It is High Time to Put South Sudan on the Right Track

By James Okuk, PhD

February 22, 2012 (SSNA) — If the SPLM separates itself from the government of the Republic of South Sudan where will it get money to feed the big bellies of some of its (SPLM) members? It is known like a bright moonlight that the budget on which the SPLM operates comes from South Sudan Government’s coffers. But for how long will this continue without the new country becoming an unfortunate prey of one-party’s state by a de facto situation

Up to now the SPLM still finds it difficult to wean itself from the guerilla mentality where it used to be a proto-government in liberated areas and not a political party as it is supposed to be now. For instance, the SPLM still holds diaspora chapters as if they were the same when it (SPLM) was a liberation movement’s proto-government while actually it has now transformed itself into a political party; governed by law like other political parties in the country these days.

Look at those who pretend and fake themselves to be SPLM party’s representatives outside the country when nothing of such kind shouldn’t have existed after the SPLM became a legitimate political party. Even the SPLM-DC has caught the cold of SPLM in this diaspora mismatch with the current political realities of what should be party’s politics inside South Sudan without extension abroad.

What a confused country called South Sudan with paradoxes of pseudo politics that seems to be unending sooner than later.  That is why change should be made if it does not come for genuine reforms. If the elders feels that they have liberated the new country on earth and so there is nothing much but rewards to be enjoyed, I think it is time to tell them that the youth are also around to build the independent country proudly.

South Sudan elders should not think that pension chairs are expensive and uncomfortable to get at this critical time. Even if they remove their grey and greying hair so that they look young by proxy of bold heads, still they are letting down the new country so badly to the extent of losing the sense of fierce urgency of development.

They need to feel hot about the firing need of building and developing the new country otherwise their cool insensitive attitude may get deplored by South Sudan youth sooner than later.

It is a crime from our elders to put on hold the development of the new baby country due to their leadership ineptness. This is not different from immorality of infanticide. I wish the soul of King Solomon could be re-incarnated in the darkening souls of our South Sudan elders.

And to revere the principle of separation of legitimacies, the SPLM’s Secretary-General Mr. Pagan Amum should be weaned from South Sudan Government’s affairs so that he could have enough time to take care of the real affairs of his political party. His negligence of the real party’s duties is becoming unbearable if not destructive.

The SPLM is almost enjoying the big snake refutation only with a fading away fashion if reforms do not take place inside its internal contradictions. Even the "Oyee" is losing its sense of touch if not rescued by taking bold decision of redirecting the energy of SPLM SG back to the common good of his political party. The UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon may not enjoy singing Oyee about South Sudan now if its current status quo remains.

Mr. SPLM SG and other SPLM cronies need to understand or made to sense it that a ruling party is not directly and automatically a ruling government. Party and government are and should be different or differentiated.

Let Mr. Pagan be appointed in the GoSS as a minister or any other title if he loves and enjoy leading government negotiations legitimately. Otherwise, let him pack his suitcase in Addis Ababa and leave GoSS’ affairs as soon as possible. SPLM diaspora’s chapters should also get shut down like our oil so that we revisit our sovereignty in reality without succumbing to failures from fakedness and appearances of partisanism in state’s affairs.

Wake Up South Sudan! It is high time to stage economic struggle for development. But remember that this not an easy task. It is not like military war where one stupid fool could destroy a whole nation. Economic war needs concerted and intelligible efforts based on practical realities to reckon with. This is lacking now in South Sudan. Put it up!

Dr. James Okuk lives in Juba and can be reached at [email protected].