South Sudan: Peace Begins at Home
By Peter Wek Mabiordit, Juba, South Sudan
Friday, January 11, 2019 (PW) — Peace is a precious gift from God. It bears positivity and hope in the hearts of the poor and comforts the marginalized. Peace does not promote tribalism or hatred. It is an advocate of unity and progress. Peace does not seek vengeance for the wrongs done.
It builds a common boundary of love, trust and understanding. For peace to exist in our country South Sudan, we must initiate the spirit of love and forgiveness right from within our families. A family that is guided by the principles of peace values the contributions made by all its members.
It sows the seeds of contention and resolves differences amicably. In a God-fearing family, violence and rivalry are not practiced. Similarly, a strong nation is the one in which love, unity, freedom of expression and association are observed.
Peace does not pop up out of blue. It is a result of commitment and compromise between the oppressor and the oppressed. Each and every one of us must forego our selfish interests and build a rigid foundation for peace.
Families form the society and societies form a great nation. We must therefore work hard to achieve that greatness because it does not come alone. Talking and talking alone will not move us anywhere unless we put the strategies and policies into practice.
The common song of the neighborhood that it’s the responsibility of government and opposition to bring peace should now be put off if we were to witness true change. You and I can play our part and others will follow suit for nation building is a collective responsibility but not an individual duty.
Our role as law abiding citizens is to participate in developmental activities such as farming, business, sports, carpentry, masonry, peace conferences and spreading messages of hope.
Preaching hatred on social hatred on social media, cattle raiding, fake community politics, road ambushes and rebellion only increase the pain and suffering of our brethren. We should value lives and properties of others and learn to live together as one people irrespective of our ethnicities.
A tree is known by its good fruits and so is a nation by its great people. Let’s plant the seeds of peace in our homes today and build a bright future for our children. May God bless South Sudan!
The writer is a South Sudanese poet and researcher. For comments, reach him via his email:wekmabior@gmail.com
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