United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) Media & Spokesperson Unit Communications & Public Information Office M EDIA M ONITORING R EPORT NOTE: Reproduction here does not mean that the UNMISS Communications & Public Information Office can vouch for the accuracy or veracity of the contents, nor does this report reflect the views of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan. Furthermore, international copyright exists on some materials and this summary should not be disseminated beyond the intended list of recipients. MONDAY, 15 JULY 2013 SOUTH SUDAN One hundred and sixty airlifted to Bor for treatment as UN gains access to Pibor clashes (Sudantribune.com) Two hundred wounded in South Sudan tribal clashes (Associated Press) Aid agences enter Pibor (Eye Radio) South Sudan could benefit from new food security policy – US (Eye Radio) Unity State MPs back calls to resintate sacked governor (Sudantribune.com) Youth friendly centre opened in Yambio (Gurtong) Yei River County authorities impose town speed limit (Easter Radio) Morobo community radio goes on air in October (Easter Radio) Dollar shortage affects business community (Easter Radio) SOUTH SUDAN, SUDAN Sudan wants tangible evidence on end of support to rebel groups (Sudantribune.com) Sudan studying “foreign plot” aimed against the country (Sudantribune.com) OTHER HIGHLIGHTS Sudan accuses SLA-Minnawi of attacking UNAMID peacekeepers (Sudantribune.com) Sudan bans opposition parties from meeting rebels in Geneva (Sudantribune.com) DRC forces repel latest M23 rebel attack (Voice of America News) FEATURES/ OPINION South Sudan is not a failed state yet, but an emergning one: a rebuttal ( by John Bith Aliap on South Sudan News Agency) SPLM crisis and the demise of tribal hegemony: for better or worse? (Editorial piece on SouthSudanNation.com ) Cry the beloved South Sudan in its second Independence anniversary ( by Tongun Lo Loyoung on SouthSudanNation.com) Tribalism is in trouble (by Zechariah Manyok Biaar on ) Oil may determine South Sudan’s future (Oilprice.com) Mushrooms provide healthy living, food in South Sudan (feature article on VoA News) LINKS TO STORIES FROM THE MORNING MEDIA MONITOR Fighting in South Sudan forces thousands into bush (Reuters) Over 200 wounded in South Sudan clashes – UN (Agence France-Presse) South Sudan fighting could spark ‘ethnic conflict’ (Agence France-Presse) President Kiir to open Speakers’ Forum (Bakhita Radio) Cabinet meeting postponed over bad political mood in Juba (Sudantribune.com) Senior SPLM official accuses Amum of self-failures (Sudantribune.com) Newspaper editor says under threat for publishing critical views (Sudantribune.com) Unity State suspends disarmament (Radio Miraya) Warrap holds interstate peace conference (Radio Miraya) Governor Lobong dissolves Kapoeta peace committee (Eye Radio)
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United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) Media & Spokesperson Unit
Communications & Public Information Office
MEDIA MONITORING REPORT
NOTE: Reproduction here does not mean that the UNMISS Communications & Public Information Office can
vouch for the accuracy or veracity of the contents, nor does this report reflect the views of the United Nations
Mission in South Sudan. Furthermore, international copyright exists on some materials and this summary should
not be disseminated beyond the intended list of recipients.
MONDAY, 15 JULY 2013
SOUTH SUDAN One hundred and sixty airlifted to Bor for treatment as UN gains access to Pibor clashes
(Sudantribune.com)
Two hundred wounded in South Sudan tribal clashes (Associated Press)
Aid agences enter Pibor (Eye Radio)
South Sudan could benefit from new food security policy – US (Eye Radio)
Unity State MPs back calls to resintate sacked governor (Sudantribune.com)
Youth friendly centre opened in Yambio (Gurtong)
Yei River County authorities impose town speed limit (Easter Radio)
Morobo community radio goes on air in October (Easter Radio)
Dollar shortage affects business community (Easter Radio)
SOUTH SUDAN, SUDAN Sudan wants tangible evidence on end of support to rebel groups (Sudantribune.com)
Sudan studying “foreign plot” aimed against the country (Sudantribune.com)
OTHER HIGHLIGHTS Sudan accuses SLA-Minnawi of attacking UNAMID peacekeepers (Sudantribune.com)
Sudan bans opposition parties from meeting rebels in Geneva (Sudantribune.com)
DRC forces repel latest M23 rebel attack (Voice of America News)
FEATURES/ OPINION South Sudan is not a failed state yet, but an emergning one: a rebuttal (by John Bith Aliap on
South Sudan News Agency)
SPLM crisis and the demise of tribal hegemony: for better or worse? (Editorial piece on
SouthSudanNation.com )
Cry the beloved South Sudan in its second Independence anniversary (by Tongun Lo Loyoung on
SouthSudanNation.com)
Tribalism is in trouble (by Zechariah Manyok Biaar on )
Oil may determine South Sudan’s future (Oilprice.com)
Mushrooms provide healthy living, food in South Sudan (feature article on VoA News)
LINKS TO STORIES FROM THE MORNING MEDIA MONITOR
Fighting in South Sudan forces thousands into bush (Reuters)
Over 200 wounded in South Sudan clashes – UN (Agence France-Presse)
South Sudan fighting could spark ‘ethnic conflict’ (Agence France-Presse)
President Kiir to open Speakers’ Forum (Bakhita Radio)
Cabinet meeting postponed over bad political mood in Juba (Sudantribune.com)
Senior SPLM official accuses Amum of self-failures (Sudantribune.com)
Newspaper editor says under threat for publishing critical views (Sudantribune.com)
160 airlifted to Bor for treatment as UN gains access to Pibor clashes Sudantribune.com Bor/ Juba, 14/07/13 - At least 160 wounded people were flown to Bor
civil hospital in Jonglei on Sunday from Manybol in Pibor county, after United Nations troops
accessed the Nanaam area for the first time since fighting between rival groups broke out last
week.
The Jonglei director of the South Sudan Red Cross, David Gai, said the "majority" of patients
were young men from the Lou Nuer tribe who launched an attack on the area on 7 July.
The fighting has been focused around Nanaam village in Pibor, but due to the remoteness of
the area, the government and UN have not been able to provide details about the clash.
South Sudan’s army says that the area has been occupied by rebels loyal to David Yauyau,
who has led on and off rebellion in Pibor since 2010.
Gai said the South Sudan Red Cross could not avail the total number of people injured in the
fighting, but said they had transported 160 wounded people to hospital for treatment.
Medicine Sans Frontiers (MSF), the UN’s World Health Organisation (WHO) and
International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) sent in a team of doctors to Bor hospital to
help treat the wounded.
The United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) released a statement on Sunday
putting the total number of people injured at more than 200 after Indian peacekeeping troops
managed to enter Manybol.
UN and WHO sources, however, say they witnessed Lou Nuer youth guarding cattle around
Manybol, not far from the SPLA camp.
There are no clear details about how many people have died in the fighting, but one of the
injured Lou-Nuer victims Sudan Tribune interviewed at the hospital admitted they attacked
Murle areas of Pibor in response to the killing of children, women and elderly in cattle raids in
the Walgak area in February 2013.
Chuol Ruac further said his community was attacked again on 4 July by Murle cattle herders,
who allegedly stole some heads of cattle, killing some people in the process.
The attacks on Pibor over the last week were in retaliation to what happened, he stressed.
"This year, while we were taking our cattle, children, women and elderly to Ulang county to
access water there, in Upper Nile, on our way we meet them [Murle], they killed the children
and women and even the elderly ones. That was why we went this time", Ruac told reporters
at Bor hospital.
He said they killed many people in the places they passed, but declined to give figures. He
however admitted that 15 Luo Nuer men died in the fighting.
The leader of the group which attacked Pibor was, Bordua Leer, he said, adding that contrary
to previous reports from the Luo Nuer community in Bor, self-proclaimed prophet Dak Kueth
had not been involved in the attack.
In Tangnyang, where the Lou Nuer began their attack, Ruac said that they captured a large
number machine guns and other weapons after heavy fighting with forces loyal to rebel leader
David Yauyau.
South Sudan’s defence minister, John Kong Nyuon, assured the population that government
was exerting efforts to ensure the two sides are separated through cooperation and
involvement of key leaders from the Luo Nuer and Murle communities.
3
Minister Nyuon was speaking at a meeting with Murle community leaders during which he
called on the communities to listen to the government and allow opportunities to identify and
settle their differences.
“We will do the needful as [a] government to protect civilians and their properties. We call on
them (civilian population) to move to the areas where SPLA will provide protection. We are
also talking to the leaders from the two sides to talk to their youth to stop taking unilateral
decision and listen to the government”, Nyuon said in a statement state-owned SSTV
Saturday.
His deputy, Majak D’ Agoot also said the government was talking to leaders and elders from
the two communities to reach out to their youth and separate them.
“There are no details of the clashes at the moment but a lot of efforts are being exerted to
contain the situation. We are talking to leaders and people who have a say in Jonglei affairs to
intervene immediately. We are looking at how we can come out of this security challenges in
Jonglei”, D’ Agoot said.
Murle community elder, Ismail Konyi, said the meeting with the minister of defence and his
team was to explore ways to control the current situation and chart a way forward in resolving
differences between the two sides.
Konyi was unable to give details of the clashes, but said the government needed to do more to
stop the violence.
“It is the high time all efforts and acts are put together to avert this situation from deteriorating
further. The government and the partners need to come together to chart way forward to
resolve this conflict,” he urged.
The UN mission said Sunday it had gained access to areas of Pibor county where civilians had
previously been unable to access humanitarian assistance.
“Today aid agencies reached for the first time this year areas of Pibor County, Jonglei, where
thousands of civilians have been hiding in the bush following clashes between state and non-
state actors," the UN statement reads in part.
Non-governmental organisations and UN agencies have met communities near Dorain, Fertait
& Labrab to assess their needs and mount a humanitarian response, including urgently needed
medical attention, in addition to ongoing programmes in other parts of the state, it adds.
Toby Lanzer, the UN Humanitarian Coordinator in South Sudan, said an armed mobilisation
of youth has led to clashes elsewhere in Pibor County.
“Some 200 casualties have arrived in Manyabol and are being attended to by the United
Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS). The UN, including its Humanitarian Air Service
(UNHAS) and World Health Organization, is accessing Manyabol and evacuating the most
critically injured to Bor where medical personnel from non-governmental organisations are
ready to treat the wounded,” said Lanzer.
He however urged government, national, local and traditional leaders of all communities in
Jonglei urgently to halt the cycle of violence that is leading to senseless loss of life and
suffering amongst civilians.
"At the same time, all parties partaking in violence must ensure that aid organizations
continue to have impartial, unconditional and unhindered access to civilians in need
throughout the state," said the UN humanitarian chief. (Back to Top)
Aid agencies enter Pibor Eye Radio Juba, 14/07/13 - The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs says
aid agencies have been granted access to the volatile areas of Jonglei where thousands of
civilians fled into the bush following clashes between the SPLA and forces loyal to David
Yei River County Commissioner Juma David Augustine said the order was issued to reduce
the rampant road accidents occurring in the streets within towns and outskirt roads.
He directed law enforcement agents to arrest all drivers caught breaking the speed limit within
the towns of Yei River County.
Anyone found guilty will be charged a fine of no less than 1,000 South Sudanese Pounds.
If the driver fails to pay the fine, the vehicle will be auctioned. (Back to Top)
Morobo community radio goes on air in October Easter Radio Yei, 13/07/13 - Morobo County community radio is expected to go on air early
October.
County Commissioner Moses Simon Soro said the FM radio aimed to boost information
dissemination from the local Government to the rural communities in the county, Easter
Radio reported.
He said the radio project will enable heads of departments and stakeholders to account to the
local population and promote democracy.
German Government is the major funder of the Morobo community radio project. (Back to
Top)
Dollar shortage affects business community badly Easter Radio Yei, 13/07/13 - The business community in Yei River County is badly affected
by the shortage of hard currency and access to loans.
Commissioner Juma David pleaded with the Government to give local traders the possibility
to compete with their counterparts by granting access to much needed hard currency and
loans.
Mr Juma reiterated that he would work with different communities and development partners
to bring about a peaceful coexistence.
Yei River County Commissioner called on the citizens to work with the government through
cooperation to render better services to all. (Back to Top)
Sudan wants tangible evidence on the end of support to rebel groups Sudantribune.com Khartoum, 14/07/13 - The ruling National Congress Party (NCP) said they
are still waiting for evidence proving that Juba has stopped its support to the rebel groups and
ended its relation with the SPLM-N.
These statements were released on Sunday evening following the weekly meeting of the NCP
political sector. Some hours before, the security services emailed to the news rooms of the
local newspapers a report alleging that SPLM-N deputy leader Abdel Aziz El-Hilu and Gibril
Ibrahim of JEM have arrived on Saturday to Juba heading to Kampala where the rebels
schedule to hold a leadership meeting.
"We are still waiting for tangible evidence proving the end of relations with the so-called
SPLM-North and Revolutionary Front, and the stoppage of support which, in our view, is still
continuing in a way or another", said media secretary Yasir Youssef on Sunday.
He further called on Juba to accept the recent initiative of Thabo Mbeki, chairman of the
African Union mediation between the two countries over the centreline on the border between
the two countries.
"We call on the South Sudanese government to accept it and to implement it on the ground
and to show more seriousness on the stoppage of support (to the rebel groups) and to end its
relations with the (SPLM-N)", he further said. (Back to Top)
EDITORIAL - SPLM Crisis & demise of tribal hegemony: For better or worse? SouthSudanNation 12/07/13 - With great incredulity and trepidation, South Sudanese are
anxiously witnessing the inevitable transmogrification of the once formidable SPLM/A
edifice and the probable demise of the once-feared and deeply loathed tribal hegemony that
has persistently characterized all aspects of power in the nation since the end of the liberation
struggle.
Finally, for the majority of the much-depraved South Sudanese, who’ve become genuinely
disgruntled with the Kiir leadership, it’s time now to see the SPLM/SPLA Empire, like the
Roman empires of antiquities, and their cut throat emperors, simply disintegrate and disappear
so that a better, prosperous and equitable future is built on its ashes.
After two tough years of so-called ‘independence,’ and given the fact that we are the only
country in Africa to ever embark on nationhood from day one with BILLIONS OF REAL
AMERICAN DOLLARS at hand, deplorably it has become painfully clear that the
SPLM/SPLA junta has failed the South Sudan Nation whilst president Kiir has evolved with
greater alacrity than Museveni into a totalitarian dictator ruling only by decrees and
completely rubbishing all constitutional norms.
In a nation where the president is generally seen as a pathological liar who has no moral
compunction to shamelessly regurgitate his characteristic verbosity about fighting corruption
and insecurity, or developing the nation, South Sudanese have real cause to worry about a
such leadership.
In a nation where every SPLM/A government official from the president down to his
ministers, all under-secretaries, all chairs of the useless commissions, all ambassadors, all
generals in police, army and prisons, are rightly perceived by the suffering public as thieves
living on state-sanctioned corruption, there is utter hopelessness in the future among the
oppressed citizens of the nation.
One can’t imagine that today in Juba the few thieves are immorally owning and driving, not
one each but several ‘Hummer’ SUV’s while their own mothers, sisters, aunts and uncles are
still eating wild vegetables or carcases of cows and sleeping in leaking straw-thatched mud
houses in Kongor or Kuajok.
In a nation where the parliament is but a parody of clowns who’re solely legislating for or
rather legitimizing for the good of the SPLM/A corruption empire, and selfishly according
themselves exorbitant allowances and privileges for their idleness, enrichment and greed, the
depraved people of South Sudan are right to distrust this edifice of mockery.
In a nation where the economy is deeply founded on extraction and exploitation, it’s only the
Ugandans, Somalis, Ethiopians, Kenyans, Rwandans, Nigerians and Sudanese, who’re all the
principle beneficiaries of this extractive and exclusive economy, and they’re openly or
insidiously abetted in the extraction of our resources by the SPLM/A looters, the future of the
nation is definitely in jeopardy.
These are indeed bad times for the nation. Admittedly, with the exception of Kiir’s tribal
hegemonists and his tribally reinforced SPLA army, many people including foreigners, are
deeply pessimistic as well as apprehensive about the evolving ‘SPLM Kiirisis’ that is gripping
First, Dr. Riek Machar now has figuratively fired the first bullets, once again this time round,
against the Kiir’s hegemonic government and publicly demanded that his SPLM party boss,
Kiir, should cede power to him because, as Machar explicitly explained, Kiir is an absolute
‘failure as leader of the nation.’
Secondly, Machar has openly challenged and opposed Kiir’s recent dismissal of Unity State
Governor Taban Gai, which was done without consultation of the vice president himself since
such an important decision like this normally requires ‘consultative’ procedural steps with the
deputy or cabinet.
Understandably, in bitterness, Machar has many axes to grind against president Kiir, among
these were Kiir’s abrupt decision to first take over the so-called ‘national reconciliation’
process and appointing a fellow Dinka to head the committee; and then Kiir’s surprising
decision abrogating and limiting Machar executive powers.
And, finally, in another quick salvo of more political gunfire, the SPLM party Secretary
General, Mr. Pagan Amum, who is third in protocol and succession of the now visibly
disintegrating party, came out with unexpected bravado, to deprecatingly castigate president
Kiir for his poor leadership.
Pagan, himself once allegedly accused for gross corruption, has now openly come out against
Kiir, accusing the president of politically motivated dismissals of two SPLM ministers for
alleged corruption, and critically remarking that the president should actually have dismissed
his own “Dinka official,” the deputy minister, who’s alleged to be the real culprit, not the two
ministers.
Clearly, these top SPLM leaders tacitly came to a long-delayed concurrence with the raging
anger and expectations of the broad sections of the people of South Sudan and even foreign
so-called “Friends of the SPLM” and the UN Mission and others, that the Kiir tribal regime is
a disaster.
But the greatest concern to the ordinary citizens in South Sudan and even to foreign
supporters of the nation, is the likelihood that the perceived and impending contest between
Kiir and gang versus Machar and gang degenerating into another 1991 civil strife.
Poignantly, as implied by Citizen editor and critic, Nhial Bol, this ominous probability of
intra-SPLM/A killings occurring is high because, as Nhial Bol strongly believes, “the top
SPLM members are planning to use the (stolen) oil money to buy weapons so that they can
kill themselves during the 2015 elections.”
Who really cares if these SPLM/A kleptocrats would only ‘kill’ themselves? However,
unfortunately the reality is that they, the SPLM/A top members are going to use their common
supporters to do the killing while they will be in some safer foreign hideaways.
Machar, the potential president-to-be, in his latest hottest ever letter to president Kiir, has
strongly raised two important issues. The first problem raised is that Kiir’s latest blunders
“might heighten tension and aggravate the prevailing state of insecurity in the country and that
may lead to political instability in the country.”
Obviously, it’s very apparent that the contest between the two won’t be a peaceful transition,
and the nation is hereby forewarned of the grievously mortal predicament that might lead to a
probable ‘civil’ or better call it ‘tribal’ internecine fighting with serious consequences to our
country.
In addition, Machar again in the same letter inferred to the ‘consolidation of the democratic
decentralized system of government’ in the country to preserve the integrity and dignity of the
people of South Sudan.
Here, we are once again confronted by Dr. Machar’s duplicitousness on the issue of what’s
the best modality of governance in the country that can really and permanently bring integrity
and dignity to our people.
15
Inarguably, the current system that the tribal hegemonists have dictatorially imposed on the
country is utterly fallacious (after all, there wasn’t any plebiscite, for example, conducted by
the SPLM/A regime with the people of South Sudan concerning as to what modality of
governance they wanted).
‘KOKORA,’ call it ‘decentralization,’ ‘devolution,’ ‘federalism,’ or any political name
appropiate, was the system prevalent in South Sudan from 1983 up to 2005 when peace was
achieved and the Kiir-Machar junta arrived in Juba.
Contrary to the blind and bitter opponents of ‘KOKORA’ who took to the bushes in 1983 in
an attempt to militarily revoke its imposition after all political attempts had failed, this
political system based on devolution helped greatly to mitigate tribal tensions and fighting
then in South Sudan.
Now, given the current political tide since the Kiir-Machar regime took power in Juba and the
subsequent rise of disenchantment with the hotly perceived ‘tribal-domination’ of the current
governance in Juba, perhaps a new rethinking on what’s the appropriate and acceptable
modality of good governance needed.
Rightly or wrongly, it can be strongly argued that our political evolution into a one-nation is
still rudimentary, we, more or less, see ourselves and the deeds by others from the tribal
lenses, as this is evident today in Juba, and whether you accept or deny, the Kiir government
is perceived as a Dinka dominated government.
Again, like it or not, it’s always the fact that in most situations, it’s highly probable for the
Dinka army, security or police officers and men who’re most likely than not, to show uncouth
and violent behaviours and aggression against other fellow citizens.
Speculatively, as it’s again the same community that has majority domination in all
government services, including the economic sector by the same domination of their tribal
‘nouveau riches.’
Now that we have unfortunately and unwittingly come around to a situation very much akin to
the pre-KOKORA era, where one tribe has unfairly presumed the illegitimacy of domination
of all facets of governance, and the perpetuation of state terror contrary to the laws prevailing
in the books, drastic change of minds and hearts is needed if we are to survive in peace as a
nation.
Yes, we’re southerners or now better known as South Sudanese, but are we really a nation?
The answer could possibly and finally be found in the redivision of South Sudan into
particular federal units that felt they could separately live in peace among themselves due to
some particular commonalities found among them.
Regrettably, Kiir and others still morbidly suffer from short or total loss of memory. Last time
in 1991, when the same Machar and cohorts seriously warned Garang and the same Kiir and
others of the simmering dissatisfaction within the same SPLM/SPLA, they inevitably and
painfully paid a big price for ignoring the advice.
As a ‘failed’ leader, president Kiir must voluntarily abdicate now and let the nation transition
peacefully, and hopefully the future might and would surely be better for the nation.
Should that happen, however, a would-be president Machar himself is no better or much
different leader than Kiir, for the nation since he has been very dubious and dodgy about the
prevalent corruption, insecurity, or why the constitutional review process has taken so long to
be finalized and passed, among many other shortcomings of his.
Furthermore, if he, Machar, had the moral imperative, he would have been the first to openly
declare his and the family assets or stop his habitually greedy and big appetite for land
grabbing, as evidenced by his gluttonous and questionable acquisitions of Bari and Mundari
land.
16
His utter and apparent lack of moral compunction or lack of sense of shame doesn’t strictly
bode well for someone literally crying to become president of the nation at any cost. This is
sinful and dirty in the eyes of many and smacks of gross lack of moral turpitude.
Since crawling back to the SPLM/A over the skeletons and souls of hundreds of thousands of
those he had intentionally and unapologetically misled to their deaths, and then rising upwards
opportunistically to his current position in this corrupted tribalized monopoly called the
SPLM/A, Machar owes a lot to the people of South Sudan.
If Machar’s ambition to ‘succeed’ Kiir accidentally leads to and speedily catalyses the break
up of the SPLM/A corrupt empire, then that’s even more propitious for the nation. From its
ashes, hopefully, the marginalized people across the nation would see a better future for South
Sudan. (Back to Top)
Cry the Beloved South Sudan in its Second Independence Anniversary By Tongun Lo Loyoung on SouthSudanNation.com 14/07/13 - This time last year I refused to
celebrate the first independence anniversary of South Sudan and I remain adamant not to
celebrate the second anniversary either. You see, when the Comprehensive Peace Agreement
(CPA) was signed between the selected dyadic parties to the conflict, the ruling Sudan
National Congress Party (NCP) and the Sudan People Liberation Movement (SPLM) in
January 2005, there was profound disappointment among those who were excluded from the
round table, including our brothers in Darfur and other key stakeholders in both the North and
the South. But there was also joyful ululation and elation amongst most South Sudanese both
at home and away.
Many South Sudanese commons, including myself came to be optimistic that the much sought
after peace in a country that for decades has been riddled by devastating protracted civil wars
in its South and elsewhere, is finally here.
The political, economic, and geographic power-sharing protocol of the CPA raised people’s
expectations about the beginning of a new era, where at long last a genuine political
representation in the country’s governance and political decision-making, has dawned.
There was soaring optimism in finally enjoying the fruits of peace through the recognition and
appreciation of Sudanese multi-ethnicity and cultural diversity, provision of equitable access
to social and economic services, and protection of freedom of movement, including safe
passage to cattle grazing areas and water points across different regional boundaries within the
country.
It was thought that our chronic subjugation, domination and marginalization by the Jallaba
northerners was finally over, and Sudan will no longer be the same. In universal terms, many
believed security was here, and basic civil and political rights, and social and economic rights,
are sure to be guaranteed in this new era of peace.
After all the essence of all the liberation struggles in the Sudan throughout its history, has
always been for the political establishment at the center to meet the legitimate aspirations and
protect the universal rights of its people on the peripheries. And with the signing of the CPA
the moment seemed ripe for these grievances to finally be addressed.
The central provision on Southern self-determination plebiscite exercise, including the Abyei
protocol was the cherry on the cake of the CPA. Self-determination in the South was
welcomed with a sigh of relief as “our Kairos moment,” as the Church declared. It was an
opportune moment because should Khartoum fail to make unity attractive by meeting the
popular demands of South Sudanese, South Sudan was on course to secession.
For most South Sudanese, however, and particularly the youth, life with Khartoum was not
feasible, regardless of whether unity was to be made attractive or not. “We, the southern
Sudanese have already decided to vote for an independent Southern Sudan where we will live
as first class citizens,” stated the Southern Sudanese Youth Forum in the build-up to the
referendum exercise, and so it proved to be the case with the resulting landslide vote for South
We can agree that tribal identity is a matter of pride to anybody, but it does not guarantee
one’s security. People who hate other tribe members would feel insecure every time they find
themselves in other tribes. Their wrong beliefs would make them think that members from
other tribes hate people from tribes not their own.
Feeling of real security and happiness are realized when one regards him/herself as a true
friend to people from other tribes. It is this feeling that makes people love their workplaces
were workers are from different communities. Any member of the Red Army who was in
Panyido in the 1980s would understand what I am talking about here.
When we went to Panyido in 1987, we first lived in what was referred to as Alamaat
(chiefdoms). We regarded such affiliation as the only way to be happy and secure. But the
opposite was true. Many children died because life in Alamaat was miserable.
Life got better in Panyido when the current Inspector General of Police General Pieng Deng,
who was Captain at the time, was assigned to Panyido as the Camp Manager. The then
Captain Pieng decided that mixing us up would solve problems we were in. We did not think
mixing us up was a good idea. We had already formulated our perceptions of other
communities. Children from Bor, on the one hand, believed that children from part of Bahr el
Ghazal were bad people because they “ate” pythons. Children from part of Bahr el Ghazal, on
the other hand, believed that children from Agaar and Bor were “dirty” people because they
were not circumcised. We wrote bad songs against one another on these perceptions. Tensions
were often high among these communities.
Ironically, happiness was not realized within each community. There were tensions between
clans. Big boys within one clan would also mistreat small boys, making them think about their
parents they left back at home as only sources of happiness and security. They became terribly
homesick because they could not feel cared for. That was the reason for high rate of death.
Yet, our wrong perceptions of other tribes made us still believe that the situation we were in
could be worst if we were mixed up. Unlike us, Captain Pieng knew our situation would be
better in mixed-up groups. That was why he pressed on with his plan even though we booed
and deserted him twice in general parade after he mentioned his plan to mix us up.
The mixing-up plan was implemented in stages. Group one to four were selected from
different communities and mixed up. Those who were first selected by the big boys who were
leaders in Alamaat were the children they regarded as troublemakers. When those supposed
troublemakers went to their mixed-up groups, their living conditions changed immediately for
the best. They became better than those of us who were still staying in Alamaat. We then
craved for mixing up.
Within some months, general mixing up was done. We immediately found that children from
other communities were good people. Happiness increased and death reduced. We realized
that caring for one another in mixed members of different tribes was better than what we had
experienced in Alamaat. We found out that friends from other tribes were often willing to give
up their own lives to care for you when you were sick. They could fear that you would pass
your own sickness to them. They would care for you like or even better than your own
brother.
It is the above reality that South Sudanese are now beginning to realize. They want a country
where one would care for a member of a different tribe as a brother or a sister. They want a
country where support of a political contestant will be based on what he or she can do for the
whole nation, not one tribe. South Sudanese have now understood that a member of one’s
tribe who is in top leadership position will not make the condition of your tribe any better than
that of those who do not have any member in higher positions. They have realized that those
who use tribal identity in politics use it for selfish reason. That is why tribalism is now in
trouble.
Because of this change in focus, I believe the misuse of tribal identity will soon die and unity
that was thrown away during the Referendum will be welcomed back home like the Prodigal
20
Son. Politicians who use tribal identity for selfish reasons will soon start to be ashamed to use
it in the same way they were ashamed to mention the word unity during the Referendum.
Zechariah Manyok Biar can be reached at [email protected] (Back to Top)
FEATURE - Oil may determine South Sudan's future Oilprice.com 14/07/13 - Oil exports from South Sudan are expected to gain steam in the
coming months. The country last week celebrated its second anniversary as an independent
country and only recently resumed crude oil exports. A former international banking chief
said the international community's newest nation could emerge as a regional economic
success story with the right policies in place. For now, however, advocacy groups are warning
the South Sudanese administration that it needs to get its house in order or risk complete
failure.
South Sudan marked its second Independence Day last week. A peace deal that ended 20
years of civil war helped pave the way to a separation from the government in Khartoum.
Independence was backed enthusiastically, though a series of border skirmishes, ethnic
fighting and spats over oil revenue with the Sudanese government have threatened the fragile
peace deal. Last year, both sides nearly went to war over the disputed Heglig oil field, which
straddles the border separating the two Sudans.
South Sudan resumed oil exports in June, roughly 18 months after disputes over pipeline fees
began with the Sudanese government. South Sudan gained control over most of the oil
reserves with independence, though Sudan maintained authority over export infrastructure.
South Sudan has pursued various pipeline proposals through neighboring countries and just
recently called on the United States to start examining the oil potential there.
The South Sudanese oil sector is dominated by Asian companies. Chinese traders may help
push exports up to 7 million barrels for August. Last month, the presidents of Uganda, Kenya
and Rwanda said they'd help with the construction of new oil pipelines across East Africa. If
those plans come to fruition, South Sudan could become one of the bright spots in a region
plagued by its bloody past. Former International Monetary Fund chief Dominque Straus Kahn
said there was "a lot" of potential in South Sudan if it's able to brand itself correctly.
The IMF said South Sudan will be able to settle its $2 billion tab with the Sudanese
government by next year. The debt was incurred during the 18-month spat over pipeline fees
that ended in June. By 2017, South Sudan hopes to have an export pipeline of its own,
increasing its prospects in the coming years.
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said in an Independence Day message that support for
independence doesn't translate automatically to good governance. A sustained level of
commitment is needed from the international community to help South Sudan build its
government, resolve outstanding conflicts and promote economic growth. An advocacy group
was less polite, however, in a letter to South Sudanese President Salva Kiir.
"From our various vantages, we have all come to conclude that without significant changes
and reform, your country may slide toward instability, conflict and a protracted governance
crisis," the letter said.
South Sudan built a very shaky ground beneath its feet since independence. Oil, one way or
the other, will determine its fate in the future. (Back to Top)
FEATURE - Mushrooms provide healthy living, food in South Sudan VoA News 12/07/13 - Jobs in South Sudan are hardly springing up like mushrooms, especially
during times of austerity, but South Sudanese are resourceful and have taken to creating work
for themselves -- including one Juba resident who grows mushrooms for a living.
His name is Edward Kasran, and after looking for work in the education field for almost a
year, he finally shifted his focus to another way to make money: mushroom growing.