South Sudan on it road leading toward anarchy and failed statehood
By Longar Mathiec Wol, Nairobi, Kenya
January 2, 2017 (SSB) — Though the word anarchy would seems incorrect word to describe our beloved country south Sudan. Yes, is indeed worrying to use it but we are not faring away from it so using it is necessary to give a clue to our leaders that the direction the country is heading is a wrong direction.
I know some of you the great academicians would know more about the word “anarchy” but even though the description might be difference at the end of the day we reach to the certain level that suggest the same meaning. To take you to the point let me briefly take you through what I mean by the word anarchy; anarchy is the state where there is no government to control the situation or the situation where the confusion prevail.
I some people won’t agree with me but I don’t have any interest behind I am just a concern citizens of south Sudan who like any other concern citizens about the situation on the ground. To take you direct to the points why I think south Sudan is in anarchy will be of the reasons below:
Abuse of sovereignty – The sovereignty of south Sudan is in question not because it is not sovereign state but it deprive from its sovereignty by the reasons the people claim to know more might know better. When we look at the foreign intervention in internal affairs of south Sudan someone begins to ask him/herself whether south Sudan is a sovereign state.
For me yes, because it has the quality of sovereign state. The meaning of the term “Sovereignty” is a Latin word “Superanus” which means supreme or paramount or “supreme power of the state”. That mean the state has no any other power externally.
To prove this claim let look at the characteristics of sovereign state and then compare with what is happening on the ground.
- Sovereignty is supreme and unlimited power. There is no other power higher than the state that can issue commands to it.
- Sovereign state has Customs, religion and principles of morality which state has limitation upon them, no sovereign can challenge this nor destroy them.
- The state has a written constitution, it determines the powers and duties of state.
- Citizens are given fundamental rights, which become a limitation on the state and its sovereignty.
- Externally, one state is equal to other states. This equality of states is a limitation on one another.
- State is abide by international law which it is signatory without breach.
- The sovereign has jurisdiction over all persons, things, associations and groups within the state territory. No person or association can claim exemption from its laws. Its laws are universal.
In the characteristic mentioned above almost all of them had been violated at the day light ranging from international community to the people of south Sudan themselves. That means South Sudan is on it road leading toward anarchy. When I say south Sudanese themselves, it because we are fighting ourselves that encourage others to violate our sovereignty. But the fact will remain the same history will not forgive us if we continue to violate our own sovereign state.
We have seen an external abuse from super powers ranging from illegal threat of sanctions, arms embargo, and international organization involvement in south Sudan internal affairs.
It is time for the people of south Sudan to rise up, stand firm in this second journey to fight for our freedom, although our ideas might be the same politically or tribalistically it time to say no to the abuse of our sovereignty.
South Sudan in anarchy has been taken by opportunist to interfere in our affairs. Let us show them that we are not fool by fighting back not physically but ideologically and restore back our sovereignty.
Leadership crisis – some will say what is wrong with leadership, yes there is nothing wrong with it but know that when the leaders don’t believe in their own capacity as the leaders of that particular organization then the crisis is not far away. This crisis is brought by the loophole in leadership of the country, our leaders are not proactive they are reactive and that will not help the country. Now the confusion rock the country people don’t know which path to take and which path is safe for them.
We have seen during 2013 crisis, from the beginning up to now the world doesn’t know exactly what happened in Juba in December, 2013, whether it was a coup or misunderstanding among the presidential guards but to avoid the same error in the future we need strong policies in place with strong people to implement them because without people to implement them they won’t work. But a part from that the poor planning, poor coordination cover them up since there is no proper communication between country and it embassies abroad and other states around the world made it hard for the people to understand what had happened in south Sudan in December, 2013. The world remain unclear in its position till today and other countries have come out openly to declare that what happened in Juba was not a coup of which none of us don’t know whether it was or not.
Beside their shallow explanation of self-defend still the question remain if it was not a coup then what was it? Why some of those who are accused of that ran away? Let stop there that was not our topic for today; I know some of you read about and they have their own position in their hearts.
We need to review our leadership approach concerning our foreign affairs and come up with good strategies to harmonize our differences with those countries although not all of them will understand us. You cannot be a friend to the whole world you become a friend to someone with common goals and objectives.
Our army – Our army has contributed toward the failure of south Sudan. Without their involvement in 2013 crisis it could have not taken long time to finish. Issues relate to politics is not only a problem to south Sudan but throughout the world but when military remain neutral than they will sort out their differences and come back together. In politics there is no permanent friend and enemy.
Politicians don’t appreciate when they lost, they only appreciate when the gain. You begin to belief me now when you look at the agreement, when Dr. Riek rebelled one of his objective was to topple Kiir but now since he is given first vice president he will come back and work together with Kiir and you who had been in trench throughout the conflict where are you? Do you see yourself in that agreement, where is your child, your wife/husband, mom/dad where are they? They are suffering and you are suffering. What you did gain to yourself? Yes I know some will say the role of the military personnel is to fight and suffer. Yes I know but what are you fighting? Who is fighting with you? Where you train to kill your fellow innocent south Sudanese or to fight an enemy?
These are some of the question if we sit think pounded and conceptualize them than we will know that we are mistaken. Let us come back to know our role and start doing them in accordance to the law. For us to avoid some of those mistake that had happened in 2013 and in the future I recommend the following to the SPLA.
Avoiding many headquarters – It is only south Sudan where you hear people talking of difference headquarter; for example Riek’s headquarters, Kiir’s headquarters, Mamur’s headquarters to mention few almost every senior officer in SPLA has his own headquarter I don’t know whether they still exist or abolish after 2013 incident. That is a splitting of the army and bring sense of ownership to those who own headquarters, without those headquarters nothing could have brought that disaster (crisis) in south Sudan today.
How many commder in chief in south Sudan? In any country president of the country is the commander in chief of all arms forces of the country not any one to claim having power over military. In that case coup dictate will not finish in the country, all regular forces should be put under one command to avoid the abuse of military power.
All military recruits should have certain qualification to go to military college – Military colleges will transform our army from Gorilla characteristic army to professional army that know what is the country and how does his/her action has negative impact on the country.
We need to establish colleges for training our forces so that they know national interest not an individual interest. Investing in our military mean investing in our national interest and protection of our national territorial integrity.
Rationalizing our military – Now it seem that we don’t know the real number of our military personal since recruitment is a daily exercise. Rationalizing our military and equip them properly is better than large number that is not equip and well train.
Our military is our pride when we see them poorly equip we feel insecure since they can be easily disarm by may be any powerful military. The weakness of our military is reflect the weakness of the country. When military is weak citizens see themselves weak.
Abolishing the guard of honoring to civil servants – Take example from other countries there is no any country that the military can give guard of honor to governor like what is happening in south Sudan. Guard of hour is only given to president and others VIP from other countries not with in the country. That treatment give sense of sovereignty and command. Guard of honor should only be for president, even vice president has no right to be giving guard of honor since he is not commander in chief. Simply doing that is a violation of the seniority. Also, there is no need for the people holding civilian’s position to be guarded by the military personnel that is a violation of the military duties. Military is to protect country from external attack not to guard civilians. It is a time to change our guerillistics manners and adopt to the new system of sovereign state.
To conclude the blaming game will not help us now. Let come to our senses and do something different to transform south Sudan. Let us defend our sovereignty to avert the interference of those self-anointed prophet and show them that regardless of our differences our sovereignty is not for a joke and is importance.
Let make transformation in both our civil services and our armed forces so that such crisis will not happened again in the future. I know our country is already or almost to anarchy but if we put our hands and minds together than we will come to resilient again.
God bless south Sudan.
The author, Longar Mathiec Wol, is a student at United states International University-Africa, Nairobi, persuing Bachelor degree of Science in International Business administration and Minoring in International Relations. He can be reached through email address: longarmaxiech@gmail.com
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