Like Dr. Jok Madut, we must tell the truth to our Leaders for the sake of our Community
By William Abur, Melbourne, Australia
October 28, 2016 (SSB) — In academic, critical questions are raised for practitioners to debate them in a respectful way and this is a normal practice in many parts of the world. I have read a constructive criticism posted by Dr Jok Madut Jok to the president of the Country, honourable Salva Kiir Mayardit. On the two essays published at Gurtong, the first article is entitled “President Kiir Mayardit, Here Is What Failure Looks Like” posted on 22nd of October, 2016 and the second entitled “I Was Not Being A Bluster When I Addressed President Kiir” posted 26th October, 2016.
The questions raised in the two essays can be confronting to those who are in power and have a narrow academic thinking or have no understanding how researchers work with governments. My understanding is that Dr Jok is an anthropologist and researcher who has critical skills and understanding in formulating both public and social policies.
My main motivation of writing this essay is to say, I strongly agree with Dr Jok on many of the points raised in the two essays. I’m sure many people would agree with me too. We must tell the truth to our leaders and community for the sake of our nation.
I’m sure President Kiir will invite Dr Jok to his office to congratulate him on his courageous advice and thinking on challenges facing the nation. The advisers in the president’s office should consider working with Dr Jok to learn from him instead of identifying him as an enemy who told the president to think of prioritizing critical issues which have been bedeviling our nation.
The failure of our nation is also in the hands of our youth and some leaders who failed to assist the president to both formulate public and social policies. Lack of law and order has put the nation in this crisis. My understanding is that law and order can only be effected and maintained by top leader like our president. Get me right, President Salva Kiir Mayardit is a humble as individual in history, but he is accountable for many challenges and failures of the nation.
However, people who are holding most positions in the government have failed their duties for the community. They have no projects or plans, they have no consultants or expertise that who can assist them workout some of the important projects needed the nation or community.
If I were the president, I would have invited researchers and expertise from South Sudanese backgrounds who are currently residing in the Diaspora to come home and non-South Sudanese to come and assist the government in designing projects that can assists nation.
Well, I’m not a president, but I can only make suggestions for leaders to see where they can get human resources with expertise to assist them in designing their projects.
William Abur is a PhD candidate at Victoria University, Melbourne, Australia, finishing his PhD research in areas of social work and sociology. He is also a social worker working in high school in student well-being area. You can reach via his email: William Abur <william.abur@gmail.com>
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