South Sudan: The Story of the Domesticated Monkey
3 min read“I am forced to abandon my profession by those who think too much about ruling us and believe very little about the survival of the citizens” 〰 Nhial Bol Aken 〰
By Nhial Bol Aken, Juba, South Sudan
August 2, 2017 (SSB) — In the 1970s when I was in my intermediate school in Yei town, a domesticated monkey which was roaming the school compound decided to pick eye glass of my colleague, Inyicio Manuyat and ran to the forest which was very close to the school boarding rooms.
We mobilized ourselves to forcibly get back but the monkey managed to disappear however it returned the glasses to the school, holding it in the right arm. When we rounded it up and threatened to get by the use of force, the monkey put down the eye glass and broke it into three parts, beyond reparable situation.
We all regretted the incident and each of us started to blame the other for mismanaging attempts to disarm the monkey. My colleague regretted and concluded that all who were involved were to be blamed.
We could not get the right interpretation to what attracted the monkey to run away with the glasses and why it brought it back. My interpretation is that the monkey was holding the glass hostage and we should have invested to bail it with some fruits.
Our failure to explore the best options of liberating this facility ended wit the disaster of destruction and the glass disappeared.
I am bringing this incident to your attention that one day one time this incident may repeat itself if we don’t handle the process of getting back our rights, our country from those who are holding them hostages with care and wisdom.
Fellow South Sudanese know very well that the country has been hijacked and it has been kept hostage by those who hijacked it. If we use force, they will break this country into many pieces and we will all regret.
I am bringing up these issues to caution fellow citizens who are championing ethnic politics as a tool for change in the country. Those who blame Dinkas for looting resources, blaming Nuers for causing chaos and blaming Equatorians for being cowards will never solve this problem.
All our communities are victims as a result of those who hijacked the country and its resources. The best way is to get ourselves united and be as people of one destiny or else we will be pushed to lose what we have achieved, independence.
Exchanging insults will never allow us to focus on the future of our country or benefit from the God given resources. The suffering we are in is a man made one and we should liberate ourselves from it using peaceful means.
Those who are blaming our communities for the mess we are in are under the influence of ignorance to deal with the situation imposed by hijackers.
The author, Nhial Bol Aken, is the former Chief-Editor of Citizen Newspaper and currently a private citizen in Juba after resigning from journalism and politics last year. You can reach him via his email: nhialbol2002@yahoo.com
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