Opinion by: Nhial K. Wicleek
The nascent nation had and continues to experience a stuttering journey that shaped the history of its past starting from June 12th and 13th 1947 Juba conference to its present-day 2021. Such a journey, in a chronological sequence, played a series of a dramatic shift in both negative and positive ways in a very unimaginable manner.
The birth of the Republic of South Sudan in its entirety is reminiscent of such journey, though the aftermath of social and political breakdown, which originated from the December 15, 2013, violent conflict that resulted in the systematic extermination of the innocent Nuer civilians before it expanded to the rest of tribes in South Sudan, has its fundamental backing from that experience.
Ironically, it could be argued that the path to a greater future is unimaginably predictable given the nature of political development and its changing inclinations. However, time and space intertwine in an unpredictably controllable manner, and this would play out in a way that set the recorded time that identified the current spoilers of social and political fabric, corroborators of such mischief, and how to foster a comprehensive postwar recovery to achieve a viable nation reflective of social and political accountability.
In a move that shook the young nation, the spoilers of social and political fabric began their dirty tactics of dividing the nation well beyond the 2005 CPA signed in Naivasha in a very negative way to achieve their selfish political objective. The identities of these people are salient to South Sudanese common men and women on the street as their deeds relentlessly prevail on the streets for the obvious reasons the people of South Sudan know. Through deception and outwitting, such personalities assumed superiority over others without objectively identifying what would appear to be the weakness of their social and political calculation.
As John Garang braced for the unification of Sudan as one Republic State, he then worked on brainwashing few elements to assume superiority over their ordinary colleagues without the definitive charisma the society requires. Such assumption made these individuals victim to their political conscience, whether in a positive or not negative way.
The failure of the Anya Nya I movement led by Samuel Gach Tut had its direct result from these rogues’ hidden agenda. The emergent chaotic situation leading to the death of Gaajaak Nuer and the rest of South Sudanese starting from 1985 to 1987 was a direct result of these assassins.
The occurrence of the SPLM/A 1991 split was a direct result of these people’s faulty play. The political wrangling between the party leaders during and after the 2008 convention has its fundamental roots from their selfish miscalculation. The classification of tribes, some being viewed as second-class citizens and some claiming the ownership as liberators of others, was a direct result of their work. The staging of a political protest held on December 6, 2013, prior to the outbreak of the civil war, in a nutshell, was also a direct result of their savagery. All these are evidenced on social media and human rights organizations accountable for recording and keeping such records as these are not fabrications.
In their words, but reframed to fit the content, they have been saying all along to the people of South Sudan that they are the SPLM/A; they are the liberators; they are the savior of the nation; they should be the ones to profit; that their honor should remain above all odds; that if not recognized should timely detract South Sudan from achieving her dream; that they will fit tribes against each other; that nobody else should deserve right to leadership accept them; that they will be praised as lords and embezzle money whenever they want
and deserve no investigation; and that they would set the country ablaze.
All these characteristics are found in the personalities of antidevelopment individuals hiding under the shadow of a black hut and the associates, the principal representatives of the Republic of South Sudan. Who are the associates, whether by social and political association or any person that does not seek an answer to any political breakdown, or exempting the leadership from being held accountable to this failure, are the ones we called black hut’s associates?
The down spiraling of activities, which originated from their work, drained South Sudan down the rabbit hole with which correcting it would be very hard if strategic care is not considered.
Another group to blame is the corroborators of social and political mischief that has taken shape in South Sudan. This social and political mischief has been boldened by both the opposition groups and the IG together with regional and international allies, which played a disproportionate role of great importance resulting in the death of the system, sub-institutions, and the basic delivery of services to the rightful beneficiaries at the grassroots level.
History may recall the “animal farm” and its ironic plays as it stood out in all the political developments and their twists and turns. People may recall, the holocaust, the Rwanda genocide, and all the “fall of empires” from East to West, North to South and the outcome realized across the world that the consequences were far-reaching and debilitating to both victims and perpetrators.
Successes in bringing the perpetrators to book across the world were entirely influenced by the direct involvement of the international community that was willfully disagreeing with people violating human rights across the world.
However, in the case of the Republic of South Sudan, the region together with allies, have become the sole corroborators who, with the act of intent, solidify their support to the incumbent administration in Juba to coerce her people. The corroborators, because of their socioeconomic and geopolitical affiliations interestingly played the cat and mouse game in a way that put them on spotlights due to their participation in the genocidal act committed against innocent civilians in Juba by the regime in question.
Their bipartisan relationship made them cover up the evidence and allegedly side with the culprit even when they should easily correct the mistake saliently at play before their very watch.
Look at the regional leaders in the like of Museveni, Uhuru Kenyatta, Egypt, and their hidden agenda against the people of South Sudan. The cover-up of evidence and the fault mediation they have been facilitating in an interest none other than theirs for over 7 years is a direct betrayal of the rule of law, justice, and accountability in South Sudan.
Look at the Africa Union and the international collaborators doing the underground works in the interest of peace yet are testifying in the name of peace when in fact the benefit of such peace is not being realized by the common person on the street. Such corroborators’ works made South Sudan a police state to ensure that their economic gain is boisterously bolstered, and to ensure that the intended act of ethnic cleansing would successfully meet its due course to the best of the incumbent leadership’s ability.
If regional leaders that supposed to protect vulnerable populations are the very people betraying such trust, the Napoleon of South Sudan in his black hut would notoriously continue to spray South Sudanese with Museveni of Uganda’s cluster bomb that was used against the white army during 2014 in Jonglei State.
The famous quote “money is the root of all evils” significantly fits the personality of the Jieng Council of Elders (JCE) who spoiled the good name of Jieng by turning South Sudan tribes against the Jieng community.
The first paragraph squarely hosts this group for their dirty politics. Thank goodness, the Jieng intellectuals are becoming vocal to account for their voice as it has been silenced for quite some time.
Has it not been for hosted shows that voiced their disapproval of the JCE as their mouthpiece, they would equally remain the representation of the 1.5million Jieng community that has nothing to do with their selfish benefit? Let us not be blinded by the other corroborators that are crying wolves for decamping the SPLM-IO with the hope of being able to earn the Napoleon, the great of South Sudan’s trust, but miserably failed to, at last, earn such trust.
George Orwell’s argument that some animals betrayed the rebellion and joined up with the King to bolster his power represents the disgruntled opposition groups that pledged allegiance to the black hut Napoleon of South Sudan. Their hurtful intention was painstakingly unbearable and has equally played the role of ethnic cleansing.
However, it is apparent that we should not only give due attention to the spoilers’ and corroborators’ misdeeds, but also the postwar recovery as the parties in agreement gear up, yet for undoing a complete cessation of hostility. This means that the unpredictable experience that detoured the to be good and compelling history of South Sudan will need to be erased and jointly foster a new South Sudan order that favors a viable system, unlike thievery manifested by bigotry.
In fact, fostering a Comprehensive postwar recovery is not an easy task, rather requires utmost commitment and a great deal of accountability. It is doable if care and strategic approaches are considered. Peace by its people from the grassroots level (bottom-up process) could change the way things manifested before the very watch of every individual South Sudanese. This can be done by empowering the grassroots communities, the technocrats, and institutional accountability.
Consolidating and harmonizing the revenue and raising the nation’s GDP could change and transform the country for the better. There are multiple resources untapped in South Sudan and these should be utilized to ensure the prosperity of the country. Mandating the anti-grab department to compartmentalize corruption would also bolster such change required as people that were accused of stealing from government coffers get sanctioned and caged to reduce the flow of such embezzlement initiated at the higher level.
Direct or indirect restitution of all the victims would encourage far-reaching healing and recovery and so the reconciliation processes. Opening a free and transparent trade relationship with neighbors would boost the capacity of revenue collection for the benefit of both countries in each border point.
In conclusion, time and space have told us that there was a faulty start, and this should be corrected if due attention is strongly encouraged. Elimination of selfish interest can be the core aspect of changing the social and political perception being implemented by the spoilers and corroborators of injustice.
The Republic of South Sudan is very rich in human and financial capital and all it requires is a set system that can set things in order. Empowering the institutions to account for the welfare of the nation, its people, and resources is the baseline for which no objection would be warranted. Spoilers and corroborators have done so much damage and loosely encouraged people to continue wracking havoc on the Republic of South Sudan.
The Great Napoleon of South Sudan has grown horns because of their unthinkable strategies, which could have, otherwise, been stopped from getting to this level. Since it went undetected, our postwar recovery strategy should play a role in fostering unity and this should be achieved through consolidating the manpower and resources to ensure prosperity, which can be realized by the people at large.
With time and space, the Republic of South Sudan would be better off without the spoilers and corroborators that are still working against the postwar recovery under the Museveni’s disciple of the Republic of South Sudan.
Nhial K. Wicleek, a concerned citizen of South Sudan. He is reachable at korow1st@yahoo.ca
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