By Deng Mangok Ayuel
July 5, 2013 (SSNA) — Before blaming the technology for influencing our minds to do some evil writings on the social networks for the ill of others, however, let me point figures at the so-called “political tricycling South Sudanese, poverty-escapers-turned Khartoumers, wewe guys and soldiers-turned-politicians”, at least for informing our society to hell. I am talking about writings and some opinion writers on South Sudanese newspapers and other social networks all over the world. Therefore, I don’t condemn any writing, so all writings convey messages – good or bad. Last night I prioritized browsing before watching news on SSTV, but it was amazing. The ‘internet politicians’ have pushed their political wheels on social muddy roads last night with less thoughts on logistical constraints of their vehicles in these situations where rumormongers, blackmailers and gossipers are the ministers within the states’ government. After I left Sudan Tribune for Facebook, the chat became intensive after a minute when a ‘friend of mine’ blamed me for writing on politics. He urged that I should leave writing on social media, inciting that writing to inform or being critic to political situation, individuals in the country cause misunderstandings with leaders. Besides, this friend of mine is a grown and intellectual, but why did he encourage me to stop doing what I like so much – maybe writing will change the nature and the ways people handle things.
In his mind, he wanted me to stop writing. As opinion writer is not a rebel but a concerned citizen, I shouldn’t go to stay in Boston and begin writing about issues affecting our people in South Sudan; I am willing to do it here in my hut in Aweil. In other cultures, there is a tradition, that when you are in an overwhelming situation and you don’t know what to do, you put yourself in a woman’s shoes. Should I put myself in woman’s shoe?
When tempted to fight fire with fire, remember that the Fire Department regularly uses water. I didn’t insist questioning him on Facebook, but before I stop writing, I would friendly like to portray the images of some people as groups and the upshot of their doings as people with different initiatives, hopes, styles, politics, hatred and big hearts on resources. As we live in ‘part two’ world of politics, writing takes its role as the most essential tool for passing information. This piece is an attack on some of our people. South Sudan as a country is not running anywhere but when all of us wanted to do one thing at the same time without transparency, it is going to make us different people and enemies to ourselves. This message is not about abhorrence. It is all about our social misunderstandings and politics.
I hate the glorification of the collective and the depreciation of an individual – that is why I am interested to talk on groups. Today has been interesting, politically. I am sorry for diverting the talks from personification as characters envisage to collective. Please, just bear with me as you go along reading this piece because I have nothing much to say, but distinguishing how the post civil war in Sudan gave us political and social colours.
This piece is about groups and politics of interest. The first group of my ‘part two’ world of politics is the so-called ‘political tricycling’ South Sudanese. These guys are American, British and Australian citizens, but not all of them. They are everything everywhere. They are Mr. Smart, Mr. Big, Mr. Smooth and Mrs. Evelyne of the day. Oh, I am not really talking about Mr. Smooth, it is a character. These guys have two social wheels and one heavy political wheel for driving their political locomotives to the desired direction. Some of them are in South Sudan because it is fruiting. They really look like tricycle at social and political angles, not a bicycle. They like politics, proud of being in the west and think democracy although many of them not democrats. They made internet and other technologies as their mouths. They are heavy weight dotcomers as they usually carry their laptops on their backs every day. They are not soldiers nor ordinary citizens, but both. Many of them were SPLA/M Red Army of 1980s who walked to Ethiopia on foot, fled to Kenya and to the last destination where they became Lost Boys. What happened after they returned home? Enjoying the fruits of struggle, absconding due austerity measures, and why are they not found in the morning than evening at VIPs public places? Perhaps, they like bating as bats move at night to avoid easy identification, and personalization of deals. These people like their work and they qualified to help build our nation. If you hate them, then I can’t support you because I need hardworking people in our country.
The funny group of people is the poverty-escapers-turned Khartoumers. These people are very intricate as they were taught by jallaba. Huge number of them is rumormongers and appeasers for success. If you ask me the “why question” about these guys, the answer is on my nose, very closer. Just try also to observe them by yourself and you will laugh before giving me a feedback. These guys do not know politics – always end up mixing Mahdism, Medievalism and Anglo-Egyptian kind of history with politics when presenting their arguments. As many of them learned Arabic at schools, it is invincible to predict that these guys are not educated because majority claimed to be graduates with Bachelor degree certificates. And did they pass their secondary school examinations through brains? The answer is a big “NO”. Many of them schooled in Khartoum but used to sit for their Sudan Secondary School Certificates in Aweil, Wau and Malakal were examinations were not restricted by examiners. By maneuvering to go to examination rooms with books gave them a surpass to universities where many of them spent more than 7 years without graduation at campuses, while few refused to sleep for years to back up their limited knowledge to get a degree certificate but still unable to design ordinary CVs, poor when enunciating and own words like flexibility, creativity and possibility. Do you know where they usually stay in common and work? Try to pass this message to them and let them call spade a spade in South Sudan.
The most powerful, riches and patriotic group are the soldiers-turned-politicians. These people were the real villagers who were mobilized by the old city boys of 1970s who rebelled and formed SPLA/M to fight Khartoum regime. They really fought with one heart until South Sudan laughs at their hands as a newly born country in Africa. They were taught to fight to liberate the marginalized people of Sudan. Before the war ended, Dr. John Garang de Mabior stated that Sudan will not be the same again and promised his fellow comrades – that they shall enjoy the fruits of struggle one day! Now they are enjoying. Should anyone try to blame than encouraging them in their day one of leadership? These uncles are not very easy to handle but friendly and honest when you don’t change your colours like a chameleon to them. As we live in ‘part two’ world of politics, there are clever people who wait patiently to steal the success from achievers. Is it easy to rob Peter to pay Paul in South Sudan? Why do we need to have too many chiefs while there are no enough Indians to do our work for prosperity? If some of us think they can’t fiddle while Rome burns, the better solution are political and social cohesion because it is a magic moment for South Sudanese to have peace after decades of war where millions lives were lost. As people were critic to the ruling party like moth with flame, politics become a mixed blessing. For this reason, I would like to advise opinion writers to keep their mouths clean. In fact, when a brave man kills an elephant, he should eat to lost appetite before brothers and sisters vomit their food. I am not encouraging others to own everything and the system of the government of our country but urging everyone to be consultative and meaningful in their political criticisms. When people go to the church to pray on Sunday, it is believable that they accepted to be sinners but asking for forgiveness. Doesn’t it deserve appreciation when a father bought for you a new trouser during X-mass day?
The last group of people is the “wewe guys” – quack Kiswahili language users who lived between villages in South Sudan and refugee camps in East Africa. They have learned but behave like niggers in the west. They know how to feed themselves unlike Khartoumers but they can’t do well in the cities or towns because migrating from villages to refugee camps and then to towns is like leaving cattle camp to fishing zone at Kiir river. You usually end up confused. These guys managed to study while nobody supported them which deserved appreciation. I don’t know how they found school fees for years, feeding and accommodations but said to be UNHCR’s babies in the camps. Many of them boarded free plane from villages to Kenya as prestige but chance intervened and got education. The group is the hijacker of today’s job market with the government as many of them were sent to the camps by their fathers, big uncles in order to hunt for knowledge. They are not appeasers, gossipers but complicaters for gain. They do swim in confusion and fish in rocky water like Somali pirates.
As we go along as one people, let’s not hate ourselves, but strive for changing. There are people who have worried in our society. When they see their names on the newspapers, they always fail to read the message before informing their agents to implement what they desire. These people like to be seen on TV only.
Those who think that politics on the internet shall bring change to our country are not kidding but encouraging writers to root spirit of democracy in the heart of our leaders if they write with minds. If technologies were religions, most of us would have been wished unforgivable sins by those who dislike truth. As many opinion writers write to market their political parties to the society, it is helpful when politics is geared toward solving political, social and economical crisis in a country than criticizing individuals to swing your political engine to employment bowl for personal gain. Our people used to criticize the government but when employed by the government they didn’t deserve, they usually shut up their mouths to demure their soul and failed to do anything. It is easy, for instance to join Mr. Elhag Paul to oppose what he called ‘SPLM Oyee’ and their political machine but so difficult to achieve big thing comparable to the SPLM achievements since 1983, if I am not joking. This is why I have been saying that our minds are closer to mouths with technology instead of analyzing what it takes to compare our political muscles. And by the way, those who talks too much blame their mouths in their dreams at night.
However, there is opposition everywhere in this world, but healthy political opposition is the fundamental right of politicking. I am not aspired by my own will to blame anyone for being critic while seeing the country drowning in the morning but trying to explore what causes frustration. When the expected issues on development and corruption are not addressed, the critics intervened and wanted to be heard – this might be the case with above mentioned person. Politics is the soul of leadership and the art of government. It is a game with many colours. It is assumed by our people to be the only gateway to power. Finally, I am not ready to stop writing so long there are readers everywhere.
Deng Mangok Ayuel lives in Aweil, South Sudan. He can be reached via [email protected].