Menace of Taking National Politics on Tribal Ground: The Case of South Sudan
12 min readBy John Sunday Martin
“When national politics are taken on tribal line, some innocent souls perish because of their tribe; ask Dinka, or Nuer. They are my two witnesses in the case of South Sudan”
May 10, 2015 (SSB) — As I mentioned my two witnesses in the case of taking politics on tribal ground in South Sudan and the danger it poses on some innocent souls in some tribes; I am not tribal as my fingers touches the keyboard because I am just I am; a simple jingoist calling my two witnesses to tell the truth of their experiences in this business of tribalism and politics in south Sudan, starting from 1991 and then in 2013; in case if you are the disbelieving Thomas of this new generation, of South Sudan. While not all, but every South Sudanese from farming background seem to have confused tribalism to politics and then taking upon them national politics as tribal activities as they are lead by some phony cerebral; which is posing threats to us here and there.
We are south Sudanese because south Sudan is making of our various tribes in political atmosphere; south Sudan is Nuer and Nuer is south Sudan and so are Dinka and then the entire 64 tribes of south Sudan and we have the believe, then Nuer or Dinka or any other tribes are simple one people under a code name “South Sudanese, and that is our pride before the World.” But it has become so unfortunately that, the very politics defined as an art of governing society so to live in unity and coexists; it is turning to our destruction, simple because our politics seem to be falling into wrong hands from generation to generations. The wrong hands are the hand that carries suitcases of tribalism and spreading it from one tribe to other tribes that is causing national Unity and coexistence almost impossible in our society.
Of course, any society with assortment of tribes, tribalism will not be avoided – just as racism still inescapable in western World with multiplicity of races – black, white etc and this all the making of God because He hates the unity of mankind. Yes; the very creator is afraid that mankind will overthrow Him so He caused the unity of mankind fall Babylon, in what is known as Tower of Babylon – read your bible; Genesis 11: 1-9. Since then, the world became of multi-languages which is the foundation of tribal settings.
Therefore, tribalism has been in the world for centuries because of the very act of the creator himself and we as south Sudanese are just product of our creator who created us with many tribes. In this regard; I can conclude that, tribalism has been there in society of south Sudan as it has been there in any other African Countries; just as racism has been in Western Countries. Thus; starting from West to East and then to us in Africa, the real politics which is art of governing society, is shifting to be the core tool now used anywhere on planet to discriminate against some groups. The West uses politics to discriminated against the poor black immigrants to safeguard their interests while the South African uses xenophobia to attack the blanks African calling them foreigners and regarding the white settlers Africans on African soil; and for us in South Sudan, we have taken politics as tool to fasten our tribal ideologies – to not only discriminate but to committed atrocities against some ethnicities in our society.
The issue of politics taking core in enhancing tribalism in South Sudan has been there for ages – which resulted in KOKORA in 1983; Tribalism never only started and ended with KOKORA but as matter of facts, we as nation has experiences that, every administrations that ever existed and is existing in south Sudan has taken form on tribal supremacy. Yes, either it be conventional Administrations (Government), or Unconventional administration (rebels); which includes SPLM/A under the leadership of Dr. John Garang and now SPLM/A-IO under Dr. Riek Machar. Hold on as fanatic of Dr. Riek Machar because if you can see that SPLM/A-IO is taking heed on tribalism, then I am sorry because you must be having tribal eyes and therefore, you are tribal by your very nature.
However, if we follow our history in good faith, then we will be complied to believe that, the very evil of all persons that articulated tribalism openly in our society which led to the deep tribal hatred between my two witnesses (Nuer and Dinka) are not in fact the leadership of John Garang but the very person of Dr. Riek Machar because of his own selfish ambition for power position in 1991. Ask Dinka or Nuer because they are my witnesses of what I am saying about 1991 – if Dr. Lam Akol and Uncle Dr. P. A. Nyaba can deny it because of shame.
But this never meant that, Dr. John Garang can be declared another Saint of our society. He is 100% human and therefore he was not 100% perfect during his leadership of the SPLM/A. yes; during the SPLM/A bush struggle under leadership of Dr. John Garang, tribalism has existed and we can to some degree conclude that, the very person of Dr. John Garang was tribal on some of his policies and practices; and these are undeniable facts. Dr. John Garang was for all practical reasons tribal to some degree and therefore, the move to oust Dr. John Garang from leadership of the organization founded by Major William Nyon and Major Kariunbin Konyi was for the reasons, a honest move – to save the unity of south Sudanese in political fronts against regime in Khartoum, and to reach our goals as south Sudanese.
However, Dr. Riek Machar that was viewed as Jesus Christ of by then of South Sudanese who will save and serve us during that crucial moment (1991) became more worse than Dr. John Garang and this comes to confirm the saying that, “the devil you know is better than the angel you don’t know.” So Dr. John Garang that we know is better than DR. Riek Machar that we don’t know by then. So it also be said that, the Kirr we know can still be better than the Riek we don’t know. Yes, in the move to oust Dr. John Garang from the national leadership of Guerilla organization, it became most unfortunately that, Dr. Riek Machar himself took the national political agenda in tribal manner and for that one can say that, the good politic, when falls into wrong hand, becomes a bad politic – that can cause havoc in any society. Believe me or not, but ask Dinka or Nuer, my two witnesses in the case of South Sudan.
Infect, instead of Dr. Riek Machar to mobilize south Sudanese against the about to be failed by then leadership of Dr. John Garang, Dr. Riek Machar rigorous mobilized his own tribesmen (Nuer) within the ranks and structures of the SPLM/A not only against the leadership Dr. John Garang but against the very (Dinka) tribesmen of Dr. John Garang – that made the 1991 leadership struggle to be almost tribal struggle between my two witnesses, (Dinka and Nuer) for tribal supremacy. Thus other tribes, even those who never agreed with the leadership of Dr. John Garang, had to remain royal to the person of Dr. John Garang simple because – at least Dr. John Garang seem to be better one that can hold us as south Sudanese together then the at first believed Angel Dr. Riek Machar. Therefore, when people remained royal to Dr. John Garang was not because people like his leadership but people were simple following the Vision, his vision for the nation that is far away detachable from his leadership styles. The affirmation that our politics takes sharp on tribal line was Dr. P. A Nyaba; in his book, “Politics of Liberation; – an insider’s view.”
Dr. P. A Nyaba said that, when Dr. Lam Akol approached him, he said to Dr. Lam Akol that, the only person capable to challenge Dr. John Garang at this stage is Dr. Riek Machar because he has great number of men. This is referring to the actual facts that, Nuer tribesmen consists the second great number by then in the ranks and structures of the SPLM/A after the Dinka; therefore, in case of any military move, Nuer tribesmen will stand with Dr. Riek Machar against the Dinka of Dr. John Garang. Based on that testmonies of Dr. Peter Adwok Nyaba; we can conclude that, the 1991 was tribal struggle for supremacy, and this same philosophy has been applied itself throughout our politics as it is applying now; and therefore, tribalism is our very first enemy as a Nation that is threatening our national unity and coexistence today.
Of course; the most clarification of the foretaste of ethnocentrisms came as result of 1991 as the two major movements took heed on ethnocentrisms that is to say, the SPLM\A – Nasir led by Riek and Lam derived its supports from Nuer and Shilluk, the tribesmen of the two leaders; while the SPLM\A – Torit lead by Garang and Salva Kirr, derived its supports from the Dinka, the tribesmen of the two persons and the Equatorians remains with John Garang because they put South Sudan first than their individual selfish ambition for tribal supremacy and general leadership, as well Equatorian hold on believed by then as being the only one left as solution to the crisis of south Sudan and should the Equatorians had messed into that crisis, they will never be existence of the Republic south Sudan this moment. Yes; South Sudan won’t have existed this moment because with Equatorians by then in the side of Dr. John Garang; SPLM/A won’t have survived. The courage of Equatorians became backbone of survival of SPLM/A under leadership of Dr. John Garang and therefore, it can be said, that, from Equatoria that SPLM/A survived that laid foundation for the birth of the Republic of South Sudan; and therefore, it will be from this very Eqatorian that Unity and coexistence of South Sudan will be saved this time, because with my two witnesses, (Dinka and Nuer), unity and coexistence will be too far from being achieved as those with short sights insists for the American so called Hybrid Court where some US$ 5 million are waiting to cause us more trouble – in the name of justice. Why do you want justices today while you denied justices yesterday? Another wrong move in the name of justice because this will never address the problem of tribalism and bring solution of our national problems but to set fire on the already house of fire so as it burned faster and down.
Ask Dinka or Nuer, my two witness because they can confess to you that, following the 1991 split, the two warring factions not only attacked each, but also turned their guns on the civilian populations from each opponent tribesmen, the Nuer against the Dinka, and Dinka against Nuer and there, we can say, innocent souls perished, simple because they are either Dinka or Nuer even if they have nothing to day with that struggle. I hope Dr. Peter Adwok Nyaba that masterminded it for Dr. Lam Akol for the national political move to be on tribal line will have something to say to God on the judgment day. Yes; People real died and you can’t imagine how evil a man can be until he exposed his evilness that was deep hidden inside him. Just because you belong to that particular tribe and whether you joint and support leadership of the enemy of the other person, without taking into consideration whether you are neutral, you are considered an enemy and therefore, tortured and even killed while innocently before the very big eyes of God. If God is going to hold us accountable, then we will never escape for what we have done in our own land, against our own people in the name of liberation because of our selfish interests.
Yes; what at first seem to be for national political interests incited by Dr. Lam Akol and masterminded to by Dr. P. A Nyaba, turned into tribalism and therefore, you can just die simple because of your tribal ground where tribalism exists like in South Sudan; and that is again prove the danger of politicians playing politics on tribal ground.
Again as my two witnesses never learnt from the past history; in 2013; when they took national politics on tribal ground that left thousands of innocent souls from both tribes to perish without just cause. We heard of what happened in Juba, Bor, Malakal, Bentiu etc – just some worse things but it was simple because of making of few individuals for their own selfish interests on the expense of the souls of their tribesmen; yet they very own tribesmen seem to lack intelligence and committees themselves to suffer, to die and to be killed for some unclear reasons than simple propaganda. Today, not ever Nuer but all Nuer of Dr. Riek Machar has taken up gun in their hands and mouth against Dinka of Salva kirr and so are the same to the Dinka of Salva Kirr Against the Nuer of dr. Riek Machar; I am the witness of the Social media but then ask my very best witnesses, the Dinka and Nuer, they will say it all of the deep hatred toward each other and how they are fighting it with both guns and words in every fronts, both local and international. As a result, unity and coexistence are becoming impossible and now entire south Sudanese becoming victims of some few, simple because some few individual in our society has taken it as creed to survive in their political life by taking every politics on tribal ground – without taking into consideration, the danger it posed on the innocent souls of those from their tribes.
The situation is worse and even Banki Moom has failed not knowing what to do then simple guess of relocating Nuer tribemen sought refuge in UMISS to the Nuerland and what is bank Moon trying to incite here? It is another dangerous politics turning what seem to be individual struggle for power into tribal struggles between tribes and to foreseen altering it to struggle for self-determination of having Nuer republic and disintegration of South Sudan on ethnocentric republics. Nuer who are under protection of UMISS are south Sudanese and to relocate them to their own land can even result some worse situations than the Kokora of the Equatorians – it just sound as UN is now advocating for any that fails to get protection of the regime of Kirr must go to their own tribal land and defent themselves in any way against the regime of Salva kirr. While I don’t know whether we have reached that level but that why the way we are being pointing to by the UN – which is most unfortunately for South Sudanese at large.
However these are because of taking politics on tribal ground and from our experience and hence as ends with saying; first, Never ever take politics on tribal line because it will inspire tribalism and cause suffering to innocent souls simple because of their tribe; and second, keep national politics away from people with tribal ideologies because they can take every political move on tribal line which will destroy spirit of national unity, and coexistence. Yes, just ask my two witnesses, Nur and Dinka because they can tell the danger of it.
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