Who is the “Cuer Doar” of South Sudan?
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By Bol Khan, Kampala, Uganda
Wednesday, April 29, 2020 (PW) — Cuer Doar, a Nuer compounds word, which is literally defined in English as a “greedy-fool” and selfish person. He (Cuer Doar) is always fond of the things that other people think as unpleasant. I used a pronoun “he” because I know ninety (90%) percent of Cuer Doars in the world are men. Women are worthwhile, at all fronts! Nuer considered Cuer Doar as less blessing once is born to a family.
For Cuer Doar does not practically encourages peace and stability, particularly in an environment where his own personal interest has not been fulfilled (e.g if there is no enough food). Cuer Doar does not have distinct principles or permanent friend(s), in life. His best and permanent friend is only his stomach and whoever has wealth around.
Cuer Doar does not know what the Nuer call “Boar” or shame. I hope many of you have read that illustrative story in Chinua Achebe’s book “Things Fall Apart” where one person picked a name “All of you” for himself simply because he wanted to own what everybody was supposed to have a share in. Cuer Doar has very weak thinking capacity.
He does not think of what tomorrow may bring, but he puts all of his “eggs in one basket”. Cuer Doar does not know that the life is a process that needs proper principles, planning including “gives and takes” on both sides or balancing. If he gets anything produced on his own), like food he would willingly refuse to share it with other colleagues or people.
But once you, the other colleagues, produced your food, Cuer Doar will jump out of his hiding place, make peace with you and happily join you in eating. Which is widely allowed in South Sudanese cultures.
Cuer Doar easily forgets both the bad things he did/does against others or the good things that other people have done for him. What binds Cuer Doar with others is only food and wealth. Once the wealth is over, then Cuer Doar would retreat at once and look at you as an enemy number one to him.
Moreover, in some instances, Cuer Doar may also surprisingly come up and grasp the responsibility of any work that the other people might have done in his absence. He (Cuer Doar) would blindly claim he was the one who did the good work, this is if and only if he can see wealth and food.
Instead for him to cooperate with you, who did the good work in his absence, he would try to do everything possible to wipe you away, by staging a constant fatal hate against you.
His intention here is that he earns the credit latter or remains with those ill gotten wealth so as to end his greed and fool. Cuer Doar changes loyalty unexpectedly or defects (in the morning & returns in the evening) from one family or group to another within a short period of time.
The following day, week, month or year he does the same. This depends on scarcity or an availability of eatable resources therein, respectively. Cuer Doar has no constant merits, friend and permanent principles in life.
Why, because his sole objective is always his personal interest or what goes into his stomach at the expenses of public interest and PEACE for all! Do we have such kind of people in this country? They are not for Peace and Stability!
I, therefore, request all of you (reading this) that let’s pray hard to Almighty father so that our women who are still producing stop giving birth to so many “Cuer Doars” in our beloved country, South Sudan.
Bol Khan is a South Sudanese Independent Opinion Writer and Peace Activist. Reach him on khanrom8@gmail.com or WhatsApp him on +249969208381
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