MY PEOPLE OF SOUTH SUDAN, WE ARE COMMITING SUICIDE
4 min readBy Thiik Mou Giir, Melbourne, Australia
February 18, 2017 (SSB) — In 2013, the Iraqi Minister of Information, during Saddam Hussein’s era, Mohammed Saeed Al-Sahaf, once said about American army who were about to enter Baghdad:
‘I can say, and I am responsible for what I am saying, that they (Americans) have started to commit suicide under the walls of Baghdad. We will encourage them to commit more suicides quickly.’
In the case of American-Iraqi war, the quote didn’t apply to that situation at all. The American invasion of Iraq was completed when American Army entered Baghdad without much resistance.
Ever since, the world had wondered whether there would ever be a moment, when a people, anywhere in the world, who would collectively commit suicide. The world dismissed Sahaf’s words, thinking it was something unimaginable. This stood true until year 2013.
All of a sudden, in 2013, South Sudanese people had stepped forward and said:
‘We can do it. We can collectively commit suicide.’
‘Where?’ the world had asked.
‘Under South Sudanese trees; in refugee camps; in South Sudanese country and urban areas and; in Diaspora.’
‘Ok. Let’s see.’
From 2013 to this day, the world has been witnessing mass suicide cases in South Sudan and within South Sudanese communities in Diaspora. Regardless of whether the government or the opposition forces have or have not gained an upper hand against the other, we are committing suicide.
When we turn deadly weapons to kill and to mime ourselves, when we are not interacting as South Sudanese people, when we are breaking social relationships between us, what we are doing amount to the fact that we are committing suicide.
There could be someone, some people, non-South Sudanese people, who are encouraging us to commit suicide without explicitly saying it in public.
‘Please, commit more suicides quickly,’ they are saying.
‘Be patient! We are doing it. Whether we are doing it slowly, quickly or whatever – it is up to you to judge – we are doing the damn thing!’
What is strange is the fact that there seemed to be mentally deranged people among us who receive news of victories gleefully. Come to your senses and help us seek ways that will help us Build Our New National Identity. Do not wait for a solution to come down from heaven, like manna, or for the so-called international community to come and solve our problems for us. Bob Marley said in a song,
“We’ve got a mind of our own, so go to hell if what you’re thinking is not right!”
We can solve our own problems. You, who is reading this article, consider yourself as a starting point. There are and there will be many starting points. The goal is the same; the vision is the same. When a solution is coming from your heart and from your mind, and not from somewhere else, it is permanent. This is how it can be done.
No magic of an International Community intervention act in this. To them we can say, ‘Thank you for your offer to help us; we don’t need your assistance. We are able to solve our own problems. We can look after ourselves.’
You can reach the author via his email: thiik_giir@hotmail.com
The opinion expressed here is solely the view of the writer. The veracity of any claim made are the responsibility of the author, not PaanLuel Wël: South Sudanese Bloggers (SSB) website. If you want to submit an opinion article or news analysis, please email it to paanluel2011@gmail.com. SSB do reserve the right to edit material before publication. Please include your full name, email address, city and the country you are writing from.
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