By Daniel Abushery Daniel (USA)
“No two men ever judged alike of the same thing, and it is impossible to find two opinions exactly similar, not only in different men but in the same men at different times”. By; Michel Montague.
June 12, 2011 (SSNA) — No doubt that the infrastructure is one of the fundamental basis of the nation building that constitute rehabilitation of housing, building of roads, construction of bridges, and others governmental institutions. But on other hand, excellent and well articulated constitution is the main key for good governance.
Nevertheless, we are all human. We make mistakes, and that’s normal as long as we admit and correct our mistakes and move on. In fact, I have argued that very same topic in many of my previous opinions in this websites. It’s so true that sometimes a slip of a word and/ or making a wrong decision at the wrong time is all it takes, particularly, if one takes a while to say I am sorry, truthfully.
Yes, I’ve said it several times, and I will say it again and again here, it’s not a shame to apologize when we make mistakes. However, it’s shameful only when we try to dig our heads in the sand and continue making the same mistakes over and over again. Therefore, we must at all times remember the golden phrase: “People agree to disagree." And it healthy to do so in a democratic atmosphere like we claim to have in South Sudan.
The point in question here is: the formation of the constitution ratification committee, which has sparked a heated debate in the South, if not the whole of Sudan, and continuation attempt from president Kiir Mayardit to impose it on the South Sudanese mass, and the excluding of others, especially in a matter of utmost importance such as the constitution ratification, which is the corner stone of the new born nation future. In my humble opinion, it’s not at all healthy and will never be. Instead, it will only increase and feed the opposition block and will make it bigger than ever before.
From this juncture, and as somebody who studied some laws and experienced the beauty of democratic systems both in India and the United States of America, its will be a crime to support this tyrannical constitution. Therefore, I urge the members of SSLA and other opposition parties to expostulate the ratification of President Kiir and Justice John Luk Jock’s inadequate constitution, because we cannot afford to begin our new nation with state of emergency laws and military types of rules on July 09th 2011.
Let me refresh our memory, when President Kiir was interviewed by a female journalist in Khartoum, earlier this year, he made a comment that: “Vice President Dr. Riek Machar has his own government within the government of South Sudan". Thus, Mr. President in a press conference held in juba two days ago, again, has said that: “Dr. Machar’s distributed his own draft of transitional constitution to SSLA members and the public; He is working with the government during the day, and juxtaposes it unconventional at night”, he added.
Evidently, those are some serious and dangerous accusation, especially, when it comes from the most powerful man in the country against his right-hand man, who was traveling abroad in an official visit in which he represents President Kiir and, the SPLM and the government of South Sudan. Now if that’s “backstabbing", I don’t know what it is. And that’s the one thing that breaks the camel’s back, and certainly, this’ the kind of “chickenhearted" leadership we cannot condone, particularly during this crucial times. President should have waited for the Vice President’s return to address his objections with his opinions over the constitution.
It’s troubling that instead of working together to uproot and eradicate tribalism, there are some among us who are clearly harping to score points in dividing us all for minor over-looked. This is particularly unfortunate to find that among them is the most highest ranking official in President Salva Kiir Mayardit, who is trying to escalate tribal tension, that’s became unpopular commodities in today market. Therefore, it’s critically important for the two leaders to sit-down and resolves their differences in a civilized manner, instead of going berserk against each others.
Dr. Machar’s has done a lot to be thanked for, not berated. He’s credited for closing the gaps between the two partners (NCP and SPLM) and has worked diligently beginning from CPA protocols implementation, census, besieged region of Abyei, post referendum process, and general elections crisis, just to mention a few.
This man deserves the words of thanks, appreciation and complements for all the achievements he’s accomplished and continues to do for the people of South Sudan.
Shame on you Mr. President!
The author is reachable at [email protected] or [email protected].