Is Recurrent Fuel Shortages in Juba the New Normal for NilePet?
4 min readBy James Okuk, PhD., Juba, South Sudan
November 3, 2015 (SSB) —- If the recurrent of fuel shortages in Juba and other parts of the Republic of South Sudan has been accepted as ‘The New Normal’ for NilePet, I should think it is high time to tell the government top leadership in the country that this is a very dangerous toleration for the survival of the SPLM-J regime itself. Why?
Because it cripples the core of the engine of urban life: its mobility, its connectivity, its power-lightening, its bread, its water and good mood of the people. Without fuel in Juba, it will be semi-impossible to get firewood or charcoal for bread. It will be very far to fetch water for homes.
That is why the highly urbanized countries like China and Korea will immediately charge up to treason penalty those who attempt to temper with this central strategic commodity. Life will be like that of Hobesian state of nature: ‘solitary, poor, nasty, brutish and short.’ But it seems some people are very lucky to get away freely after messing up foolishly with this strategic commodity because this is South Sudan, any way.
Let’s not forget lessons of history of humankind. The French People’s Revolution (1789) was known as the ‘Bread Revolution’. Miguel de Cervantes gives bread an emotional weight writing in Don Quixote “With bread, all sorrows are less”.
We also got the gist of the well-known or infamous Marie Antoinette’s famous but apocryphal response—“Let them eat cake”—when she was told that the peasants had no bread to buy in the city because of shortage of the strategic commodity that puts the bread on tables.
Further, the French bloody Revolution was fueled by the bankruptcy of the State as costs of government increased from fighting two major wars: the Seven Years’ War and the American Revolutionary War. The debts led to the long-running financial crisis (debts rising from 8 billion to 12 billion livres) exacerbated by extravagant expenditures on luxuries by King Louis XV. The taxation system was burdensome upon the middle class and the more prosperous peasants, given that the nobles and the well-connected were largely able to exempt themselves from it.
Now, instead of bringing down President Kiir by making him look bad in the eyes of the citizens, the NilePet’s Management should play honestly and respect the mission for which it was established in 2003 under the Civil Authority for New Sudan (CANS) to link oil companies with CANS, the then civil government in the liberated areas of Southern Sudan. It was incorporated on the 1st day of June 2009 under the New Sudan Companies Act 2003 by the Ministry of Legal Affairs and Constitutional Development so that it could operate as the technical, operational and commercial arm of the Ministry of Petroleum & Mining in order to maximize oil profits for the government rather than individuals. Nilepet is supposed to aim at exploring, developing, producing, adding value and managing oil and gas resources in an efficient and sustainable manner for the sake of common benefit of the people of South Sudan.
The CEO Joseph Cleto Deng who used to be the office manager of President Kiir seems to be operating in defiant to these objectives. His predecessor Engineer Paul Adong tried in the past to deviate from the NilePet expressed objectives but this caused him dearly his lucrative job. I am afraid if this situation of fuel shortages continues repeating itself unabated, Mr. Joseph Cleto may also be shown an exit door soon so that President Kiir could save his face from public outrage.
According to Roger McNamee who coined the term “The New Normal”, it is supposed to be a time of substantial opportunities with willingness to play by the new rules but by doing things right rather than succumbing to the tyranny of urgency for maximum wealth accumulation.
Our President Salva Kiir Mayardit should be whispered to that what NilePet is trying to do is a very dangerous “New Normal”. It betrays the “social contract” and its sole justification of obeying the government so as to avoid falling back into the state of nature after having transcended it into the state of civility.
The state of nature is something we ought to avoid, at any cost accept our own self-preservation. Let peace be allowed to come back to the new country on earth. Let’s implement the ARCISS in letter and spirit and we shall never fall back to be disintegrated by the deplorable state of nature.
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About Post Author
BY Manyiel Atuany Jok
ANALYSIS: THE SOUTH SUDANESE’S NATURAL RESOURCES ATTRIBUTED TO THEIR POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC CRISIS:
South Sudan is one of blessed nation with several natural resources.
It is rich more than Dubai, Kuwait, Qatar and Saudi Arabia.
With my own analysis, most of South Sudanese will disagree with me about these analyses.
But in a real sense, they are facts because the mentioned countries have Oil , Silver and Gold as their main national resource unlike to South Sudan which has numerous resources such as fertile land for Agriculture with plenty of rain falls, Oil as the main national resource as well there is gold, silver, uranium, copper, zinc, cement, rocks and the list is long.
Nevertheless, should it happen that Jesus Christ wanted to come on earth for the second judgment prophesies in the Bible to destroy the world and he sees Dubai with Abu- Kaliffa building, the smartest and most world’s tallest building, or he may sees Abu Dhabi, or one of the cities of the few mentioned nations, then he could definitely gets please and compromises his decision to destroy the world because of the beauty of the those cities but not of the bush cities like Juba.
Hence, the cities mentioned just got develop because they have oil as main source of their economies.
Significantly, those countries are enjoying political and economic stability. There are no thefts, no human crimes in Dubai unlike to South Sudan with rich resources. There are no robberies unlike to juba’s daylight robberies.
There is no Power wrangling unlike to South Sudan which is finishing her citizens because of leadership.
There is no corruption that created a wide gap of social classes among its citizens like the way it is happening in South Sudan.
There is equal social welfare in Dubai in which I enjoyed their free treatment one time when I fell sick in Dubai unlike to the South Sudan with rich resources.
There is no Starvation and Famine unlike to South Sudan which its citizens are starving because of famine.
There is plenty of electricity power throughout the Country (ies) unlike to south Sudan which uses Generators as source of power.
The country is well connected with modern tarmac roads unlike to South Sudan which is only using Air strips domestically.
Conversely, Dubai becomes a world’s tourist and Commercial Center due its modern development.
The list is long to describe the importance of world’s modern cities.
The question is what strategies are they using in order for them to become very far ahead of the others nations in term of development?
Despite the fact that, there are some slogans of the South Sudanese that they use to say:
“We are youth Nation”, yes, we are and so what?
“We don’t want America to come and exploit our resources”, yes, but what next?
“The contract of Oil was signed with China by Dr. John Garang according to comprehensive peace agreement (CPA)”. Well, it was signed, but should we not alter all that Dr. John signed if they have negative repercussions on us?
Ironically, most of us opted to have political ally with Russia, yes we can, but can it bring lasting solution to our problems and what nation which has an ally with Russia that can enjoy peace and instead they deeply armed them with guns?
So, with historical background of United Arab Emirates, then most of them got their independence in 1966 just recently after many countries of Africa got their impendence including Sudan.
Though, they also faced the same challenges that we are now facing and most of their territories were invaded by Arab powerful countries like Iraq while their oils were drilled by Chinese’s and Russians’ companies .Paradoxically, their political system was Monarchy and up to now but US has no problem with their system of leadership. And when they understood their situation got out of control like exactly the situation of our nation is in currently. Hence, they had to call themselves from the seven states with their think tanks and sat down and question them themselves on how to tackle the problems.
So, they had to understand the cause of their problem as a result of economic problem as stated by Adam Smith. As we know if there were enough of goods and services which could satisfy the human wants then most of the economic problems would not assist.
All the economic problems arises out of the inadequacy of resources which forces on individuals the problems of choice.
They therefore understood that for them to end their economic problems, they must make sure there should be equality, transparency, and accountability put in place.
They strategize to develop the public sectors, and to ensure development, they considered security as a major prime factor for development.
They had to call for US government and they signed an agreement on how they should be helped in the fixing of security and signed a contract of drilling Oil.
At that moment, the US government took over the security and crashed the UAE enemies and fixed security immediately.
The Emiratis formed their monarchies’ government with Head quarters in Abu-Dhabi.
The US crack down all the unknown gunmen because it is them who know what people call unknown gunmen and up to now UAE and most of the Gulf States are prosperous and politically stable with strong political ties with America.
For case of South Sudan, we are used to say, “We are young nation”, and up to when can we remain as young nation instead we sit down and analyze on what is a real problem facing us?
If our Problem is all about the resources, then why don’t we give it to someone who will help us in fixing security and development so that we can get developed like other developed countries of Gulf States since the US uses to support the Monarchies system of government in the Gulf States?
In nutshell, the country is facing political and economic instability which we all believe to be instigated by those with interest to take over our resources, as an alternative, not to perish because of the resources, then why do we stick to the agreement signed by Dr. John yet Dr. Garang is no longer living such that he should depend his reason of signed contract with china and we keep on burying our head in sand for what I think cannot bring any remedy.
So, in my own perspective, the solution to our country’s problem will come only when we sign a clear economic and security treaty with US government instead we remain between Russia, China and US without picking one friend.
In spite, South Sudanese need to sacrifice some of their resources in order for them to get political and economic stability as it is said by Nelson Mandela who says “Real leaders must be ready to sacrifice all for the freedom of their people.”
I personally doubt the strength of China and Russia since there is no single country that has been supported by China and Russia without US support and enjoy political and economic prosperity.
With Clear observation of who are US, China and Russia as world’s supper powers, the stable countries over the world are US allies. If you doubt me, then tell me one of the countries whom you know in third countries particularly supported by China and Russia which is politically and economic stability.
The following are example of the countries that are allies of US and now stable in Africa, South Africa, Uganda, Kenya and Ghana to mention few.
With my understanding about US, they don’t interfere with others’ system of government if there is a clear signed deal on economic and security policies, otherwise, there might have been a problem between US and UAE’s government since they use monarchy system of governance.
In conclusion, the resources we have cannot be our jeopardy instead they are blessing to us.
The Author is an economist who bases his analysis on economic facts.
Reach him at manyielatuany2013@gmail.com