The chaos in South Sudan persists. After thirteen years of independence, our country is drowning in misfortune, distrust, and disorganization. Much of the world has turned its back on us, condemning us as either corrupt or inept. A fortune in oil has been produced, but with little to show for it in terms of infrastructure or the development of human skills. In Juba, there is paranoia and a game of “vice-presidential musical chairs” and endless jockeying to see who can stay in power. Throughout the country, there is inter-tribal distrust and often fighting. In some areas, pen rebellions are underway. Meanwhile, flooding continues to threaten the lives of our people, and many South Sudanese have fled the country in search of minimal safety. How sad this makes me. How sad it must make every South Sudanese patriot.
It is time to create a change. It is time to get our house in order. It is time for us to start over! Most importantly, it is time for us to find a way back to the unity and hope that gave excitement and impetus to our overwhelming vote for independence.
That way forward must be paved with a deeper understanding of our country, a greater appreciation of our people, and better planning for the well-being of all.
Two key reasons for change must occur for South Sudan to prosper and become a great nation.
First, we must find a way to ensure a sense of safety and equality for all. That means we must respect our tribal heritages. Colonialists may have found governing by geographic regions made sense, but we know that every tribe must be respected and represented. The basic government structure should reflect a balance between geographic concerns and tribal concerns. Concerns. To accomplish this, we need to rewrite the constitution to recognize the role of our many tribes and to ensure that no single tribe, or even a combination of two tribes, can dominate the whole. The basic judicial system should also reflect a respect for traditional tribal law, even as it facilitates inter-tribal contracts and personal relationships. This balance will not be easy to find, but it is essential if we are to remain united as one nation and avoid waging war against ourselves.
Second, we must have an economic plan that provides growth opportunities for all. If there is one resource on which to build, it is the sud. On world maps, we may be labeled as South Sudan, but we are actually the Republic of South Sudan, the country that was once part of the great Sudan. The water that gathers in our country feeds the Nile, but it does not do enough to feed us. By using water wisely, we can make South Sudan an aquacultural superpower, one that can not only feed its own people but also much of the world. In doing so, we can offer economic development for all our people and, through that economic growth, provide unlimited opportunities for our youth. Such an economic plan requires both leadership and unquestioned honesty. The hands of our leaders must not be stained by corruption.
Can we take these two fundamental paths forward? Can those who would be our political and military leaders come together in support of such change? That is the great question for our people.
Years ago, when I was just a boy, I pledged my life to our country. I have been a refugee, a DP, a soldier, and part of the diaspora. In all that time, I have told myself one thing: South Sudan is my home. It is home to us all. Let us work together to rebuild and rededicate our homeland. Let us gather the wood and the thatch, let us dig the well and plow the fields, let us gather the herd and harvest the crops. Most of all, let us come together, let us be together, let us believe together. Let us be South Sudanese.
Deng Mayik Atem
Publisher of Ramciel Magazine and currently studying leadership and Ethics at Harvard Kennedy School of Government.
