Traders in Bahr el Ghazal region should abandon importing their goods via Nimule
5 min readMarol Ariech Mawien, Aweil, South Sudan
October 26, 2015 (SSB) — The business is going well in a country where lives of business men and their goods are protected; a good road for big vehicles to pass without any loses up to their destination. Business is a first thing in life of human being, in ancient time business was practice based on barter trade and it is vivacious in achieving development, also it is a cradle of employment. Here in South we only have Uganda as the only country where goods are purchased from and brought to South Sudan, there is no other place.
Uganda is good for Equatorian because they are much closer to it, in Bar El Ghazal and Upper Nile the nearest country to go for purchasing is Sudan, but since 2011 when South Sudan was declared as an independent State there has been no good liaison with Sudan, which really affected people of Bar El Ghazal and Upper Nile regions which made small retails business men to give up in running business because they had no capacities to go to abroad for purchasing.
We supposed to build good relationship with Sudanese for the reason that although we are two Sudan’s, we are geographically and socially still one people that should be highlighted as brothers and sisters of two Sudan though we are politically and administratively divided. The mother Sudan would have not close it borders and there is no proper border demarcation between two nations of Sudanese people.
Those situations has force many traders in Bar El Ghazal to opt for Uganda route to purchase goods especially Ugali flour of Uganda, which cost them a lot in term of transportation and taxation. To make matter worse getting dollars is also an other headache to traders who do went to Kampala, because government has no sympathy on traders that went for purchasing in Uganda to allow access of dollars in central bank at government rate, so failure of traders to secured dollars from government, had make them turn to look for dollars at black market, of which they are highly charged, but could not give up to pursue them from those that has dollars, because they are committed not to get rich but for the sake of saving the lives of people that are stuck in the middle of where to get their wants.
As they brought goods from long way of Uganda up to last State of Northern Bar El Ghazal , Aweil that bordering Sudan and Abyei which is in the Northern part of Warrap expensively, they traders charge at higher prices to retain back their capitals ,there is no profit made ,I one time tried to assess the market, I interview one of the business men who usually went to Uganda, I ask him, how much that you hired vehicle from Kampala up to here, where I conversed with you and how much for taxation from Nimule, simple answer was 200,000 SSP for hiring of the vehicle up to here. As I heard that amount I closed my book and left him without giving me second answer for taxation. I applauded you the traders in Bar El Ghazal for your kindness to save the lives of your people, by doing all ways possible to bring their needs.
As they are trying their level best to brought goods from Uganda, the business men are affected of losing their goods on the road of Western Equatoria where bad wishers are storming the loaded vehicles, to loot the goods and burn the remaining ones as intentional against those that has purchasing them and against the destination. It happen several time this year, many business men lost their goods in Mundri and Tambura, now since it is the source of earning for their families and the only way for their surviving they would not have capacities to raise other capitals, and for those traders, that has lost all their goods, will only wait for grave as final.
In Wau up raising 2012 the same scenario had happening like that of Western Equatoria, many goods were looted and burned in Bazi-Wau and up to now there is no compensation made by the government of the republic of South Sudan to those traders that have fall into that incident of Wau.
If those things are happening, who is responsible for compensation of loses for traders?
There is a word that says, there is no smoke without fire, so all killing, looting and burning of vehicles happening on the roads of Equatoria are done against government, and those fat up are fuming with government not mere civilians or business men. So should it be upon traders that have lost their goods to endure pains of lose alone or government is expected to do something for them.
Many traders are complaining that though they reported to government about their loses goods seeking for compensation, they are told, we will look into it, without immediate action taken by the authorities, as well traders have lost hope in government and their vision for better future for their children is closed in painful feeling.
In our country though citizens has determination to do anything good for their future, it is impossible due to nowhere is better to exercise what he/she had planned especially business which is the best way for life, so people will live in frustration and desperate situation s, the option will be practicing of crimes and robberies in order to get survive.
To the heading above, if government is not serious to compensate those that have inquired loses, then alternative is to give up business, because it has affected them a lot but there is no back up from capital authorities. I urge our government to help those that have inquired loses, as citizen you always look at your government when you fall in to such incidences.
Marol Ariech Mawien is a concerned South Sudanese living in Aweil South Sudan, to be reached at marolnyirou@ymail.com
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