By Deng Mangok Ayuel
January 9, 2013 (SSNA) — I believe and I have to inform you that one tribalist in the country can transform 8 millions of men and women from different tribes to be tribalists. I beg my God and everyone who talks ill about Dinka to hear me because I am in peace with them and their writings. Jieng is not one man but large tribe with good and bad people. When talking about large tribe, it doesn’t mean that Dinka is the biggest in South Sudan neither do I mostly wanted to say that Jieng is targeted by some opinion writers. I am not a tribal opinion writer, but what is Dinkacracy? Is it one Dinka man in power is politically, socially and mentally considered as whole Dinka?
The leadership of South Sudan seems to be hated by individuals who have wished to get hot coins in the government through windows but found themselves nowhere since 2005.That is why many of them have had been writing about Dinka because of frustration in their souls. On the other hand, the leadership of South Sudan is supposed to be criticized in isolation of Dinka as there are Dinka members who are still crying for what to fry in the current leadership’s hands. In politics, everyone is regarded as member of party than tribe. Is Dinka a party?
I am not burning a fire or telling story to disappoint anyone but those who keep pointing fingers at Jieng instead of one person (Kiir) as their leader are naturally tribalists and politically confused. Kiir is an SPLM and the president of South Sudan but a Dinka in the village of his own payam in Bahr el-Ghazal. Besides, some of the Dinka opinion writers who may think that they are everything everywhere in South Sudan are kidding. South Sudan is for everyone! I am not in position to list the names of the people who have had criticized the Jieng in the name of President Kiir.
Therefore, be informed that there is no anti-Dinka but ‘political tribalists’ in politics with Dinka man in power. God forbid, I am not fighting with myself or rioting by writing! Last week, someone wrote on my Facebook’s wall that ‘Dinkacracy ‘is the government of Dinka by the Dinka and for the Dinka. Finally, I recognized this friend as a kid in mind. Why did he define Dinkacracy to me since I am not even working with the government of the Republic of South Sudan to be a Dinkacrat? Is it because I am a Dinka? I didn’t discuss anything connected to tribe with him before. Why are people so wild for nothing?
Wherever you go in this world, there are good and bad people in the society. In humble sense, I shouldn’t stop saying that many Equatorians are kokoratists and Nuer are tribalists if you call me ‘Dinka’ for Dinkacracy. Yes, I m a Dinka but Jieng should not be generalized when talking about one person or few people in Dinka. The Dinka you hate is the Dinka I may hate because of approaches, particularities and leadership styles. I am not a tribalist but why are social characters mixed with politics in South Sudan? Never ever reflect social aspects of a tribe with political situation in the country – you will get infected with politivirus before your Madicracy and Nueracracy because we are not in Rwanda. Our tribes can’t be mistaken. You and I can make mistakes.
The reason for writing this piece is to congratulate Mr. El Hag Paul for deserting his tribalistic ways of addressing affairs through what he calls Dinkacracy and SPLM Oyee. He wrote that he is not against Jieng. So what? Once I googled his pen’s name, it was amusing to find a man talking about Dinka like a movie actor in his writings. I do agree with him in many points in his writings but why should he keep wasting time writing about Jieng. Well, I don’t want him to fiddle while thinking that Rome is burning.
He (El Hag) believes that Jieng has been misleading and misbehaving since 1983. So, were you (EL Hag) in the bush during the civil war where millions of lives were lost? I can’t judge but I mentally guess that you are the Lost Boy of 1980s.In your writings, and in my own analysis, you western mind of 1980s is the denial and hatred you have in soul. I guess you might be at early 40s to 50s or more in age as my political thermometer reads it.
Mr. El Hag is a real tribalist or kokoratist. According to him, and in his own words as I quoted, “those who do not give any feedback to Jieng about how they behave in power are their real enemies”. The behavior of Jieng in power, especially with abuse of power for 30 years now since 1983 is creating for them serious problems throughout the country, (January 5, 2013 (SSNA). I realized that El Hag is not anti-Dinka but got something to say about Dinka to promote himself. However, his criticism is the part of a voice as South Sudanese if he has been doing it in plain ways of horsing the nature of what he has been addressing.
Still, he is confused. South Sudan as a country has constitution, the legislature and the cabinet. There are James Wani Igga from Bari, Dr. Riak Machar from Nuer and Pagan Amum from Chollo tribes. Where are Baricracy, Chollocracy and Nueracracy? He (El Hag) might have thoughts that tittle-tattle about Dinka through writing will charm his political football, give him a seat in his own village or make him an elephant in Juba, God knows!
In his reply to Kuir e Garang as I quoted, ‘therefore if I am being called a tribalist for stating the truth, so be it.’ The truth must be spelt out as it is. I do not have to forge friendship with the Jieng people based on burying the abuses and atrocities of the Jieng. Doing this would be tantamount to a lie and appeasement. Sorry I do not do either. I will tell it as it is. The burden of addressing Jieng tribalism first and foremost is a Jieng problem (04 September 2012, SSNA).At this juncture, I would like to encourage him to hate few people and make friendship with many of them but hatred is bliss.
Surprisingly, in his article titled, ‘Is there anti-Dinka school of thought in South Sudan as claimed by Joseph Deng Garang?’ He (El Hag) definitely disagreed with Joseph that Dr. John Garang de Mabior is not the father of nation because of being unionist. However, history will judge your thoughts and notations. Dr. Garang is the father of nation. He (El Hag) ascertained that Mabior Garang de Mabior, the son of Dr. John believes that his father wanted unified country with all ethnic groups equal and an end to marginalization. But the SPLA has failed. He (El Hag) also added that Mabior Garang de Mabior understands his father as unionist and that nobody can dispute it because Mr. Mabior knows his father than anyone else. So El Hag got it wrongly. The son of the late Dr. Garang was only a son to his father and that Dr. John had people like Lual Diing Wol, James Wani and Salva Kiir who know him more than his son. If Mr. Mabior Garang de Mabior disputed that he knows his father more than anyone, there is an intention and why should it be? Believe me! If your judgment is based on what being said and other failed allegations on Dr. Garang, then let’s call spade a spade. I know Dr. Garang was unionist but he had a will for South Sudanese to choose their destiny. I know whys and the wherefores of Dr. Garang as the father of nation. He (Dr.John) is the father of nation. All in all El Hag Paul is really heavy weight but not for writing about Jieng.
Deng Mangok Ayuel lives in Aweil, South Sudan. He can be reached at: [email protected]