Jiëng ë Jonglei: Why Bor Elders Should Consult with and Learn from the Elders of Kongor Community
Jieng Jonglei
Jiëngdit ë Jonglei: To avoid further identity crises in Jonglei state, Bor elders should consult with and learn from the elders of the Kongor community.
By Awuol Gabriel Arok, Juba, South Sudan
Wednesday, 27 July 2022 (PW) — Undeniable Jiëng ë Jonglei state (namely, Nyarweng Dinka and Hol Dinka of Duk County, Twi Dinka of Twic East County, Bor Dinka of Bor County, Hol Dinka, and Padang Dinka of Pigi) have been known as super doers in their social, economic, and political performances. Looking closely into the current and past affairs of Jonglei as a region, there is an incontestable whooping pride of ignorance that has been visiting their houses without them knowing it. Many people have taken the notion that a doctor cannot cure him/herself, but if the teacher can teach him/herself when there is no other teacher, then without reservation a doctor can cure him/herself when there is no other doctor.
Concerns that have been causing contention among the citizens of Jonglei are that they have been globally awarded for proficiency. South Sudan has been hit by negative campaigns on social media. Jonglei, as one of the 10 states of South Sudan, is not, within this context, an exception. Cruelty: the media opportunity has been exploited by some learned sons and daughters of Jonglei who, without knowing, have fallen into the pot of social media and have become poor-witty addicts. Matters to do with a presentation in various capacities, such as who to lead, and who will represent this and that are not topics that can break the centurial anointed stick of the community.
Rights and privileges can be exploited through the guiding lane of skills, talents, sharing, coexistence, community bondage, and community blessings. Things to do with locality, leadership line-up, and opportunities for bonuses are unhealthy when achieved through an individual’s or group’s wit, purified, tactical, and skilful deeds or expressions. Such action cannot stop at a calculated or assumed point but can progress and enter individuals’ houses and even tear apart family members. Community affairs that are general can be discussed through organized communal consultations and meetings but not through lobbying, gossiping, and image tarnishing.
Who is who seems to be the greatest problem in Jonglei Dinka, but if I may ask, who is not who where he/she was born and brought up before he/she crossed into the neighbours’ compound? Facebook, YouTube, and Websites are commercial platforms being run by their owners and founders for economic benefits, and at the end of the day, after posters’ postings and sharing, none of them will come in and rank the best user that has great followings and likes.
Social media shall never and will never be a witness to the groups or individuals who are using them, and for sure to our massive grassroots population that is not only illiterate but has no knowledge about the number of likes, comments, and shares that individuals or groups’ opinions attract. What they can only hear is that the son or daughter of so and so has written a very disastrous piece/live video on Facebook.
Innocently, since the majority of them are not on social media, they will only throw some murmuring words, just mumbles of worries, but without their knowledge, those mumbles have been modified to fit the language of likes, comments, and shares and have been hurriedly taken to the media platform by their sons and daughters. There the war between the computerized generation and the informed folks has been fought through keyboards under the protection of firewalls.
Those fighters have never confronted themselves physically, like in an open war, formal meeting, forums, or other stage-oriented encounters. That characteristic makes it the fakest war of assumptions and cowardice. In that war, there is no stage pride, no attire for dressing, and no organizers, and most of it can be fought under the influence of drugs. Individuals are the chairpersons, deputy chairpersons, and secretaries of the infinite and scattered audiences, among them the under-aged and new recruits into opinionated media.
That type of war is invisible and uncontrollable; it is usually called the ghost and ghastly war of the ignorant. That grisly war can be commanded from the bush; cattle camps; the villages; meeting places, clubs and bars; along the roads, in the boats, at the airport; in planes; cars; hotels; schools, and churches. The bullets used during this war are the internet, which is loaded into a device called a mobile phone (particularly the smart one) and a computer under the supervision, instructions, command, and general launching an attack by the media users.
Its flames can cross the world’s greatest known oceans, rivers, mountains, valleys, deserts, and forests, and most of the time its blaze has killed many innocent souls and destroyed livelihoods and properties. One may wonder if the anointed leadership of those participating in invisible wars are aware of their deadliest behaviours and, if so, what measures are being put in place to demoralize and demolish those firewalls which are protecting the invisible fighters. In my own opinion giving them open and organized platforms where they can see themselves and be seen by the organizers of that platforms will infuse in them rays of stage panic and guilt mode.
In conclusion, the keyboard dialers and local parishioners are being laughed at by our wise, aged unionists and un-computerized generations due to their reckless and unfriendly roaming. When there was a lousy pulling of rope among the citizens of Twic, the Kongor community and leadership took the best suit, and everything was settled. The present stormy wind that is shuddering Jonglei Dinka’s boat is not a sacred secret and an abomination that needs the second coming of Jesus. The first issue is all about who is Bor when Bor’s name is mentioned and opportunities are given. The second issue is about self-egoism and localities’ underrating.
Finally, the leadership of Jonglei Dinka must sit with the people and examine the concerns of the people of Dukeen, Bor, and Twic Counties and come up with final resolutions and guidelines. With that in place, our great and cherished legacy can be served from the negative horns and watery mouths of a few reckless individuals. The rest are very innocent and purist. A traveller that doesn’t know the number of rocks along the road he uses is not the best traveller.
The author, Awuol Gabriel Arok, is a writer and poet, and a holder of an IMPA from Tsinghua University-Beijing in China, and a bachelor’s degree in social and developmental studies from the University of Juba, South Sudan. The author of an unpublished book titled “The Wisdom Horn’’, and regularly contributes to media websites and social media platforms on issues concerning social, economic, and politics through his peaceful and developmental campaigns such as ‘‘Your Tribe is My Tribe’’, Giving Heart Foundation’’, “Wisdom Testament”, “Classic Leadership Forum”, “Grace the Women Foundation”, “PeaceNet Initiative” and “Award for Development”. He can be reached via his email address: jjmkamzeearokson@yahoo.com.
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