Open letter to the President of the Republic, Salva Kiir Mayardit, on the adoption of black market rate as official.
7 min readDear Sir, H.E President: Salva Kiir Mayardit, I am writing to YOU as my own President and the President of all South Sudanese.
By Reech Malual-Akumrich, Juba-South Sudan
December 16, 2015 (SSB) — Mr. President I have never thought of writing this letter, but having read the unsigned and unstamped statement by the National Minister of Finance and Bank of South Sudan’s Governor; in the person of David Deng Athorbei and Cornelius Koryom Mayik, I felt obliged as your poor citizen who has been actually finding it difficult to get a one day meal perhaps ending with only an evening meal per a day and sometimes start my day and end it without a single meal [this is when the dollar was rated SSP 2.9 per dollar but now my president where will I get it with the recently declared official rating of SSP 18.5 per dollar.] where I am expecting the black market rate to shoot SSP 30 per dollar.
The governor of central Bank Cornelio Koryom Mayik has clearly stated that hard currency will be occasionally auctioned out by the bank. ” my normal understanding is that; Bank of South Sudan does not have enough dollars for day to day dollar demand to do away with black market” and if so where will people get dollars while waiting for an occasional dollar auction by the Bank? The simple answer is black market with SSP 3000 per 100 U.S dollar. [My President I will then have nothing to afford with the little that I have.]
My President and the President of all South Sudanese, in your last state of Nation Address in the National Legislature, I can remember YOU directing the concerned government institutions to seek ways of devaluing our Pound [SSP] against the hard currency [US Dollar] but YOU have never directed for the adoption or adaptation of the black market rate by the central Bank which is now the case.
It would be great Sir; the President if the people have an assurance from the leadership of National Finance Ministry and Central Bank on the these serious monetary measures taken with your intention and permission according the unsigned statement by National Minster of Finance. David Deng Athorbei; dated 14th December 2015 [only carrying the Minister’s name and with neither a stamp nor a signature seen on it, however he read it on the SSTV] but very unfortunately the Bank will give out dollar in an auction to commercial banks occasionally.
Sir; the Legitimate and only President of this country; the two dignitaries Hon: David Deng Athorbei and Cornelio Koryom Mayik have respectively and consecutively noted the danger of these monetary measures taken as far as the lives of your own citizens particularly earning a living and that it may also cause political crisis, and then why do it, if there is a caution of this dangerous size of National security threat, but my President, is it political crisis against who? For sure the government, [Your government] and then why does the government work hard to set itself against its own people?
Sir the president; your Advisors have mistakenly advised you or else they have an intention to do away with you. why because; devaluation of a local currency against a hard currency is only done by countries with a huge quantity of exports, as well huge amount of hard currency in the Bank supposed to fight black market with and sir, the Legitimate and only president; I am sure, you are aware that; our only exported material is crude oil which has been noted by the National minister of finance David Deng Athorbei in his unstamped and unsigned statement to have dropped in the country’s production and oil price in the International markets to less than $ 40. [So the reason is setting you against your people which is not a good thing in all ways]
Mr. President; YOU and your friend Dr. Garang de Mabior Atem de Aruai have always convinced the people of Southern Sudan to follow you through wars; whether in Anyanya one or SPLA/SPLM fight against Khartoum regime promising them of good life after the goal is achieved and you have alone convinced the same people to choose independent South Sudan with a promise of prosperity now where are those promises sir, Mr. President.
I am sure it is still in your memory that many old men and women have contributed their sons in a fight against Khartoum following your ideology ” YOU and your friend Dr. John Garang” with a promise of better life. My president and the president of all South Sudanese I am sure you are concerned about me more than I do for myself and this is why I am writing this open later as a poor South Sudanese who just needs to eat only one evening meal for survival.
My president less than one million South Sudanese are the ones living in the first lane and do not care about whether the country caught fire or not, so 90% of your people will suffer the opportunity cost along with me, therefore rests millions of your poor people and myself kneel to beg your attention, we need your care as your people in this particular horrible financial crisis; because you have much concern about our lives and you are aware that more than 60% of your people do not even have jobs, Country side of Upper Nile Region of three states of Jonglei, Unity, and Upper Nile are all displaced either internally or off borders, the rain in the country was not appealing this season in the whole region of Bahr el Ghazal ”so no crops harvest,” Lakes and Eastern Equatoria states are facing conflicts not allowing farmers to farm, Central and Eastern Equatoria states had no much rain this season and poor harvest did happened, and our Ministers of Agriculture, Foreign Affairs, and Humanitarian affairs went out to dispute the fact that there is a looming hunger backed up with these known facts to you and the people of South Sudan, because they took it as politics but it is about the lives of your beloved people South Sudanese whom you have always promised to take of them in all events.
Government Advisors and Minsters are driving latest cars in the world, they don’t feel how much your grassroots are suffering from the lack of almost everything in the country, and your people are wondering of what to eat, they advised you based on their standards of living with zero consideration to your people.
Dear sir, the only President of South Sudan, with these facts I am nothing and no worth in me to write to YOU this letter, but look at it as if your children; ”Junior Mayardits” need a meal from you I am sure YOU will give them a food to eat, and this is what I need from YOU to look back down and have mercy on your people who have always accepted to follow you in Wars, Elections and Referendum.
In my conclusion Sir, the President; YOU have always been with your people and this is the very time that your people need you because you have never departed with the people. You have also served your fellow comrades as the had gone against YOU, sometimes accused of mismanagement, misappropriation, and embezzlement of public money and you have forgiven them at some points and get some back to the public service, now remember your own people inclusive of myself.
The devaluation is very high at least it should have varied from SSP 4 to 10 per U.S dollar so that your people can at least survive for the next elections after the interim period instead of 18.5 and everybody turns wild against themselves and the government as well.
YOU are the Commander in chief and the salaries of our/your SPLA gallant forces are less than seven hundred SSP and also do the other organized forces, how are they going to survive when it is already noted that our country is passing through a harsh financial crisis as the government officially declares inflation to his people.
Sir, the President; myself and other vulnerable group in this country will never afford only a one evening meal to get to bed and so I am eagerly waiting to hear positive response to at least make official rate varies SSP 4 to 10 per dollar in the name of your people; ”South Sudanese.”
This idea will for sure do away with the SPLM in Government because many people will shift to economic safe Heavener abandoning the official Authority as a result of a planned economic blow against the people of South Sudan and directly against yourself, Mr. President [H.E. Salva Kiir Mayardit].
As Reech Malual-Akumric; I am with an opinion that there is a need to save me and other poor South Sudanese ” we are your people Mr. President.
Loyaly & Faithfully Yours
Reech Malual-Akumric
South Sudanese Citizen
Email: reechm@rocketmail.com
Cell: 0955660611
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