Is the Baby ‘Grown’ up or is This Once-In-a-While Incident?

Let’s not kid ourselves that things have changed for better; however, South Sudan is starting to ‘grow up’ if it was ever a conceptual or situational child.  The ‘vetting’ of president’s nominees for the cabinet is a start of democratic and due process of accountability in South Sudan.  At least, that’s what I think; and for a long time I have something, just a little, to make me smile for once.

Or maybe not! As Dr. Lam Akol has pointed out, the function of the ‘vetting’ committee wasn’t well spelt out and presented to the public before they started their function. That means their mandates, constraints and terms of ‘vetting’ weren’t known until they started their work of ‘vetting’ the nominees.  Like always in South Sudan, accountability is kicked onto the wayside in the process of trying to be accountable. But let me say they (MPs) are trying.

Fortunately or unfortunately, Telar is now a ‘victim’ of due process; and we know victims of due process are most of the time up to no good. Perhaps Telar is a victim of incompetence and lack of transparency. We know one thing though: Telar accepted the parliamentary vote so the MPs must have done something right…and that’s why Telar accepted it. Kudos to both Telar and the Parliament!

So, admittedly, South Sudanese national assembly has now started to do what it was elected to do; not some mouth-piece of the president and his cabinet. ‘Why’ is not a question I’m able to answer, however, ‘why’ is an unnecessary question now.

The questions we have to ask now are: ‘would they continue this as a political tradition in South Sudan? And will they also shake up the security services?’ A ‘yes’ to those questions would call for a huge celebration. Strict adherence to constitutional requirements and being the voice of the people is the natural function of the parliament. Additionally, the parliament is also there to put checks and balances on some of the president’s decisions.

If I’m not being too optimistic, or to some extent naïve, I’d say that putting everyone to account for one’s deeds should be extended to all functions of the government to make sure no one gets away with abuse of public office and public resources. The president of South Sudan, who has been given absolute power by John Luk Jok through the Interim and/or Transitional Constitution, will now (fingers crossed) know that he doesn’t have free reign as long as he does something contrary to the good of South Sudanese citizens, or the constitution.

Unfortunately, the South Sudanese Transitional Constitution and the government borrowed evil and undemocratic clauses and practices from the enemy we were trying to get rid of. Council of Ministers, Council of States and the National Assembly, as a structure, were borrowed from the Sudanese Constitution. Section 101 (r) which says the president can remove an elected governor in the event of a ‘crisis’ that threatens ‘national security and territorial integrity’ was taken from the Sudanese ‘Emergency Laws’. Beshir does it so Kiir does it! The use of decrees; mostly the favorite of dictatorial leaders, was derived from the Sudanese government: Abboud used it, Nimeiri used it and Beshir now uses it…and now president Kiir has adopted it. The censorship of newspapers and unwarranted arrests of journalists were borrowed from the Sudanese National Security. Nhial Bol and Alfred Taban will tell you that security harassment even gets worse in Juba than in Khartoum! Such state of affair would have made comrade Kiir (of 1980s) sad. But president Kiir now (of 2013) seems to be okay with it!

So, having patted the Parliament on the back, I have to stress that the parliament still has a long way to go and a lot to do for South Sudanese to see it as a strong, independent institution that cannot be manipulated by the president and people of self-interest like Telar Ring Deng. Telar was kicked out of the SPLM in 2008 so he used his closeness to the president to hit back; because someone helped the president kick him out. We know who that is!

The parliament should now ask to review the removal of Mr. Chol Tong Mayay as the governor of Lake State and Mr. Taban Deng Gai as governor of Unity State. Their removals are all unconstitutional as their states didn’t and don’t have any crises that are threatening our ‘national security and territorial integrity’. The only state whose crisis is threatening national security and territorial integrity is Jonglei State. This is the time for the parliament to make sure that whimsical decis

An encounter with Dr. John Garang de Mabior – Part I

 

For all martyrs

 

The place was dark and quiet as the stormed had downed street lights. Not a sound could be heard outside. I’d just come out of my car and was heading towards the door. However, something seemed to have changed as the apartment towards which I was walking looked different. It was my apartment, of course. Behind me, my car looked the same. Left, right and behind, nothing seemed strange! 

“I’m too tired perhaps,” I said to myself.

 Confident of my resolves, I slowly wobbled towards the door. Nothing changed, strangely. Unlike the usual red, rectangular door of the apartment, this door was red and squared.

“This is stupid!” I said lamely.

Agitated by the situation, I furiously rubbed my eyes in an attempt to shake of the fatigue-engendered visions. Nothing changed.

“Why am I being stupid? This is a wrong apartment!” I said with a sorrowful smile, looking down with a mild temperament. As I looked up, the red, squared door was gone. Staring at me was the usual rectangular greenness.

“It must have been a long ass day,” I said with a smile and dashed towards the door.

As I turned the door knob to enter the living door, the lights suddenly went on.

“Mm…I sure didn’t open the lights!” I said not knowing exactly what to think.

With agitation welling up inside me, I manned up and slowly walked to the living room. Then I heard glasses clinking, footsteps shuffling and I knew I had company. Robbers!  Since the intruder was in the kitchen, I knew I was fucked up. The knives and anything I could possibly use to defend myself was already in the intruder’s hand. I’m so dead! Luckily, I was at the door. However, I didn’t want the intruder to assume I was a coward.

“Who’s this in my apartment? Show yourself before I call 911!”

The introducer started laughing. I felt irritated but still fearful.

“I’m not bluffing!” I said with my mind at the door.

“Someone who is bluffing usually suggests it before the other person does,” the intruder said. I was startled. The voice was unmistakably clear. But the man, whom South Sudanese know every very well, was dead.

“This is certainly a dream!”

“You know, Kuirthiy, dreams can be what we want them to be. You’ve been raised to think that a dream happens when you’re sleep. But a dream can be anything,” another voice said.

To say I was freaked out would be a rude understatement. I was scared out of my freaking brain. However, I couldn’t do anything. Whether I was dreaming or not, the voices of the two men were enough to send me to the grave. They are all dead! I stood there, scared, confused and breathless.

Then they majestically walked into the living room; both carrying two cans of Iced Tea. I tried to talk but I only wheezed. Then everything darkened. I’d fainted.  I then woke up only to see the two men strangely staring at me.

“Dad? John Garang?”

The two men just nodded and smiled. I didn’t know what to do or say.

“Why do you look surprise?” Dr. John asked.

I felt irritated. I wanted to say that that was a stupid question but with the two men staring at me, I knew that that word had to be stifled.

“You’re dead!”

“So?” dad asked with a frown on his face.  He still had his characteristic long hair combed backward. John Garang’s bold face reflected the light in the living room onto my face.

“This is a dream, right?” I asked still staring confusedly at them.

“How’s the situation in Juba?” John Garang asked, ignoring my question.

Having seen that my fear was receding, they moved back slowly and sat down. John Garang said on the computer chair and dad sad on the couch.

“Okay. What’s happening in Juba is not my problem now. My problem is that I’m talking to dead people!” I said raising my voice.

“Stop insulting us!” John Garang said.

I didn’t know how to respond to that statement.  How’d you respond to such a question?

“I don’t know what’s happening in Juba! You died and left us a man you didn’t train in strategic planning and thinking so what do you think would happen?” I was convinced I was dreaming so I felt justified in saying anything.

“I didn’t know my son was funny. You used to be very quiet though thoughtful” dad said and I felt a wave of nostalgia spiralling through my body.

“Garang, let’s not send him into emotional recollection. Let’s see what he thinks about South Sudan,” John Garang said, looked at dad then at me.

“I guess you’re right,” dad said looking at me.

“I know SPLM met in New Site after my passing and unanimously selected Kiir.”

I just nodded.

“Do you think they were honest to themselves?” dad asked.

“You old men know politicians are never honest.”

“Dad laughed and said: “John, that’s for you.”

“Is this really true?”

“That we are dead or that we are alive?”

I frowned.

They just stared at me.

“That’s not your problem now. You write some good political articles so you’ll have to answer us,” John Garang said.

I knew I had to answer their questions if this dream was to end.

“Okay. I thought what they did after your death was worthy of praise.”

“Good observation,” dad remarked.

“They’ve now abandoned what you guys fought for.”

“Are you sure?” John Garang asked.

“You know what is happening in Juba now. What does that say to you?”

“I’m the one asking you. It could mean they only don’t know how to go about doing this issues…not that they abandoned the vision of SPLM.”

“You are a dead man. Why are you cautious? Besides, Kiir is not here!”

He laughed, looked at dad and said. “Whether or not we are dead is a function of your belief. But look, you seem to blame me about the problems in Juba now.”

“We can’t I? You left us a clueless man and a sea of ambitious men who want to be you but can’t.”

“But how do you know I didn’t teach Kiir?”

“Remember Rumbek 2004! Read his speeches! A man who calls a contract just signed an achievement wasn’t certainly trained by John Garang!”

“Is that supposed to make me happy?”

“What makes you happy isn’t relevant now is it? What’s relevant is how schools, hospitals and roads can be built. But hey…you are talking to me? Why can’t you talk to your buddy?”

“He’s not my buddy. He’s your president!”

“I agree, but what kind of a president?”

“You gotta give the man some credits. Don’t you think what’s done with the cabinet is worthy of praise.”

I smiled as dad started to shake his head.

“That smile isn’t promising,” dad said.

“Indeed it’s not! The cabinet is more than 50 percent Jieng people!”

“You seem to know what should be done, Kuir Garang. What do you suggest Kiir should do?”

“Be a leader…”

“Which means?”

“Take the initiatives of establishing and strengthening institutions.”

“How do you establish institutions when your colleagues sabotage your every attempt?”

“It’s called being a leader. He should deal with his colleagues.”

“I thought he’s done that with the new cabinet!”

“What’s your deal? Why are you defending president Kiir?”

He smiled and looked at dad.

“I’m not defending President Kiir. I just want to know if you’re honest in your writings and thoughts.”

“And what would be the relevance of that to the current problems the country is facing?”

“Do you write out of leisure or do you hope to effect change?”

I knew what he was driving at. He’d actually assumed my way of thinking so I was cornered.  I looked at him and asked: “What do you think could have happened had you not died.”

He didn’t answer. I realized he avoided any questions that touched something about his death. They both looked at me and simultaneously got up. With a smile on his face, dad patted me on the back and said: “Think about all the things we’ve said. We’ll continue this conversion.”

He slowly and thoughtfully walked to the door. John Garang looked at me and said: “This is just the beginning of our many conversations to come. Your father is here to witness his son’s answers.”

They both walked out of the apartment as I slowly walked to the door, confused and lost for words. Having walked passed my car, they looked back and waved.

“Where are you going?” I managed to ask.

They continued to walk into the dark.

 ****

To be continue….

 

NB: unedited.

Whimsical Decision Making and a Dysfunctional Political Party

By Kuir Garang (Website Editor)

Dr. John Garang and Mr. Salva Kiir

I was never a fan of late Dr. John Garang but, on principle, I admired one quality in him: extensive reading and autodidactic attitude. Comfortingly enough, he read and referenced issues and facts he postulated and argued for or about. This is a quality, among other things, officials in Juba should adopt. SPLM and the GOSS should also know that any institution is governed by behavioral and information dissemination protocols. People should not talk anyhow…or because they ‘feel’ it’s right. It might feel right but facts might go contrary to that feel-good-ness.

Face value application (or violation) of the constitution and out of context utterance of statements such as ‘it’s a normal democratic process’ don’t do justice to the already jittery nation. We still have an unconstitutional governor in Lake State and the president knows that’s a clear violation of the constitution’s sixty-day (60) requirement. Taban Deng Gai was removed unconstitutionally because we know there is no crisis in Unity State.

What the president and South Sudanese need to realize is that section (101r) doesn’t only say there just has to be a crisis in the state. The crisis has to be one threatening ‘national security and territorial Integrity’. If the crisis is not threatening national security then citing such a crisis becomes unconstitutional. Jonglei State is the state whose crisis is threatening national security and territorial integrity but the governor is still there.

The president’s actions are just whimsical rather than constitutional!

The onus in on the president to, therefore, explain how the ‘crisis’, if any, in the Lake State or Unity State, threaten our ‘national security and territorial integrity’. In essence, the president is ruling a nation of people not a nation of cows. People need to know. Abdon Agau, the government secretary-general told the media that president Kiir can fire the cabinet by giving any reasons; arguing that it’s his ‘constitution right’ not to give explanations! What? It’s supposed to be a ‘national constitution’ not ‘whimsical presidential constitution.’

Mr. President should know that he’s a servant of South Sudanese, not their boss. He’s only the boss of his cabinet; not South Sudanese. Ideally, the president has to justify his actions to the South Sudanese people because his decisions directly affect the average citizen. Make no mistake, president Kiir should account to US as South Sudan. We employed him not the other way round.

Officials like the always-in-your-face Marial Benjamin (while I know he has improved lately) have the knack of talking without checking their facts. This is indeed scary for South Sudan’s future. Besides, both the SPLM and the government of South Sudan don’t adhere to functionality protocols. This is the source of the problem within SPLM.

There’s nothing ‘democratic’ about firing a cabinet. Just because something is constitutional doesn’t mean it’s democratic. Actions of individuals can’t be called democratic even if they are clearly constitutional. Constitutional actions are necessary undemocratic decisions within a democracy. Not all decisions within a democracy are democratic. This is the culture of talking anyhow.

Both Pagan Amum and Riek Machar should know that belonging to an organization requires adhering to organizational protocols and internal avenues of problem-solving. Disagreements within a political party are normal, however, these disagreements should be solved behind closed doors. If you can’t solve internal issues behind closed doors then maybe belonging to one political party isn’t such a good idea. Publicly criticizing your own political party and the president as a senior party official is wrong…it doesn’t happen anywhere in the world.

And how naïve would someone criticize the boss, tells the boss ‘I want your job’ and expects the boss to say ‘go ahead, take my job…you are a great man!’ I don’t know which world Riek Machar is living in. What he’s saying regarding the country is admittedly the general truth; that the country is off the cliff and something has to change to salvage it, however, this doesn’t mean entering into the culture of ‘care-free-ness.’ An able leader would seek helpful ways of solving problems. You don’t get to criticize your boss, an uncritical boss for that matter, and get to keep your job. What were you smoking, Mr. Machar? Ambition intoxication?

In the end, the president needs to justify his actions, follow the constitution and let his officials know that talking to the media should be bound by party or government protocols; and that facts have to be researched and appropriately referenced for the government to have some respect in the eyes of South Sudan.

@kuirthiy

Accountability as the Golden and Cultural Phenomenon

No government can succeed in anything without strong institutional functionality modals. At any level, there has to be day-to-day methods for micro-accountability. Auditors should only play supervisory roles as their duties come once in a while. For South Sudan, we need self-perpetuating methods that’d remain as cultural…daily. Psychologically, South Sudanese should understand that accountability is a daily happening.

Corruption isn’t going to end through the arrest of few individuals. What the government has to do is to establish systemic instruments that can act as deterrents for would-be corrupt employees.

What we have to understand is that auditing is a yearly event that does little in fighting corruption in Africa. In that case, what the country needs is structural establishment of across-the-board modalities that can make sure accountability becomes a golden cultural phenomenon.

The recent suspension of Finance Minister, Kosta Manibe, and Cabinet Affairs Minister,Deng Alor, is a political faux pas. While some might rush to argue that the President has finally got some nerves in fighting corruption, the arrest raises more curious questions than answers. Admittedly, the incident makes South Sudanese even more wary and confused than comforted.

What’s the fate of the 75-fellows letter? When is the president going to report back to the nation about what happened to the letter?

The suspension of these two ministers and the subsequent investigations are going to neither to reduce corruption nor assure anyone that the president is serious about fighting corruption.

Fighting corruption shouldn’t be a political cherry-picking. The president has to either do a systemic overhaul or devise modalities that can be applied by every single worker in South Sudan. Accountability shouldn’t be restricted to government departments either. It should apply to everyone in both the public and private sphere of work…and at all levels.

Each and everyone should be enlightened and given strict directives in order to know that accountability is to be made a cultural phenomenon in South Sudan. Strict transitive causal relations can help: A->B->C->D. Every single person should understand that they are accountable to someone above them. This accountability modal shouldn’t be restricted to fiscal enterprises. The modals should be applied to any given task that directly affects the lives of South Sudanese and their developmental future.

Regular accountability meetings at every given department should be made mandatory. A culture where people know that they can be called anytime by their superiors is the culture we want. If one knows that one’s boss can call anytime for one to account for the hours worked, the quality of work or any task money-related, then it would be possible for people to keep clean records of what they do.

For instance, employees should keep their records because their supervisors can call them anytime to account for what they do; whether they adhere to codes of conduct and their job descriptions. Supervisors should also keep their records because they can be summoned anytime to account for what they do in front of departmental heads. Departmental heads should also keep their records clean as they might be called to account in front of directors. And this should continue up to the ministers, to the parliament and to South Sudanese citizens. Without this systemic inculcation of the culture of accountability, arresting or suspending individuals only becomes an excuse; a political ruse meant to cover up the macabre malady of corruption.

National Audit Chamber (NAC) can either devise these modalities or the government can contract an independent consulting company to make sure that accountability isn’t restricted to government officials. NAC yearly auditing is just a pinch among all the ingredients required for workable and effective accountability.

Let what we do be transparent! Let accountability be cultural!

Follow: @kuirthiy

 

 

Civilization: Subordinating African Traditional Ideas

Africans are traditionally Democratic! They welcome visitors with open arms!

When Europeans went to Africa and interacted with local people, especially in the 18th century, they found Africans with organized social and political structures. African chiefs, kings or queens used cross examination of facts and people. Ideas were debated before decisions were made. There were religious rituals and organizations and the community knew who they were and their place in the society. This was something European learned.

The Europeans also learned that Africans were hospitable. They welcome Europeans even when they  (Europeans) looked markedly different from Africans. There was no sense of 'they are different, we should kill them.' Hostility towards Europeans came later as a function of Europeans' treatment of the local people and plundering of their land. The local people had seen that the people they'd welcome with open arms, were not actually the people they thought they were.

The Europeans also realized they could reason with African leaders and arrive at some understanding. Agreements were made even at the expense of Africans. However, the European were able to iron out these agreements because they found a rational, civil and organized society with seasoned political structures.

However, the Africans would soon realize that Europeans didn't come to Africa to be rational and good guests. They came with an agenda and a different understanding of what it meant to be a civilized human being. To the Africans, civilization rested in the values, the social and political organization of the society and how people related to one another. With that understanding  the African knew he was civilized, however, he didn't need to define it for his life was okay.

Then came the Europeans and the Arabs who had their own understanding of 'civilization.' Civilization to them wasn't in values, it was in material human beings develop: the houses you build, the clothes you make, the weapons you invent etc. Values and how people relate to one another weren't  requirements in their civilization.

The Europeans and the Arabs also came from  lands in which things are dicated without questions. The colonial Europeans and the Arabs came from lands of dogmatism. Their ideas were dictated  by the monarch or the Bible or by the Koran in the case of the Arabs. Democratic ideals were not things they were used to.

To the Africans' chagrin, the Arabs and the Europeans started to show the colors of who they were. Slave raids and subordination of the Africans started in earnest. Africans, how they looked and what they thought were all vilified or ignored. The African, despite his rational and amicable welcoming of the foreigners, was regarded uncivilize because of the rudimentary nature of her material wealth. She didn't develop arts of writing and wasn't technologically advanced. Her human values were values of an uncivilized being.

To make the matter worse, the Arabs and the European didn't think feeling no emotions and killings Africans with bestial brutality and mindlessness was uncivilized. What civilized man doesn't feel any qualm in the process of killing someone? What civilized man had no compassion for the suffering of others? What civilized man would ignor the humane values that foster togetherness? The wild Arab and European was intoxicated by his parochial dogmatism not to see the good natured values of the African, who was living in a democratic society.

The Arab was doing Mohammed's work and the European the Jesus' work or the political wishes of the monarchy or economy! It would be years before the Europeans and the Arabs could adapt the African values of democracy. Now democracy is celebrated mindlessly not knowing it existed  in Africa years before the Greek thought of it and before the Europeans applied it. The Arab is still struggling to adapt it and get used to it.

And by the time the Europeans left Africa, Africa was corrupted. Her values were compromised by power and alien values. Over the years the Arab and the European have seen that the values of the Africans are the only values that can save the world. The world has adopted some of these values with slight modification so as to claim some credit.

Forgiveness, compassion when people relate to one another are the only values that can save us now.
Follow the editor on twitter: @kuirthiy

You're Racist even when you think you aren't!

Some people think that being Racist is to kill people of other Races or to insult them without compunction. That's some anachronistic way of looking at Racism. Witty people disguise ways in which they brandish the wand of their Racist desires.

Only the stupid can be overtly Racist! Being Racist in our contemporary application is to act in a way that gives you good reasons not to be suspected. You can be Racist but still  praised for the same action that you know you performed out of Racist desires.

Multiculturalism is the chief culprit when it comes to fostering Racism. It helps the powerful, mainstream societies to stay away from other Races. This helps them nurture their feelings and thoughts about other Races. The more Races mix the more they come to know about one another and the more hateful fables are gotten rid of. The segregating nature of multiculturalism helps people who harbor hateful feelings to actually augment them with fantastic and fabulous stories.

This compartmentalizing nature of multiculturalism makes sure that the only information mainstream and power-holding communities have comes from the media. And as we know the media has to put a spin on stories to make them interesting. What's concoctted is what these communities become. No need to be careful!

Hiring Managers and CEOs can hide behind 'we need qualified individuals!' Well, I have friends of mine who hold advanced degrees with strong experiences but they were mysteriously denied jobs. The media ignores any good things happening in some communities and only talk about these communities when it comes to death or something that reflects the community as indecently and uncanadian.

Western News Matra: Good news is no news (unless it's our own)...bad news is always needed news.

A TV reporter ignores a plea from some ethnic communities but end up later showing a story of a lost 'rooster' or a 'cat.' 'Awe, it's so cute!" You just got to love this society.

However, some people might say that this isn't Racism. You'll tell me what it is.

These people have internalized the importance of who they are. They see what they do as more important than what others do. "After all, they came to 'our' country!"

Race helps in selecting what is deemed worthy as consumable news for Canadians. An African community doing a fund-raising event for development issues in their home country is less important than a lost 'rooster.' If Race is not actively and directly relevant to the decision-making, then it's the internalizing of self-imporance that helps.

Even when we think we aren't Racists, we sure are being so.

However, let's remember that being Racist is an attempt to mask a void in one's self. Racism is a result of being inadequate; being fearful of the person one discriminates against. People who are comfortable with who they are don't become Racists. They are so content with who they are that what others mean to them is only a learning opportunity not an occasion to be scared of  the whatsis of others.

(Editing ongoing!)

Honorable Jason Kenny, Unacceptable Language and Inhuman Cultural Practices

If I was some pious individual, I’d have agreed with American Evangelical Christians, or fundamentalists I should say, that the world is coming to an end. Well, the world is not coming to an end. It’s just that we’ve become so narcissistic or solipsistic that we assume the centre of the universe is ‘us’; whoever the ‘us’ is.

There’s a host of ridiculous things we do or say but because we are the ones doing them, we ignore or see past their ridiculousness.

Whether it’s racially sensitive individuals complaining about Brad Paisley’s and LL Cool J’s provocative and audacious song ‘accidently Racist,’ or it’s Canadian Minister of Immigration, Jason Kenny, using an ancient language to describe a filthy cultural practice, I know the world is sick.