For your information: Kiir’s government is NOT a Dinka government
By Manyang David Mayar, Juba, South Sudan
September 2, 2016 (SSB) — President Salva Kiir is the elected president of the Republic of South Sudan. The fact that he comes from the Dinka tribes doesn’t qualify his government in anyway to be termed as a Dinka government. For quiet too long, people have failed to understand the difference between President Kiir government and his tribe.
Out of ignorance, people mistakenly and constantly refer Kiir government as a Dinka government. Mistakes committed by Kiir administration are treated as Dinka mistakes. And from time to time, the Dinka in different parts of the country have suffered untold suffering even death by those who think they want to fight Kiir government by fighting any Dinka that come their way.
For example, the cobra faction, the arrow boys, the white army and the Aguelek etc were all insurgences that rose up against Kiir government but only came to target Dinka people as their enemies. This includes the targeted killing of the Dinka people along all roads leading in and out of Juba including the current siege of Yei town. If you add up the number of those killed since 2011 until now, you will surely be surprised of the huge number of the Dinka people that have lost their lives when they were completely innocent of why they had to die.
Despite all these, the Dinka people have exercised restraint and hold on to peace and never thought of carrying out any revenge on all roads or targeting non-Dinka people working in their States. And by the time the Dinka will also go wild, the country will witness what the world has never seen. It is indeed very unfortunate that God has combined the Dinka with South Sudanese who are people who don’t have these two small words – ‘thank you’.
During the war of liberation the Dinka took the task of holding the buffalo by the horns. Although all of the other tribes later contributed in one way or another to make this country a success, the Dinka had held the buffalo by the horns firmly and with brave steady hearts, which made it easier for the rest of hunters to kill the animal.
But even when the Dinka were still holding the Buffalo by the horns, the rest of the tribes, were saying, it was the problem of the Dinka and the Jalaba. And that is why people of Juba had this common saying ‘kalam ta Dinka ma mundukuru lisa be bein fi sanade’ meaning the issue between the Dinka and the Arab……’
Some other tribes had mocked the Dinka IDPs, killing them along the way and looting their properties. These included the attacked on the SPLA new recruits on the way to training field in Bongo, a story that my father witnessed. I also had a chance in 1991 to witness several of these attacks against the Dinka when we were returning on foot from Panyido, a refuge camp in the Ethiopian border.
The Journey through Murle land wasn’t easy with attacks and abduction of children. The same thing happened when we reach Kapoeta with the Didinga and the Taposa all the way down to Lotuku. No any single tribe that had not killed a Dinka and shed blood of Dinka. But the Dinka kept on going making sure the war continues so that this country reaches where it is today.
Now, after the successful hard earned independence, some people are referring the Dinka as a bad tribe perhaps, because of government mistakes and failures. Please, the Dinka suffered that time supporting the guerilla movement, and I don’t think it is wise for that victimization to continue now that there is a government.
By simple definition, a government is a group of people who control and make decision for a country. This includes people in the executive (cabinet), legislature (parliament) and Judiciary. I don’t think people in these three levels of government all come from the Dinka tribe. If you come down to the states level, I don’t think there is a Dinka governor in one of the Equatoria States and running a state government.
All our payams, Counties and States are being run by the sons and daughters of a particular community not by the Dinka. When this people fail to deliver, some of us rush to point fingers to the Dinka government. How? Why? Budget is passed in the parliament where all our constituencies are represented and everyone getting rightful share. How does this become a Dinka issue if not because we are sick mentally?
Some of our brothers in other tribes have even gone very far by acting foolishly to use a sellout mechanism only to tarnish the image of the Dinka people in the eyes of world by fake testimonies just because president Kiir comes from there. Be informed that the Dinka people are peace-loving people and when they go wild nothing will ever stop them. Nemieri didn’t stop them, Suwar-al-Dahab didn’t stop them, Saddig Al-Mahadi didn’t stop them, Jihad didn’t stop them and AL Bashir didn’t stop them too.
So, take it from me, if we need Kiir out of power, let us be specific and avoid generalization that victimized other innocent Dinka people along the roads and in other towns. Give to Caesar what is Caesar and to Dinka what is Dinka. Because the time will come when the Dinka will end the current silence and roar back with it might as a Dinka and not as a government. Just a warning!!
The author is a South Sudanese living in Juba and he can be reached through his email address at manyang.davidmayar@gmail.com
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