THE IRONY OF A BIG FISH CONSUMING A SMALL FISH
4 min read‘Power doesn’t corrupt people, people corrupt power’. – William Gaddis
By Ajang Alaak Atem, Bor, South Sudan
April 26, 2017 (SSB) — “Corruption, the biggest reason for the downfall of most empires and civilization. Some group of people can tolerate corruption as long as their leader champions their religion, some will tolerate bribery as long as they champion their own race. I’ve lived long enough to see most of my friends that shouted anti-corruption slogan against the government have no problem bribing a police officer and vote for a leader of their choice as long as these leaders championed their own race” ~ Gecko & Fly
Based on past observations from Sudan government, and after South Sudan gained her independence from the decayed Khartoum regime, we assumed that the fresh leaders who took over the government of South Sudan could be benevolent not as predatory as they have become a threat to the development of their own state (South Sudan) in recent days after attaining their self-determination.
However, informal activities are less visible, and it is more costly and less rewarding for the government to expropriate them. At each period, citizens choose whether to die or vote for them to operate in the informal or formal sector. Then the government, is opportunistic, it decides whether or not to predate.
Thus, the government’s option provides an indication of its form…politicians’ bellies first and citizens later! While political-greed generates immediate downfall for the fraudulent government, self-indulgence enhances political breakdown, discouraging citizens to enter to formal sectors.
A corrupt government does not rationally anticipate the response of the citizens; it never trades off the immediate costs of restraint against the benefits of future predation. Its strategy takes the form of mixing between embezzling public funds without restraint. The priority distribution of the government’s type and of its policy choices cannot determine the citizens’ access to services. Moreover, lacks of independent judicial system harden all the ways towards achieving common citizenry.
It should not be a surprise to mention that the political temperatures in South Sudan have reached the boiling point, and people who will suffer most are vulnerable people and those with low political grounds. In fact, the little fishes should cooperate with their predators and start to praise them. This is because they’re mightier than the nation according to their belief. If the little fishes keep on roaming and avoid lauding the big fishes, there will always be high chances for them (Little fishes) to be consumed and it’ll be difficult for them to resist.
Hence, the corruption in south Sudan, like a litmus paper, it shows different blushes to denote their true being. Our politicians think that national resources belong to them. And according to them, they should be used as per their choice and will, provide they are in power forgetting that they are adding more catalyst into national problems.
In South Sudan, it will take numerous years to get a safe politician who have not involved in this massive national robbery but who will take the lead to spearhead the execution of more than thousands of big fish feeding on little power. But the patriotic citizens who believe in the kingdom of hope, development and peace shall one day harvest the reality behind their anticipation. However, those citizens who have taken gluttony as a tool to bring down the future of South Sudan will one day be in remorse.
Ajang Alaak Atem is an activist of gender equality in South Sudan. He holds bachelor degree in Accounting from Kampala University; diploma in Public Relations (Media Studies) from Institute of Management, Language and Sciences, Kenya, and Diploma in Accounting (Management science) from Dr. John Garang Memorial University of Science and Technology, South Sudan. Ajang is a humanitarian worker based in South Sudan, since 2010. He can be reached via: atemkabir@gmail.com
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