Standing the regrettable era: The visionary approach
11 min readBy Madit Them Arop, Juba, South Sudan
October 13, 2016 (SSB) — There will be days our actions will convince us wrong. There will be days when my brother, sister, wife, son-daughter, parents, relatives, and friends will never be arrested of crime I had committed loosely because they relates to me; there will be days when my life will not be taken because of my tribe; there will be days when law and order will have eyes, ears and other senses and such senses will operates according to the ethics, norms and laws of the country. Justice, liberty and prosperity will have meaning.
Time will come when good apples will be sorted out of bad apples instead of both bad and good apples are thrown away because they happened to be in one basket; time will prove this nation’s citizens serving in public or private sectors as servants for those they represent; time will assure us that mistakes will be reversible instead they remain like an iron fist; time will come when we will never live in a nation of “fittest;” our system will change, utilization of power will also change; there will be balance of power; the wide gap installed between leaders, system and citizens will change as well; glorification, where leaders are glorifies because they own power will change; we will have an accounted for service delivery system.
And when this happen, tribalism redline, political discrepancy will change for the better. Time will come for the MTN to stands for Mobile Trade Network, goes everywhere delivering customized network services to all customers and does just that.
Time will say we were wrong when invented logos intended to preach divisions, hatreds, frustrate the development, weaken the system, encourage onslaught killings and more harm, even great loses to that direction, time will, future will point fingers at every person who idly did nothing during when something was required to stand up for the constructive change to the nation; future will prove to those who misused powers, who had put authority into their own hands, into their own protections leaving the vulnerable folks in astray, live in fear, pain and go to bed hopeless.
History will palpably say it was so sad that South Sudanese had buried fabric of trust, looked at each other with “otherness,” that has been why it’s so difficult and unsafe to travel outside of Juba, a status quo leads to distress with constant apprehensiveness that one may never make it. Innocent citizens are just killed shallowly because they had crossed to what may be called “an aisle of other tribe,” or you are targeted because you have been accused of a political affiliation which in reality can never be equated with your life, but still used to pass political hate or tribal agenda.
Time will come when political opportunities and scarce resources are nationally allocated on qualifications, citizen rights, political rights and so forth; time will come when practicing of regionalism will cease and remained replaceable with nationalism.
Time will come when future will prove that leniency in governing is not favorable at all times. Time will come when political favoring and forgiving must have connection to the judicial system; law and order will change to serve the interest of the common population; time will come when the constitution functions to protect citizens from government or limit power of government from disadvantaging the vulnerable citizens, sharpen their voices, have legal right to vote leaders in and out.
Time will come when friends of South Sudan will have diplomatic interest over political support to traitors; time will come when other powerful nations like America will consider that the policy not to criticize the sitting government outside of one’s soil is applies too in other nations; time will come when the UN will opt for reform to consider its very objective to stand between nations in conflict as security watchdog as stipulated in the charter adopted out of the WWII resolution, and stick to its mandate of consent, neutrality, and impartiality.
Time will come when South Sudan and most of African countries will kiss goodbye to aid dependency and turn to agriculture, erect industries across the continent. Time will come when South Sudanese will abandon categorizing themselves along regionalism or tribalism lines because it will be unsystematic; time will come when South Sudanese will let go the mindsets of tribalism, nepotism in their system and invent methodology of reducing corruption as some of NGOs had managed to wipeout guinea worm in the country and now after polio.
Time will come when why we feel the way we do will never be ignored, but will with urgency be taken into swift thoughtful reflection. Tough questions will go into considerations, like why killings, why tribalism, why corruption, why regionalism, why nepotism, why rapping, why only public institutions are source for employment, why going out for treatment is not minimize and start strengthening our health system? Why illiteracy? Why poverty? Why unknown gunmen? Why humanitarian assistance become the air we inhale/exhale for survival?
All the problems we have, is it lack of system or lack of care? Lack of plans or lack of implementations? Are we above the law or within the law? Do we have law that we are for and not against? For the system or against? What could make us go against the system? What should be done about it? Based on this situation, was Khartoum government correct when it said that we will never rule ourselves? Do we owned this nation or disowned it? Commonly, our problems starts with system which operates on relations, regionalism, comradeship, tribalism rather on constitutionalism.
There will come a time when South Sudanese political differences will be pure politics, their tribes will be South Sudan and friends of South Sudan will realize that South Sudan is no longer a nation by tribes but a nation for South Sudanese with their friends while South Sudanese is their tribe.
And when this happen, traffic police will never stop you in the street on basis of your foreign-like appearance or ethnicity; law and order will have amalgamated package salary enough to legally help deliver service without hindrances, and such will remain paid on time as legally budgeted and approved. Ghost names will be a history, everyone will eat entitlements; public money will serve public interests; private sectors will widen and improve, the government will support private sectors and loitering citizens, struggling, trying to make ends meet, dragging about in government offices will have opportunities in private sectors, this will reduce skyrocketing of unemployment in the nation.
And when this happen, one and all by chance or by right in a family or society will have an officer who brings home every month earnings for upkeeps in the house. The government will open and extend arms of opportunities to orphans, widows, disabled, street kids; nurture unable, support in feeding, accommodation, medication, and education. Right to pensions must be universal. This way the future of citizens will recover, will get brighter and patriotism will gradually improve.
And when this happen, peaceful coexistence will prevail; love reinforce among the population of South Sudan will germinate wide, remain intact and have eyes of brotherhood-sisterhood. The current situation will change from politics of poverty to eradication of poverty, will iron out disparities while raising level of illiteracy as one of the themes to tackle; oil wounds of hate with patriotic-nationalistic oil of love, oneness and liked-mind folks will put their heads on strengthening political will, embrace peace, and accept general responsibility as one people in one nation.
And when this happen, dependency on humanitarian will be replaced with developmental activities across the country (agro-econ). Since random guns will be in law enforcement hands, accountability in terms of service delivery will go transparent, roads movement and road constructions will change for the better; health system will advance in the nation, quality facilities will be available and as a result, going outside for treatment will minimize or cease completely; the same applies to education system; educated South Sudanese in and from different fields are in abundant abroad, will come with vast experience, vast knowledge to lift this nation out of stagnated illiteracy; still, there are those who had an opportunity to train in law, military intelligence, health, engineering, army defense, air space, astronauts, to name but just a few will come to promote a change wanted in this country.
And when this happen, South Sudanese will have technological skills needed here at home; quality education not just a transcript ticket will be acquired and accelerated learning will go viral. Such quality education will help strengthen knowledge in due processes, administering, help distinguish between politics and social issues, one of the main problems we have in this country.
And when this happen, there will be no arbitrary massive reshuffling, decreeing in the government will be on three basis: one, change comes when the candidate had delivered and will be seen necessary to relocate or sustain the same candidate within the government; two, when the candidate failed to deliver, and third, when terms expired. On the other hand, reshuffling system will never be viable and won’t exist, only election and nomination will sustain the course.
And when this happen, South Sudan will have corruption cases minimize or treatable nationally because system will be powerful, this nation will be capable to handle its own affairs, bring culprits to justice book, and limit intruders by applying norms, laws, and policies. Anything that works in Rome will work here. The nation will have clear diplomatic views which connects globally. Political willpower will turn to political right where any citizen will exercise right to express concerns in public (freedom of press), criticize the government, demand for change through elections or resignations; smooth, fair and just political system will convince the scattered citizens along tribal lines to join hands as one people behind their chosen leadership to willingly and freely vote in or out using their mightier power: the ballots.
And when this happen, peace would have prevailed, unity is sown, democracy in place, tribalism-nepotism is isolated and cleaned out through effective system, corruption and political disparities are alleviated; judicial system is improved and will stand strengthened and active; law and order after changed of sole salary to a package of benefits would have enhanced hindrances applied when enforcing law or legal procedures.
And when this happen, there will be no MTN elimination scenario, regionalism as a means of channeling scarce political opportunities as well as scarce resources in the country will be condensed. And this strategic policy will promote qualifications, political representation while putting gender consideration in perspective.
And when this happen, every citizen will survive on sweat earned not on regionalism or tribalism considerations used as ticket for distribution of opportunities. This eliminate or alleviate corruption, each will be given its worth; the level of poverty will reduce through hand-on technical training, agriculture mechanisms, right of the government to protect citizens will remain a responsibility and priority, right to feeding (availability of food in the country), education, housing, and medication will be on the top list; pride to own your property, have access to it, alter it or use it as you pleased will be granted; freedom of movement, expression, employment, support and recognize all veterans and disabled without conditions will be one of the national policies. These becomes some of the obligations for the authority to observe, consider and implement.
And when we have systems of quality education, security, political will, strong judicial system, executive power will go according to the system in place, this will block out falling into disagreement politically or diplomatically, and when these are secured, peace is owned. When peace is fully intact, economy will improve, both public and private sectors will have strategic plans used as operational forces advancing toward industrial nation.
Besides and as a new nation, we will reference from past cultures to have historical ideas while our systems will deeply relies on our own system. The claim that when “we were in Nairobi, in Khartoum, Kampala, Dubai, Cairo, Australia, America, London” things were done like this and like that will not be used as ticket for promoting variety of divided backgrounds. We will have independent vision and version crammed with acceptance in our universal cultures, crowned with pride of being South Sudanese. We will work as South Sudanese rather as regionalists.
The idea that this is from Bahr el Ghazal, Upper Nile and Equatoria will never be a priority it will be secretly used only in private sectors or in private conversations when there is legal need for recognition. The belief that certain positions are regionally allocated, like the post of the VP, ministerial positions which go according to the regional arrangement will die out; when elections arrangement kickoff, for example, parties will nominate their candidates to contest in a free elections.
Whichever won will form the government based on qualifications, sound minds and background of service delivery; a brother and sister could rule as Chief Justice and other as President as long there is a system to follow. Governing a nation will not be about what one occupied, it will be about what one deliver. As long the candidate is a qualified citizen and has what it takes, the rest will line up behind. In the past as in the present the cynical of regionalism had added thorny gap socially and widely in political circles. That was why selection of Speaker for Transitional National Legislative Assembly (TNLA) in the government of Transitional Government of National Unity (TGONU) took rough push to identify an acceptable candidate. Fit credentials and experiences will be used, this will discourage regionalism, tribalism, nepotism in the country.
And when this happen is only when we will call ourselves one people in a free nation like any other nation in the world. This will grant hope and determination, future will prove that this nation will never remain the same again, and at last, we shall embrace peace, good administering, liberty, justice and prosperity while tethering of the very nation on youngness will not be an option it will purely be a claim.
And when all these elements materialize, we will be in a free political deterrent and prosperous nation at last. With steady policies, political will, sustainable monetary economy policy, with general responsibility through justice, rule of law, accept ourselves as South Sudanese by nationality rather by tribes, encourage quality education to reduce illiteracy, the current difficulties will be manageable, changeable and stagnated services will be deliverable, which at the end we will embrace peaceful coexistence among us.
We thought we have arrived as our late hero Dr. Garang assured; however, the regrets at our circuits require immediate amendment in order to determine a well prepared future; such destiny will be in the past recallable history in a changeable face within the regrettable era.
The author is reachable at aropmadit@gmail.com
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