Anataban Peace Campaigns should be Accorded Universal Public Support
4 min readBy Emmanuel Ariech Deng, Juba, South Sudan
January 29, 2017 (SSB) —- Anataban comes from Arabic word meaning “I am tired”! This writer is also tired and of course, when you say you are tired, there must be something you are tired of! What are we tired of? We are tired of economic hardship, we are tired of war and we are also tired of unknown gunmen and the only option is to strongly voice out our concern of being tired #Antaban#.
Before the declaration of national dialogue by H.E the President Salva Kiir Mayardit, Anataban peace initiative campaign has been going on for the last few months of 2016 and in early 2017 with the harsh tag (#Anataban#). The people who share the same sentiments, shared it on social media the #Anataban#and its global beats music videos uploaded by Anataban team of artists.
Let us acknowledged that war is destroying everything we have, everything we have built and taking us backward instead of progressing. The evidence of that is buildings are collapsing in Juba, shops closed, businesses shattered, citizens left for refugee camps in nearby neighbouring countries, living in Juba is extremely unfordable, children are tired and on streets for begging, women with young kids on their backs are also tired on street to earn a daily living from the well-wishers, soldiers are also tired of fighting wars of no benefits, some of them eating left-overs in few operating restaurants.
So Anataban peace campaign peaks a universal sentiments of the vulnerable people who are not benefiting from the war and insecurity across the country. It is high time for peaceto prevail and economic situation to be addressed to match the levels of poor to afford basic needs: food, water and medicines not only in Juba but in all of South Sudan markets.
If you are residing in Juba, let me strike you with these questions: – How much do you earn in contrast to what you spend a day in Juba? Are your earnings equal or adjacent to market prices? Do you own a vehicle, if so, how do you purchase fuel? In petrol station or black market, Why? The situation is realistically appalling to the job owners and imagine how it could be to those who are living in the city and do not have jobs as well as rural areas! We are really tired of economic hardship (#Anunataban#). Do you think the best choice is to die in silence?
In a related unconventional style, North Korea had its people held hostages by their government and the bizarre ended in a shock extreme famine and mass departure of Korean people to neighbouring countries. I am afraid! A similar catastrophe could happen to South Sudan if no immediate intervention is achieved in terms of security improvement, free movement and access to humanitarian aids across the country.
Over decades now, South Sudan population has never experienced just peace, right to be protected and taken care of by Governments and even mass claim of their rights from government, due to the fear of how they can be treated by the same government in case the conditions are harsh for them and wanted to stage a peaceful one. This habit of dying in silence is not a culture but a real threat that we do see alarming in Juba and some other towns in the country that resulted into IDPs and more South Sudanese to refugee camps.
This folk on writing, is equally affected by persistent war and its consequential economic deplorability which deserves a strong condemnation from the class of people who have suffered and continue to suffer the impact of economic turmoil. Anataban from it, you are also Taban from it and the few who are fine with it cannot help us out of it because they are the beneficiaries of the whimsical manoeuvring.
The more we allow such lawlessness and corruption to go deeper, the more control and change over it becomes difficult in this nation as we strive to renew our identity to the world and commitment for peace, development and national building leading to democracy to say the least. So Antaban peace voices is a universal sentiment that should be applauded, funded and supported because nobody is interested in return to war and economic hardship. So Anataban, Anunataban!
The Author is reachable via ariechemmanuel2015@gmail.com
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It is true! We are suffering but what do you suggest now- strike! People get killed just in matter of one day. I think fleeing the country would be the better choice if the war return.
The beneficiaries of the whimsical manoeuvring are entirely responsible for the mess of the country affairs. Excellent deliveration Emmanuel! What comes round goes round! They should put that on note.