Opinion, By ©Tajush2021 – A South Sudanese refugee |Liberalmind210@gmail.com
THE FOLLOWING OPINION DOESN’T REFLECT THE VIEWS OF KANERE
There was a time not too long ago when South Sudan was a beacon of hope for both Africa and the world at large. Exactly ten years ago today, in 2011, South Sudan attained a well fought for independence from the imperial Arab regime of Omar al Bashir through a landslide cessation referendum.
Dr. John Garang de Mabior and Ali Osman Taha, the vice president of Sudan at the time, signed a Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) in Naivasha, Kenya as the world closely watched. After twenty-one years of war, Dr. Garang de Mabior achieved something that most South Sudanese had ardently hoped for but doubted would happen. He had given them a home. A sovereign nation.
The country began to spiral downward when Dr. Garang de Mabior died in a controversial helicopter crash en route to S. Sudan from Kampala, Uganda. After his death, the ruling party voted for General Salva Kiir Mayardit to take leadership through a delegate vote of confidence. The General was the second in command for the ruling party, SPLA, so his election was largely without protest. He had the well-deserved honor to lead as the first president of a sovereign nation after his many accomplishments during the fight for independence. .
Fast forward to 2015, and the script has completely changed. Many scholars are still grappling to understand what exactly led to South Sudan’s ultimate shameful fall from grace in the world’s eyes and in the citizen’s view. Abruptly, South Sudan changed from a nation where sovereignty was adored and development was the chief agenda to a place that is difficult to describe. The fabric of the very war that we ran from was once again adorned as designer attire. A war between disgruntled citizens. A tribal war. A senseless war. And if that wasn’t enough, corruption, nepotism in government jobs, embezzlement of public funds to cater for private needs and presidential dictatorship became commonplace. It is unfortunate for the citizens. It is very sad. Very sad!
As you read this post, it is barely a week ago when this article was published, in regards to South Sudan’s Independence Day. However, there is nothing to celebrate in the current situation. As a matter of fact, there is nothing to smile about, as Jamaican reggae icon Morgan Heritage would say. There is absolutely nothing to smile about in the progress of this nation.
To reflect on South Sudan’s ten years of independence, I compiled a list of issues to be aware of. These are mere observations coming from a citizen’s first hand experience with the banality of the ordinary citizens’ life in the capital Juba. It is the same across the entire country:
• The government is struggling. We know this because it borrows money from the World Bank and IMF to pay civil servants. Even with this money, it only pays ‘loyal’ civil servants.
• There is no clear opposition to keep the government in check. What democracy has no opposition, you ask? Well, South Sudan happens to be one. We know this because the supposed opposition role of the Vice President has been compromised with gifts to the point that he sits in his office watching as the country goes to dogs.
• Rebellion is rewarded and patriotism is snarled at like a stray dog. Well, we know this because when an Army General loses his post, he takes arms and runs to the bush to attack government factions and civilians, to rob and rape, and to block roads to paralyze the economy. He will then be rehired and promoted with a fat check and apat in the back. It pays well to be a bad guy in South Sudan.
• Devaluation of the dollar means nothing to ordinary citizens who buy everything at the markets. Prices continue to plummet and we blame the dollar for our woes. Now the value of the dollar is the lowest as has ever been. Until we focus on our own production and stop importing everything from Uganda and Khartoum, the dollar game will just remain that, a game. A very dirty game to play.
• The education system is a joke. We know this because, well, we pay teachers peanuts. How do you motivate someone to enlighten a generation with only three thousand SSP monthly? That’s less than ten dollars a month for a salary.
• There is no healthcare system. We know this because of the large number of pharmacies in the country. In every market, the ratio of pharmacies to ordinary shops are maybe one to ten. There is a problem there. The Chinese are slowly killing this country and we look the other way.
• Tribalism and nepotism control government and civil institutions. You have to know someone who knows someone who knows another someone in order to be considered viable for employment. We know this because, well, look at our police force which is run by one family. Look at the government posts and heads of big parastatals like Nilepet.
• Most people have lost hope, especially the youth. When a society’s youth resorts to violence as a means of survival, that society has lost all hope. Youth should be the future of any society. Next time you speak of Toronto or any other gang, think twice. It’s bigger than them, for they just want a share of the cake.
• Foreigners run the whole economy and they are running it amok. If you’re a South Sudanese entrepreneur or intellectual, you either get killed or choked out of business. Recall Kerubino Wol, a young entrepreneur and activist whose body was mutilated and dumped in the Nile for crocodiles to feast on. Yet, all he wanted was a better home. He left behind a myriad of projects in schools and hospitals and other startups to motivate the youth with no one to implement them. If you don’t believe this, look at who owns the five star hotels, supermarkets, night clubs and even water tank companies. Your guess is as good as mine. Ethiopians, Egyptians and Ugandans, in that order.
• Last but not least—-fear grows every day. The government says that there is finally peace, but do you think it’s for you and me? They made peace with each other, that’s for sure. Now they are great accomplices in the game of looting. They dine together while brothers kill brothers and people fall to unknown gunmen every day. Yet, they still wonder why our people occupy refugee camps all across the world. There is no peace.