South Sudanese in crossfire of Political Ideologies
Juba, Ater Garang Ariath
South Sudanese innocent people were caught in crossfire of political ideologies when unnecessary political wrangling erupted within the country ruling party, Sudans People liberation Movement (SPLM) a party that fought bitterly for independence of the nation, but later abandoned best models that supposed to steer this nation forward for national cohesion.
Young people which constituted 70% of country vast population were cripplingly marginalized in decision making process in the country, no greater attentions that were paid by existing government to address challenges facing them, such as lack of employment, good education and better services toward youth empowerment.
The government has seemed to ignored young people as future of South Sudan, with poor public policy toward availing universal education for all, the existing five universities are ill-equipped to contribute in manufacturing able South Sudanese future leaders, which supposed to be the starting point for emerging nation like South Sudan.
However, the government plugged itself in widespread malpractices, especially the cabinet Ministers who have been in government for consecutive eight years, didnt delivered and still backtracking the same government that gave them freedom to involved in widespread corruption practices by looted almost the half of country wealth.
hunger for political power lures South Sudanese men and women from the comfort of their homes and jobs in the private sector and government and drives them to spend months, even a year now, leading unsuccessful rebellion against government and people, whom they want to lead.
Therefore, I am one among South Sudanese people who have never been happy on how the country has been run and most of influential figures that have been leading rebellion after being dropped in the current cabinet, were part and parcel of those wrong policies that they are claiming now to be bad.
However, they need to be reminded that you reap what you sow; they are now enjoying the fruits of their labour, of which they have been planted for eight consecutive years of being in cabinet without propagated practical and radical transformation within the government and ruling party alike.
Nevertheless, only innocent South Sudanese people bear heavily the consequences of visionless leaders, who unscrupulous think for themselves first, before putting the interest of nation and its civil population.
This is a problem of power, its is a magicians bargain : give up our souls , get power in return. But once souls, that is ourselves have given up , the power thus conferred will not belong to us. We shall in fact be slaves and puppets of that to which we have given our soul.
Therefore , we as South Sudanese should be careful about the ongoing political upheaval in our nation and stop supporting anything that endanger our political sovereignty and national integrity of our nation.
Why I say this based on what I have seen for last one year now in our nation, where my closest friends, relatives and families were killed on both side of the warring parties.
And I have to reiterated my stance as South Sudanese citizen that a significant movement, begin from the bottom up not top down. Absolutely important changes in any political arena begin not from officials or celebrities , but through ordinary people , one of the living proof was the Tunisia.
The little platoons. Every South Sudanese person can and should seek to make a difference in his or her corner of the world by personally helping those in need, rather than mobilizing resources to fought brothers war.
Beyond this, there are some fanatic and wrongheaded leaders among South Sudanese societies that are calling themselves to work through government structures and by political means to bring their own influence into South Sudanese politics .
Nevertheless, these are the same wrong elements who poorly laid a sordid foundation of our nation since the inception of South Sudanese self-government after the signature of Comprehensive Peace Agreement(CPA) .
South Sudanese peasants were caught in the crossfire of political ideologies, once against after they have squarely decided to vote in referendum for an independence country, Republic of South Sudan, hoping to create viable nation in Africa continent with help of natural resources that God endowed.
My fellows South Sudanese were murdered by their own leaders and hard-liner supporters, over half of our population lives under the ultimate fear of their safety. Millions in this country have been condemned to live bound , gagged and tortured and die in the gulag.
In my opinion a prudent leader foresees the danger ahead and takes precautions, while the simpleton goes blindly on and suffers the consequences. Any wise leader envisage step taken and its ramifications, but this is not the case in our context as South Sudanese, our leaders never care for our stability, unity , prosperity and the list is extensive.
South Sudanese and the aspirant leaders should be challenge at least to ensure that a just leader cares for stability of his or her nation,. Therefore I am calling for political stability in our nation , because it will play important role in national balanced development countrywide.
Let us be astuteness in whatever we do , let us stop spreading hatred among our people on different social media outlets , lets work hard at living in peace with others.
Personally I will and never contribute to the rise of gangster leaders in our nation and I will do what I can to ensure that South Sudanese fellow men and women realize peace, unity and stability.
Those who worked for that, however , need to be forewarned: everyday business of politics is power and that is all, and power as I know so well from the bottom of my own experience can be perilous for anyone .
My purpose here is not to deal exhaustively with the complex issue of power nor could I.
But I want to at least examining the dynamics of power , particularly as it affect the political arena and those who enter it.
As to remind you my dear fellow beloved citizens , mans desire to control his own destiny and impose his will on others is the most basic human motivation that we should approach with our potential subconscious.
Certainly as to concluded by argument here , in every generation , there are statesmen motivated by a genuine noblesse oblige a sense of high calling to serve humanity, in fact South Sudanese people have late hero Dr. John Garang De Mabior and hope in years to come few leaders will be reborn by not at this moment.
Young people matter, they matter because they are potential tools use by politicians to fought war of their own interest, if this is the case, South Sudanese youth on both sides of the two warring parties should come into their senses and denounce these politicians that use them.
Together as youth, we have brighter future that we should shape to meet our interest of building prosperous and vibrant South Sudan, rather than allow ourselves to be drag back by unscrupulous leaders who never hold future for themselves.
South Sudan should supposed to be model example in Africa continent, however the wrong path taken by our nation must be reserve, if youth grow into their senses that they are no longer politicians tools , but responsible human-being and potential future leaders, I think South Sudan will be better place that one appreciate to live.
Enough is enough, youth have paid heavy price for their ignorance in the ongoing conflict and they should learn from it, otherwise experience is the best teacher.
