Why Jieng Council of Elders (JCE) has finally given us something to talk about at tea places
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By Jok WaMonychok, Juba, South Sudan
Saturday, February 20, 2021 (PW) — As I write this article, I am mindful of the fact that the details I am going to give might have been written about before since Jieng Council of Elders (JCE), a body perceived to be the determiners of the fate of our country during this crisis that begun in December 2013 has been discussed several times by people with superior intellect. It’s important at the outset to make it clear that the citizens have suffered enough and any move worries patriotic citizens.
Of late, many events have occurred, which have necessitated changes of allegiances. It’s in this sense that ordinary citizens like me who know nothing about how cards are played at night cannot know who to support. And thus despite the good intentions contained in the document released by JCE, there’s still a cloud of doubt hanging over the minds of innocent people.
In 2013, JCE was supporting President Salva Kiir. Besides, JCE was implicated as the ones who designed the conflict and pushed it to the president in order to have access to vast wealth up for scramble. Indeed, the conflict as benefited members of JCE and their familiesas they walked away with billions of dollars unaccounted for and their children, friends and sycophants recommended to take over top and lucrative jobs left by those who rebelled or forced to rebel.
On the other hand, JCE might have been accused for nothing. Their argument is that, there are other councils of elders, but they are framed to be behind the mess and associated with President Salva Kiir because the president comes from Dinka tribe. However, the same argument is used against them. It’s hard to believe why othercouncils of elders are not audible or active in State of Affairs.
This confirms the former that the reason JCE is influencial is because the president is a Dinka and an element of Dinkanization cannot be overruled. This is a reason for worry to ordinary citizens who feelthat South Sudan belongs to all of us and one tribe should not be the only one determining the fate of other tribes. We have many reasons to choose equality over inequality.
When ARCISS was signed in 2015, JCE was against it not as an independent organization, but as a part of government since most of them were members of President Kiir’s government. This was not taken seriously as a point of fragility of the agreement, but as an element of insecurity associated with the loss of positions as a result of power sharing. Indeed, the main reason for rejecting the deal was loss of positions and influence as many members of JCE lost their positions and fell far away from President Kiir’s dining table.
As a result, they have been replaced by mostly opposition figures and a group that was in El Bashir’s government. To meet President Kiir, it becomes as hard as an entry of an elephant into a mouse’s hole. This is by the way a tactic that’s learned from them who were in the bush. During their heydays, they made sure that no one even their colleagues who were with them in the trenches were allowed to see President Kiir or anywhere they would have something to eat. Karma is a bitch, isn’t it?
Now that it’s their turn to be blocked or isolated by Khartoumers, they have come up with what they would have done when they were in power. Sincerely speaking, the position JCE has taken today is a very patriotic move that must be applauded by all South Sudanese. But the problem is that why are they taking that decision today when these problems surfaced long time ago? This will take you back to the answer of loss of influence and favor from the president.
The document talks about leadership failure and political deadlockfrom the two principals; Kiir and Riek. This is absolutely right. The two will never succeed in driving the country out of the current abyss. But this failure started long time ago in the deem past. Where were they (JCE) to talk about it? It’s even cited in their document quoting Obasanjo Report that the relation between President Kiir and his then Vice President, Riek Machar strained before 2010 Elections as it was the evident in their supports of different candidates.
Another important and patriotic point in the report is corruption. We have suffered because of corruption. Our image is spoiled bycorruption as we lead the world with corruption. The JCE has called for international audit committee to audit the two ministries of Finance and Economic Planning and Petroleum. It also calls for auditing of Revenue Authority and the oil sales agreement. This is a patriotic call that deserves applause and solid support.
However, South Sudanese are very sceptical. They immediately remember the story of two women who went to King Solomon fighting over the child that was alive. Read the full history in the Bible if you don’t know it. It’s clear that members of JCE are overpowered by Khartoumers and IOs that they prefer kicking the plate which have been feeding them since the beginning.
As you continue reading the document, your love for JCE soars. They have patriotically underscored the need for bringing to an end the intra and inter-communal conflicts in the states. At this juncture,It’s important to underscore the fact that almost all the states of Jieng with the exception of Northern Bahr el Ghazal State have intra or inter-communal conflicts. These are the states where these elders are coming from.
This begs the question: How can you solve national problems when you have failed to solve states problems where you hail from? JCE’s core objective in the paper I presume is to solve problems facing Jieng. Why has it turned into lobbying for positionsonly?
Another important point is institutions building. Again, you can’t differ with JCE here. We need institutions. We need to be governed by laws not men, let me borrow Obama’s idea. We cannot forget the fact that JCE is made of men who have accumulated wisdom overtime and have acquired technical acumens in academia and civil services. They feel that it’s important to leave behind institutions for the generations to come after them. Here, you can’t disagree with them. And if anyone thinks they’re late, they are not late. The time is now to establish institutions.
Finally in their document comes the National Dialogue. In fact, the government of President Kiir claims legitimacy from the citizens. Thus, it should listen to the same citizens that grant its legitimacy. In December 2016, President Kiir initiated The National Dialogue, which was supported by everyone including JCE. The recommendations asked Kiir and Riek to stand aside and allow a transition for new blood. This sounds unrealistic because Kiir and Riek signed the agreement that brought peace and thus, it didn’t go down well with nas kubaar (Kiir and Riek).
All the recommendations seem to have been thrown deep down into the dustbin of rejection. I am interested in all of them and particularly the recommendation calling for the recognition of 2013 Abyei Referendum results. This is where I go against JCE when they propose 20 States without Abyei neither as an administrative area nor attached to another state. This is so worrying. We the youth keep putting our efforts to educating ourselves about Abyei, but the leaders and elders keep disappointing us.
Later, these documents will be used by Khartoum as reference in negotiating for Abyei. And especially as it’s the organization for Jieng, don’t we have elders from Abyei in JCE? Could it be that there’s something agreed between South Sudan and Sudan on Abyei that we don’t know? Please you ought to tell us if there’s something we should know so that we don’t waste our resources and energy on Abyei. We are poor already and the little we have should not be wasted on unachievable issues.
To come to conclusion, the citizens are tired of these sufferings and if there are those supporting either JCE or the government of Kiir and Riek, it’s those who are eating through their uncles. We have suffered enough to the point even sycophancy has become unpromising if you don’t have your uncle. People are divided to the point one opposes the other even if the other is saying the truths. Because of corruption and nepotism, we have become a jealous society.
Qualifications are nothing and those enjoying the creams of the nation are the favoured ones who don’t take care of the unfavoured ones. This document will help change all these problems if received in good faith. Let’s not use it to make enemies since those who differ with us in opinions and ideas are our enemies in our country.
The writer is the Founder of Yen La Abyei initiative, a nonviolent, nonpolitical and non-profit initiative inspired by dire humanitarian and historical needs in Abyei. He is a Business Strategist, a graduand of Economics at Catholic University of South Sudan. He is reachable via his email: jokwamonychok@gmail.com
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