LET'S BLAME OURSELVES BEFORE WE BLAME EAST AFRICANS!!!

Those of us who lived in Kenya know very well how Kenyans and Ugandans treated us during the years of our liberation struggle: Bad and Good!  But before we rush to blame them regarding their negative reaction to that 'unpatriotic circular', we need to be humble enough and accept what is our fault and what we have the right to say and do as South Sudanese regardless of how others take it.

First of all, South Sudan has every right to make sure that employment of nationals takes priority unless there are no qualified South Sudanese. In every country in the world, including Canada where I live, citizens and permanent residents are considered first before foreigners. No argument there! I addressed this in October of 2012 in an article: "The Parliament: Presidential Approval Machine or the Voice of the People?"

However, in the case of the circular released by the Ministry of Public Service, we have to admit: it was an ill-conceived and insensitively written circular which is against our national security interest and the economic interest of South Sudan. Saying that "all the aliens working ... in all the positions" is both irresponsible and destructive for South Sudan. Why do we blame Kenyans and Ugandan for the very words we wrote?

Some of us have been so blinded by our support for the  government that we can't even correct the government against dangers that might destroy the very government we purport to support. When we are wrong we are wrong!!

The message should have been thoroughly reviewed before being released. That circular is a national security threat and people who wrote it should be disciplined.

Mawien of foreign affairs has done a good job rationalizing the incident, however, the damage has already been done because the statement was a WRITTEN OFFICIAL CIRCULAR.

It's  the duty of the citizens to tell the government where it goes wrong! I guess South Sudanese see that as bad, even the educated!

EDITORIAL: Media Censorship in South Sudan is Irresponsible!

The saddest thing about the crisis in South Sudan isn't merely the case that the average person is suffering. The saddest thing is that the South Sudanese government has adopted the very same oppressive instruments the SPLM & SPLA leadership fought against for over 20 years.

 And these maladies include... -

- Censoring News institutions
 - Cracking down on anti-government opinions
 - Dividing the country along ethnic lines while denying it
- Grotesque level of corruption and stunted development
 - Extrajudicial killings and arbitrary arrests without trials.
- Selective development programs

From being the voice of the people of South Sudan, Juba has taken the persona Khartoum has been using against the peoples of South Sudan for decades. However, the officials don't see anything wrong with that. This gives one an impression that the official believe that such ills are bad only if done by others and good if done by South Sudanese.

The voice of the people has become the oppressive metals against the very people the voice fought to seemingly liberate.

The constant intimidation of media personalities, and recent claims by the South Sudanese minister of information, Hon. Michael Makuei Lueth, that journalists shouldn't air rebels' interviews in South Sudan, are deeply worrying!

This erroneous claim assumes a lot of things. It assumes that interviewing rebels translates to supporting them. It also assumes that letting South Sudanese know the rebels' side of the story is to support their claims. This is to destroy journalistic impartiality and ethics.

While the government has every right to make sure that people in government controlled areas don't air their own personal views in support of rebels and against the government, it's sure madness to say that airing rebels views in South Sudan is subversive. Subversive activities are activities supporting the sentiments that'd lead to the fall of the government. However, letting the public know what the rebels claim is is for the benefit of the nation. It allows South Sudanese to know first-hand the truth and fallacies of the rebels.

The government shouldn't discourage opposing views. It should counter them with data-based, well-articulated positions. To discourage other opinions is to present yourself as fearful and suspiciously dishonest about something.

The rebels are South Sudanese and will one day come back to South Sudan. We shouldn't treat them as if they'll create their own country. Mindless amplification of ENMITY is irresponsible! Instead of the government enticing people by initiating conducive reforms, it's actually making things worse by acting draconian.

When the information minister tells John Tanza of Voice of America that journalists should exercise freedom of speech within the 'LAW'  the minister knows very well that it's the same 'LAW' that guarantees freedom of speech!