A Reception Letter to Hon. Aleu Ayieny Aleu, the New Governor for Warrap State

A QUICK LETTER TO WARRAP STATE ‘S NEW GOVERNOR, HON. ALEU AYIENY ALEU.

By Kon Mayol Reach, Wau, South Sudan

Friday, January 29, 2021 (PW) — Dear Hon. Governor, allow me to greet and welcome you to Warrap. Thanks to President Kiirdit for your appointment. I was a bit worried having you in this difficult time, where lawless reign over the whole country compounded by rebellious government officials but looking on the other side of the coin, I found and realise that you are one of the true shepherds Warrap State needs the most. 

First and foremost, at this point before entering into the details of my writing, I would first like to congratulate the outgoing Governor, Hon. Bona Panek Biaar for his job well done, doing what he could as opposition and government still battle who take what and what in the formation of all layers of government nationally and subnationally. I applause him for that and wish all the best in his upcoming endeavours.

Coming back again to the center piece of this writing, my New Governor, no one in South Sudan that can underestimate your integrity and righteousness. You are a great personality that will always remain Aleu AYIENY AEU under whatever difficult circumstances. What lacks most in Warrap is truth telling and inclusive law enforcement plus encroachment in other institutional duties and this is where you are the right antidote.

Kindly, allow me to outline to you what needs to be corrected as a stumbling block to every Governor’s success in the state and this calls for immediate stoppage or revision.

1. Empowerment of Chiefs and restoring their roles:

This has been discussed and discussed and no governor succeeded in doing it. For you to succeed as our Governor and be remembered, kindly restore the powers of Chiefs on day one in your office and you reap your sown seeds very well in 6 months time. I have no good descriptions for Chiefs’ for you but you know them.

I heard your Dad was a Chief then and Noi’s and her Neighbours’ peace was holding… meaning he, Ayienydit and his Colleagues had a bigger role in gluing together the communities. Customary Laws enacted by Chiefs in 1967 brought about lasting peace in Warrap for decades until corruption undo their powers recently after independence.

It will be good also if Chiefs’ numbers are downsized. Most of the problems came after Chiefs got increased in 2013. Traditional Authority doesn’t need inflation if it is wanted to be effective and efficient its functions. Give Caesar what belongs to Caesar’s.

Police has encroached heavily on Traditional Authority roles. Judges, the same. A clear cut needs to be drawn among the Law Enforcement Agencies, the Legal Judges and Traditional Authority so that peace and development are given a chance.

2. Enforcement of the rule of Law in the State:

Most of the communal conflicts happening in the country now are a result of revenge killings, cattle raids and proliferation of small arms in the hands of civil populations. To succeed in enforcing law and order, judiciary should do it’s work professionally to avoid revenge killings, punish those selling arms, and those conducting cattle raids. An eye for an eye should apply in Warrap.

Someone kills and he get gets killed too without any delay. Revenge killings have become so common in Warrap and other places because of slow judicial processes, hence, allowing the affected families to take law into their hands and do revenge, creating a cycle of unwanted and unnecessary conflicts along communal lines.

Getting rid of the sources of ammunitions and weapons should be one of your top priorities. Juba Elites must pay this time for their gross misconduct. All those opened stores and selling weapons to civilians must be closed with real and consequential punishments to those involved.

3. Formation of neutral Committees to investigate all Communal Violents in Warrap State that are running now:

Multifaceted committees to investigate all the roots causes conflicts in Warrap should be instituted by your office in the second Week of your authority in Office…this will help you to know why communal conflicts have becom difficult to control, who are fueling them with evidences recorded, sources of their weapons, who command these youths fighting themselves, when do thes conflicts happen (trends), factors drying communal conflicts, revenge killings and why like delayed justice and so on.

4. Disarmament:

Immediately after the investigation Committees’ report, study their reports, apply law where applicable especially on those elites logging on communities for their selfish gains if findings include them, and launch peaceful disarmament across conflict hotspots in the state with a consensus reached at the national level to get a comprehensive plan for a nationwide disarmament in case other communities remained armed in other States and so on.

This disarmament should be led by your office and Chiefs (already empowered) and some security forces with very absolute integrity and discipline.

5. Reconciliation and Healing:

As disarmament takes places, Civil Society Organisations and faith based institutions inclusive of the spiritual leaders should do Reconcilation and Healing conferences across the conflicts hit areas in the state. County council of elders with emminent personalities drawn from  different of the state can help you too.

6. Appointment of non Wealth Seekers but those with integrity as Commissioners as part of your State’s Local Governments:

As a Head of Security and Economic Council in the state, it is very pertinent you surround yourself with educated County Commissioners and Educated Executive Directors to champion the cause of your agenda. As Governor, you have veto power to reject quake candidates wanting to be commissioners and endorsed by other parties.

This is about the people their development, and provision of services such as quality Education, good Health, infrastructure development, Agricultural services, peace promotive engagements and so on.

7. Appointment of Competent Ministers and Director Generals for all 17 Ministries and Commissions and Legal Institutions:

Our country is not developing because of DGs in every level (State and National), Undersecretaries (National) and Executive Directors at County Levels. These areas, I beg you my Governor to pay your full attention to them. They are suppose to be the lead in fighting corruption but are not doing it, hence, leaving the country with nothing but hatreds.

They are suppose to be real technocrats who plan and implement development projects across the Country and this is where redundancy and laziness among the youth comes about, leading to them engaging in anti social behaviours such as cattle raids, killing, drinking, and other vices.

Kindly help and liberate us. Every DG, Minister, Commissioners should make clear plans with budget and present to your office for endorsement every month with serious follow up and close Monitoring applied on them.

8. Roles of Humanitarian Agencies and Organizations:

This international and local institutions mobilise a lot of funds in their billions in the name of South Sudanese but most of their projects do not make any impact, I need your Office to create an NGOs Affairs Office within the State Secretariat General and appoint competent person to work alongside RRC and other associated institutions to make sure they deliver the services adequately.

Realignment of their projects can be done also by always having State and County Strategicc Developments shared with them during their funds mobilisation times to make sure they do what the government intends to be done across the state. They are very helpful and a lot more can be found on this issue. Few of these Organisations and Agencies are achieving, thanks to them.

9. Revenues Generation & Economic stabilisation of your state:

Ask the National Revenue Authority to review and stock your state with Competent Tax or Revenue Collection Officers with enhanced Transparency and Accountability all levels such as border check points, markets, auctions, and other.sources. All the financial forms should be adhered to.

For your Government to succeed, it needs money and all sources of money should be properly managed accountably by concerned institutions. If possible, you can dismantle some checkpoints in the state if security risks associated to their ban are low to stabilise the market prices and restores purchasing power lost by your state citizens since the floating of the exchange rates.

10. Interstates’ Border Peace Conferences:

You were a key participant of 1999 Wunlit Peace Conference, its outocmes brought CPA, relative peace in the then Southern Sudan, and unity among the Nuers of Western Upper Nile and Dinka of Bahr el Ghazal region.

All those actors are still there, the then Sudan Council of Churches, the SPLM, and other International Partners like the UN and special Friends of now South Sudan…kindly, get them back, organise and conduct another one. There are available opportunities to do that. Unity Government is one of them et cetera.

11. Reviewing the role of the Church and other faith based institutions in the State:

Warrap State in recent years, witnessed large influx of different Christian denominations and these have brought about a very big confusion among the illiterate communities, still struggling to acquire education and see things clearly.

Most relationships and several families have broken down due to conflicting scriptures derived from the same Holy Book, the Bible. This, as a result, has threatened the our cultures and traditional heritages of the South sudanese in general and Warrap State in particular.

Therefore, Church needs checks and balances. My hopes in realising this, are only on you. And many many more to mention but a few.

Conclusively, I trust you will overcome all the problems of Warrap State for all of us know what you do well, and that’s being truthful and straightforward in everything you do. I know you very well.

You will win big in terms of development promotions, Reconcilation and Healing, stabilisation of security and many others. And be peaceful always as usual. Warrap politics are very classical and are good with the people of your calibre to handle.

All the best with your team, Hon. Governor.

The author, Kon MAYOL REECH, is a First Year Student, College of Agriculture & Forestry, at the University of Bahr el Ghazal in Wau.

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