The Hype of Hatred vs. Identity (Part 5)
The Hype of Hatred and ‘Born to Rule’ in South Sudan
By Thiik Mou Giir, Melbourne, Australia
April 09, 2016 (SSB) — Some non-Jieng say that ‘Jieng say, ‘we are born to rule’. Let us try to imagine the social context in which this statement was made. A Jieng man was engaged in a light-hearted conversation with his non-Jieng friend. This happened when Abel Alier was the Vice-President of Sudan. He arrogantly said, “Jieng Bor are born to rule!” It was something said by an individual, not by a tribe, to another non-Jieng individual. The statement went viral. Ever since, people, mainly non-Jieng people, have been complaining about the expression, as if the expression came from every single person from Bor and, later on, from the entire Jieng people. The name of the person who said it first time has never been passed on.
Why? Because if the expression were thought to have come from the entire Jieng people, rather than from a single Jieng person, it would have the impact of fanning the hype of hatred more intensely. That was exactly what people wanted. It was intended to turn all of us to become Spanish-like bullfighters. The drawn out like-minded Jieng against the drawn out like-minded non-Jieng. How exciting! It was initially said in jest at that time and ever since it has been said in earnest. “You! Jieng Bor, you say you are born to rule, eh?” a non-Jieng individual said sarcastically to a Jieng person.
Let us continue following this strange expression. SPLA/M movement was founded. The leader of the movement happened to be Dr. John Garang, a Jieng from Bor. It perfectly confirmed the statement that had been for some time in the air that was, ‘Jieng Bor people were actually born to rule’. If there were some people, from Bor, who had started to believe what the statement said about them, they did not say it in public for modesty sake. Then the leader of SPLA/M, Dr. John Garang, died.
The helm of SPLA/M command was passed on to General Salva Kiir, a Jieng from Gogrial. So, it was concluded that Jieng in Gogrial had got it, too. If the ability to rule was in those Jieng who hailed from Gogrial, they must also have it everywhere in South Sudan. The update of the statement, therefore, was thought to be necessary. Whoever made the update did not have to be a Jieng. Anyone could have made it up. What was the update? It was, ‘Jieng are born to rule!’ Or better still, ‘Jieng people say, they are born to rule!’ It went viral instantly. It has kept the bullfighting game going and the international communities as spectators. How interesting!
This was as far as they could get at the time. From there they could not go any further because by going further in South Sudan, all others would have joined this ‘ruling’ business. No member of any other ethnic group had ever come forward as a ruling person. To make this game more convincing for the purpose it was intentionally kept in circulation, Joseph Lagu’s role as a ruling person became a forgotten part of history in the mind of those individuals. He has been purposely left out just to keep matters simple, more deadly, and more devastating. Anyway, how depressing to some non-Jieng in a country where so many would love only a member of their own tribe to occupy the top spot, or else they think they do not count as people, with all nepotism implied!
That situation is likely to change because South Sudan has now become an independent country. The idea that all others would join the ‘ruling’ business seems to be in the horizon. South Sudan would have an increasing number of embassies in most African countries and likewise there would be so many people appointed from different tribes as ambassadors. In a country where the majority of people are illiterate or semi-literate, it would not be surprising if someone among them would think that those ambassadors in those African countries would engage as doing some sort of ruling business over there. He may then come up with an update of ‘Jieng people are born to rule’ to ‘South Sudanese people are born to rule’. Members of sixty-four South Sudanese tribes to rule in fifty four African countries: Nuers to rule in Nigeria, Bari in Botswana, Maadi in Mali, Chilluk in Chad, Mundari in Mozambique, Zandi in Zambia, etc, etc. The staff members in those embassies would entirely be made up of members of each ambassador’s tribe. Nepotism. Anyway, South Sudanese tribes will eventually be ruling South Sudanese in all those African countries. Relax! Happy ending. This is the end of the game.
Inside Thiik’s Automobile Mechanic Repair Shop for Identity
The statement – ‘Jieng are born to rule’ – is neither useful for any adult or a child of a sound mind. In England, people do not say something similar about the Queen or Prince of England’s child for modesty sake. In the Gospel of Luke, we read, ‘…And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years to come; take your ease, eat, drink and be merry.” “But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your soul is required of you; and now who will own what you have prepared?’ This is an excellent reminder that warns people or individuals from boasting. In a country, such as South Sudan, where people fought and bled to death, fighting a common enemy, side by side, this degrading statement should had been dismissed long time ago. It is a shame that our people have kept it in circulation.
There is something we can learn from this polarizing statement, though. The role of a president is important to anyone who is destined to be the president. Not everyone is destined to be a president. Without other important roles in any society, the role of a president is useless. There are those who are destined to be carpenters, doctors, teachers, plumbers, engineers, builders, lawyers, etc, etc. Whatever these people do is their elements. That is what they are. Those who are destined to do what they should be doing, get full satisfaction in whatever they do.
If qualities of leadership manifest themselves in any individual, be him a Jieng, a Bari, a Nuer, a Shilluk, a Fertit, or a member of any other South Sudanese tribe, people should accept him. These people are not easily found or made and when he or she is found or made, all people of South Sudan win. They win because he or she will serve them through those qualities successfully. However, if we reject them because he or she is from a wrong tribe, a wrong sub-tribe, a wrong clan and even a wrong family, our people will be throwing away services of these individuals and our people will consequently miss so many opportunities that could have made South Sudan develop and become a strong nation.
There is a useful expression that I often hear in the Western World said by parents to their children. A parent say to a child, “If you work hard enough, you can become anything you want in life, including a position of a president”. Children are the future of any country. If we are to help in constructing our new identity, we should let our children internalize this expression and let them start to find their own elements as they grow. In the future, when the people of South Sudan have made progress in making the vision realized, people, all people of South Sudan, will say the president is our own, regardless of the president’s tribe. He will be for all because all will make him who he will be.
The Hype of Hatred and “We Liberated You!” will be the next topic in the series. I will post it next Saturday. The writer can be reached at thiik_giir@hotmail.com
The opinion expressed here is solely the view of the writer. The veracity of any claim made are the responsibility of the author, not PaanLuel Wël: South Sudanese Bloggers (SSB) website. If you want to submit an opinion article or news analysis, please email it to paanluel2011@gmail.com. SSB do reserve the right to edit material before publication. Please include your full name, email address and the country you are writing.
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