Citizen’s Power, National Security and the Intimidation of Civilians

Editorial* 

Citizens' Power
Photo: www.hec.edu

Citizens in any nation should, in principle, be the true owners of power. Undoubtedly, they are the ones to reward or punish subversive behaviors or deeds contrary to the health and well-being of state’s socio-political, socio-economic, socio-cultural and socio-intellectual development.  In Africa, however, power is concentrated in the hands of the callous few, who wield it in a subversive manner and call it patriotism. Turning against citizens is treason not patriotism. And this treasonous expropriation of power by the elite political class uses national resources and institutions to effect this seed of national decay.

Shouldn’t citizens speak up and regain their power from these callous traitors of national conscience? Shouldn’t citizens stop the madness that’s plundering national funds on expensive cars on impassable roads and mansions in foreign countries? Isn’t it shameful and unconscionable that some hardly have anything to eat as others drive in hundred thousand sport utility vehicles? Isn’t it shameful that some folks are sleeping in expensive hotels as mothers and children beg for food in the street or die of preventable diseases? Aren’t you ashamed of yourself when workers go for months without salaries as you sleep in a hotel paid for by the government?

I guess any reasonable answers can’t be obtained because national security agents are the protectors of these people; the people whose consciences are devilish but protected as patriots by national security apparatuses! So in a way, I’m wasting my time! But am I really wasting my time in writing this polemical article?

Not, really! If you read it and your conscience doesn’t get affected, then you belong in the zoo! If you read this piece and you get affected but feel powerless then you can be excused but still held complicit in the rape of functional structures of national prosperity! And if you read this and get affected but feel afraid for your life then, I hear you…but pass it along to sensitize the people! People should have the power not the callous tribal elites!

Save your nation from these treasonous elites or you’re part of this negative political orgy: the unconscionable destruction of the nation.

In South Sudan, the ruling political elites use national security to safeguard their treasonable, behind the doors tribal schemes. Instead of using resources and national institutions to protect the soul of the nation—citizens—these gluttonous traitors use national security, the police force and the national army to legitimize intimidation of civilians and disenfranchisement of the citizenry. The government has ceased to serve the people. It’s become their enemy with all the state security structures aimed at eliminating the voices of the people.

South Sudan has become a police state, a giant prison. National security departments have been tasked with the role of determining when and whether or not someone should leave the country. Is that freedom we fought for? What’s the business of national security in the private business of citizens? How’s an assault on citizens’ rights and freedoms not a treasonable offence? This has to change! South Sudan is not a prison for politicians to seek permission to leave? National passports are a permission for citizens’ exit and entry…as many times as they want!

To my fellow South Sudanese who are part of national security, we are not your enemy! We are not the enemy of South Sudan. All of us want our children to grow up in a prosperous country where everyone is treated equal with no tribal preference. But remember that you are protecting the interest of a few elites who don’t even care about you. Please protect the country from those who are actually destroying it.. Wake up and realize that you are being used for the destruction of the country. You’ve been used to turn South Sudan into a PRISON, a gigantic PRISON! Is that what you want? No! You’re better citizens than that!

A nation in which citizens are free easily prospers. Be protectors of citizens not their intimidators! Let citizens write freely within the law! Stop censoring newspapers. Let citizens express their opinions freely on air, online or in print! Tackle those who abuse freedom of speech through the courts not through arbitrary arrests and censorship! Censorship of newspapers was the tradition of Khartoum, the enemy we fought for more than 50 years?

You’ve been turned into the very oppressor we wanted to get rid of! Please wake up! Nothing is as beautiful as a nation that protects national freedoms: religion, speech, political associations. Wouldn’t it be beautiful for South Sudan to be called the nation with the freest press in Africa because of professional of the National Security of South Sudan! Think about it!

I would like both the citizens and national security to take their power back from the elites. They should remember that they have been turned against one another to protect the continuation of treasonous deeds of the ruling elites.

Let freedom reign! Let citizens speak! Let South Sudan be the freest county in Africa! Let us dream however costly!

____________________

*The Philosophical Refugee