is worsening with the dollars rising every day and the prices are hiking yet our politicians live a comfortable lives in the hotels. Our previous friends have become our today’s enemies. The citizens do not know what nation did you plan to make?
Tribalism took the lead since 2005 in South Sudan and yet no move has been made to quell it down until on 15 December 2013 it burst and gave birth to the worst war ever fought in Juba, the capital of the South Sudan, resulting into the death of innocent population who have not contributed to the mismanagement of the country’s affairs.
During the days of Arabs the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) has promised us so many things that we would get if they were to lead the then proposed New Sudan or if South Sudan would get its independence to allow the SPLM experts to use their wisdom and design leadership the way it best suits the interest of all.
But until 2005 and still now we have seen nothing but wars and confrontations. Most of the disputes have been announced senseless and many more were forgiven for wrong doing but yet new ones emerged disadvantaging development and prosperity of the nation. Youths have been the victims in Jonglei, in Lakes, Unity and Warrap states during the CPA era in cattle rustling and more dangerously in the current armed conflict which has dissected the country almost into the tribal lines.
However, the very SPLM has refused to stand bold and call the nation to be united and worked for the development. Until when you admit that the country is on wrong side of politics; shall you then seek political correction because the SPLM for the last 10 years has been steering the nation?
Why should the SPLM make innocent population die and suffer because of their political weaknesses and misunderstandings within their own camp? Mr. Riek Machar was the SPLM deputy chairman and has now decided to make his new camp mobilizing innocent white army in the of fighting President Kiir off seat. But by doing the whole nation is dragged back instead of progressing.
Mr. Pagan Amum, the SPLM former Secretary General stays in Nairobi and waits for the UN Trusteeship to rule the country then he returns; if that happens it means South Sudan’s sovereignty is sold out by those clever minority. And the Chairman, President Kiir lives in Juba waiting for peace in vain while our people continue to die. How has the innocent population contributed to their misunderstandings?
The nation is not a problem at all for we stood together on 9 January 2011 to vote out South Sudan from our Northern neighbour. The SPLM needs to take the blame and stand up to bring the solution to the problems but not to give us away to the Western imperialism. We were against Arabs and we will not match with the Western countries either; everyone needs to understand that we are people of our own with resources and almost everything.
Our unity as South Sudanese is possible, but only until when the nation thinks back and stops the history to repeat itself; then shall South Sudan grow and have a strong place in our hearts. Until the Nuers stop saying: “We the Nuers” and Dinka stop saying: “We the Dinkas” as Equatorians denounce: “We Equatorians” slogans shall we know that citizens are not the problems to themselves but then shall we charge the leadership for any mismanagement.
Are we being cheated to fight and die for unknown reasons? With the poor population being instructed to hold the tribal and regional slogans as the cleverest minority continue to rob the nation. We have accepted to fight in the past against Arabs (mondukuru) and again in Juba we fought to protect legitimacy of the government; but now with the extension tenure of the government we want to see the government doing at least some developments.
We want roads, bridges, good schools and health services. We also want peaceful co-existence among our people.
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