Gogrial State in Total Chaos. Who Will Save Gogrial People From Themselves?
10 min readBy Longar Mathiec Wol, Nairobi, Kenya
July 17, 2017 (SSB) —- When the social fabric becomes weak cohesion suffers, that is the day when we accept misuse diversity becomes weakness. That is the day when your brother see you as an enemy, the day when all aspect of togetherness is broken. That is when we believe our sense of brotherhood is shattered. South Sudan the country where people hope had been distorted by the communal and tribal war brought about by the lack of the rule of law, lack of direction brought panic in highly illiterate population.
When it comes to tribal and communal violence people think someone in charge should be blame. In a belligerent society like that of South Sudan, it is hard to understand who to take a blame. Many think the head of state and the governor/governors should be blame of high insecurity level in the country. But how did the base their argument? Many people think since the president is the head of the state and the commander in chief of all organize forces should take responsibility because he control the men in charge of security.
He is also has all the powers to appoint and relieve that means whenever there is incompetency he should be in a position to relieve that person and appoint the capable person to rescue the situation.
When it comes to governors many people might argued that president has authorize them or the have been delegate powers to exercise on behalf of the president. That seems a valid argument because they have been empowered. But does this argument works in some scenarios. For instance when it comes to Gogrial communal scenario, who is to blame the president or the governor?
For me, I think the president has done enough by appointing you to lead that state or that institution. The programs in that institution is the responsibility of the person heading that organization, being a ministry, commission or state. You are free to do your work and make a report to the president informing him about what you have been doing and what are your plans; nothing more than that.
You don’t expect to be appointed and at the same time a person who appointed you follow you around and do what you were delegated to do.
Many people might look at it in other way by saying the president is not making follow up on the assignment he gave people. For me, I don’t see any bad thing about not following up because you are given chance to do your thing. That is a trust bestowed upon you, do right thing. The problem only a raise when the person given that duty has no capacity to handle without supervision.
But believe me or not, President Salva Kiir mean well to South Sudan but his close allies and the people he choose to lead institutions are the problem. As we all know, President Salva Kiir Mayardit is believe to be a Joshua of South Sudan. The man who did everything in almost his life to make sure his people are free from oppression and marginalization.
He fought two wars Anyanya and Sudan People’s Liberation Movement/ Army (SPLM/A) respectively of which one becomes the longest war in Africa the SPLM/A war. He is a man who can do anything for the emancipation of the marginalize people of the then southern Sudan and now the free people of the republic of South Sudan.
Even if this freedom is facing challenges then it’s because of greediness and selfishness that make us refused to engage in constructive dialogue that will bring us together.
After the death of his predecessor and co-founder of SPLM and the commander in chief of SPLA Dr. John Garang de Mabior in Helicopter crash July 2005, he step in his shoes and becomes the next president of the Southern Sudan and the commander in chief of SPLA. During his time he work hard to make sure that the people of southern Sudan got their most awaited freedom through the popular referendum in 2010 granted to them in comprehensive peace agreement (CPA).
He is also credited for unifying the southern factions after the death of his predecessor. He is a man who sacrificed enough and continue sacrificing for the cause he believe in. when South Sudan gained independence in 2011 the freedom fighter General Kiir become the first president of the Modern South Sudan.
However, after some time the dispute within the ruling party SPLM turn the bus and drove us back to where we came from; another war. The 2013 tragic events caused by the allegation of failed or foiled attempted coup took us to square one again. The new war erupted in the modern South Sudan that turn out to be one of the deadlier civil war in newest East Africa nation at 21st century. Thousands killed, millions displaced either internally or externally.
Though, he is a credited and being praise as the most loyal commander ever in SPLM/A has now found himself in a lot of problems, being rampant corruption in his government, lack of proper administration in public institutions and so forth. These problems complicated the things and how to eradicate these vices become a problem. The new country marred with a lot of problems in the hands of a man who fought for the people he love.
The communal and tribal violence become the order of the day. The new rebellion of 2013 threaten the existence of the country he fought for almost his whole life. The war put the nation in its knees economically and politically. Communities and tribes are polarize. The excitement and smiles of independence are wipe away, the destitution and starvation takeover.
Hence, apart from the above mentioned, the nurtured rebellion; nurture because we compensate the rebellion and comfort the rebel leaders that led to encouragement of rebellion in the country. The communalism and tribalism has threaten our national security, it has taken over the country that took the lives of 2.5 million people. But the funny thing is that nothing tangible being done to contain the situation.
The government we trust with all our hearts has turned out to be a deceit, beside all chaos it remains mum, has no strategies to stop the rampant mayhem all over the country. Innocent people are demising every day. No solution to communal problem, no genuine peace. How do leaders feel when seeing the people they represent killing themselves every single day. The most painful part is when people mock the death of human being to be compare with the death of a chicken.
When you ask people what is happening on the ground the respond jokingly by saying the death of human being now a days is just like that of chicken. Others say living in south Sudan is like waiting for your death because death could strike at any time in any moment without help from anywhere. All people are on abyss of death.
Really, did we bring ourselves out of Sudan to finish ourselves? was that the solely reason. It is completely unfortunate and heartbreaking.
What people don’t know is who is actually in the Centre of this dilemma. In Gogrial where the communal violence has rocked the state or gone out of control under the watch of the governor of Gogrial state H.E Gregory Deng Kuaac Aduol and the President of the Republic of South Sudan H.E General Salva Kiir Mayardit, is a bad sign if nothing is done to contain the horrific situation where the people continue to finish themselves.
Though the blame lay heavily on governor since he is the head of state and the head of security in state; still the president in such a situation is expected to act. Other would argued that the conflict has been there, but the concern here is the level of escalation. Now this polarize society is confused whether the man who is delegated to exercise the powers or the man who gave him powers should be held accountable is a question lingering in the minds of many people.
But since the governor has been given all the powers necessary to deal with all state’s challenges he should take all the blames. Infract many people start becoming skeptical whether the governor is doing enough or indirectly involved. If that was not the case, why are we not see action? This situation need drastic measures that will lead to real change.
Regardless of the level of insecurity; here; stand the president of the republic stranded in dilemma between his people dying, his credibility and the governorship position. The people of Gogrial are also to blame specially the politicians because they are confusing the president through many complains and little action. But the matter of fact is that the Gogrial state leadership is suffering from leadership deficiency.
I know Gogrial had many capable people but they don’t have access to political scene. Our current governor has no working relationship with the people in state. On one hand he doesn’t trust the people he leads and they people don’t trust him. People believed he is communalistic in nature.
But in this case, who is to shoulder the blame? Is it the governor who failed to contain the situation or the president who failed to look for another alternative? The president is the only person whose powers are conferred upon him by the people and the transitional constitution of the republic of south Sudan 2011. What I don’t know is whether the presidential alternative is relevant or irrelevant in this situation.
I wondered which type of political mistake that could compelled the president to sack a governor. Though others see insecurity being one of the things that might lead to the sacking of the governor; but it seems the citizens and their president are not on the same page. When the governor failed to continue to maintain the status quo, some suggestions argued that he has actually revived the conflict indirectly by releasing the notorious people who were charged of their involvement in causing the communal conflict.
It was almost disremembered violence that was cool down by his predecessor but soon he arrives in state the problems arise. It seems like he has no genuine cogitation on how to bring the communal violence to an end, because he would have initiated a solution, he seems not to be irked by situation at all. The governor failure to tackle insecurity has brought many questions whether the president still believe in his capacity in dealing with the crisis.
This situation brought many interrogatives and dubitation in minds of many people whether the president has compromised his credibility when it comes to matters concerning Gogrial state communal violence, it either he is influenced or being remote control by powerful cartels in regime. If that was not the case then how could a man with ethical mind could leave someone with a mission to continue to achieve his objectives of divide and rule.
How could you be a leader of a state where you don’t have access to some places? A person with integrity could resign alone, whether sack or not, but that is not the case in the country where resignation is a taboo, in a country where jobs are given by one man. Things are unfolding but it remains a business as usual.
My appeal to the people of Gogrial state; you fought enough, raided enough cattle, displaced enough population, spoiled your names and so forth. You have seen it all. It is upon yourselves to say enough is enough whether from Aguok, Apuk and Kuac. Come up with concrete steps that would lead to permanent peace. It is time for local made solution.
There is no need of killing yourselves for nothing, I know for sure some of the thing that led to the conflict were issues not problems but we had converted issues into problem. Now we are stranded in problems, it is time to walk out of it. It is not too late, peace has never been too late. Peace is the only option.
Finally, No one had any bad intention toward any one. All worries are not of any interest, it all about the interest of the people of Gogrial state. A ubiquity of insecurity in all the corners of the state is the matter of grave concern to the citizens and it would be advisable if someone with fresh idea can try and make the insecurity a little bit ameliorate.
Some might be victimize for expressing their fear on this continuing communal massacre in state but the truth remains unalterative. All I need is the quick action to stop the ongoing communal conflict in Gogrial state; nothing much.
The author, Longar Mathiec Wol, is a concern South Sudanese citizen living in Nairobi Kenya. He can be reached through email address: longarmaxiech@gmail.com.
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