NGOs in Southern Sudan : critical view
” In the days of old-fashioned colonialism, the metropolitan powers sent their officials to live in Africa and directly run the colonies. Today they do so indirectly through NGOs” NA (August/September, 05)
By Mading Ngor Akec Kuai*
Nov 13, 2005 — In a war torn country resembling Southern Sudan with no concrete and functioning government it is easy for others to exploit. Now, southern Sudan government really needs to pay careful attention to activities on its soil that we are on the verge of prosperity before anything is offhand or fallen apart. The paradox is our government appears dormant on these issues of substance and justifiably so because they have the National Islamic Front (NIF) to pay close attention to. However, they should not undermine or overlook the possibility that our seemingly noble friends on our soil may turn into monsters, looters and plunderers if we are inattentive.
There are numerous Non- Governmental Organizations (NGOs) such as OXFAM, CATHOLIC RELIEF SERVICES, ADVENTIST DEVELOPMENT, RELIEF AGENCY, CHRISTIAN MISSION IN AID, CARE INTERNATIONAL, INTERNATIONAL CRISIS GROUP and NORWEGIAN PEOPLES AID out of many others operating in our motherland.
In reality, our country is emerging from its last throes of war; moreover, the contemplation that our people might find themselves grappling with external powers, exploiters who wear robes and collars at day time and put on military uniforms at night is worrisome. While it is wise to avoid hasty generalizations about all the NGOs as there are well mannered number of them with the welfare of our suffering people at heart in Southern Sudan, most are undoubtedly in pursuit of wealth, resources, religious incentives and ultimately to milk our beloved country for their own good.
On the positive side of NGOs, several of them are engaged in developmental processes such as enhancing healthcare for the locals, building schools, relieving hunger, assisting with demining programs and making sure that the basic human needs are met. On the contrary, there are always ramifications to every human action and although many of the NGOs carry out a lot of errors subconsciously, it’s time that they learn the general feeling on the ground.
NGOs would have to pay attention to the following accusations :
– i. Huge disparities between them and the locals in terms of the living standards as their conditions are extremely luxurious and King and Queen-like while the citizens sleep in terrible and damp houses (jealousy is a factor)
– ii. There is no straightforward access to them as they barricade their compounds and civilians are frustrated by often cruel watchmen (it is hard to see their faces for some are suffering from superiority complex)
– iii. They do not pay rent or utilities such as water and only for them to fatten their bank accounts and even worse they have businesses!
– Iv. They use a chunk amount of aid’s money for management, maintenance and advancement of themselves and their organizations and only insufficient aid goes to the poor.
For quite a long time, some of us have been apprehensive, ambivalent and suspicious about NGOs’ missions in Sudan. We get the image that they are helping and tackling our problems, yet one wonder why little is achieved and why Africa’s status is constantly stagnant or declining or worse off economically with their presence. Most often, our African politicians (rogue as they may be) are not to be blamed when they advocate for an African solution to our problems, even though this is becoming a substitute for inaction in cases like with Darfur where African Union forces claim to be “keeping peace” as innocent black people die in the hands of the Janjaweed Arabs as they are watching because they are not authorized to protect militarily; all in the name of the African Unity! Where do NGOs get money to start businesses, or rather are they allowed to make themselves millionaires and first class citizens in our country when they are supposed to be servants and helpers of civilians? It is now a common trend for Southern NGOs workers after amassing a large sum in a country barely governable to house themselves in large and decent complexes and mansions in Nairobi.
When one comes to grip with the unassailable nature of the NGOs, one automatically asks why the SPLM aren’t doing anything. Are they aware that some NGOs are part of the pollution and not the solution? As Jok Gai pointed it out, “SPLM is mimicking a real government, they were guerrillas yesterday.” Therefore, the transition to a real government is not harmonious and so the heap of blame is not squarely at their doorsteps but on the circumstances that pioneered their fate. The SPLM need to, however, supervise the activities of NGOs whether good or bad in Southern Sudan. NGOs are not stakeholders, they are not and should not be our external MPs in the country and don’t deserve to go about their own business. Thus, they should be place in a strict surveillance to oversee through their work and give them credit where it’s due.
It is interesting to look at the behaviours of these foreign NGOs in their countries as supposed to the latter. In the Western world it is unheard of for an NGO agent to sit side by side with George Bush and discuss issues aspect by aspect, whereas in the so-called Third World they are accorded or assumed this novelty. They might even attempt to make decisions with President Salva Kiir Mayardit for the reason that they are not in the West where they are nobodies in ranks but in Southern Sudan where they climb and dominate the hierarchy so drastically.
“Year upon year, NGOs keep on producing even more pornographic images of poverty in Africa in order to save few lives today and loose even more tomorrow.” NA (August/September, 05)
BEWARE of the fact that our cultural values are eroding after the coming of the NGOs as fostered by globalization. There are many organizations raising awareness about the plight of HIV/AIDS in Southern Sudan which is useful. It is degrading to know that in Sub Saharan African countries, the equivalent number of people killed by HIV/AIDS every two years in South Africa alone is about all that have perished in our wars. Can you imagine if we were to wrestle with wars and AIDS simultaneously! NGOs are welcome as they are helping on the fight against AIDS, but they need not neglect the cultures. That’s where modernization and indigenization come into conflict. Should NGOs practice actions such as condom demonstration openly in public in their quest to slow the spread of this deadly virus when it is unacceptable in most cultures in Southern Sudan? Should they persuade cattle keepers to let their children attend schools when they need their assistance to take care of the beasts and ensure cultural continuity even though education is a good thing? Where do we draw the line between what is good enough and what is not about the NGOs’s work for our people to embrace and follow? Are we hopeless lots who cannot decide their destiny? There is call for NGOs to follow guidelines that SPLM would create and should do so to avoid the NGOs from trampling on people’s cultures and perceive that they are self-appointed martyrs and heroes of our people to lead us wherever even to our own extinction (Ngugi wa Thiong’o, Decolonizing the Mind).
To present a clear cut to what NGOs should or shouldn’t be doing in Southern Sudan , it would be consistent to define the NGOs in its conventional form to grasp its genuine duty. A NGO is defined by some dictionaries as a non-profit group or association organized outside of institutionalized political structures to realize particular social objectives (such as environmental protection) or serve particular constituencies (such as indigenous peoples). NGO activities range from research, information distribution, training, local organization, and community service to legal advocacy, lobbying for legislative change, and civil disobedience. … Or democratic entities generally formed around a focused set of goals, and having no affiliation with governments (or the business establishment). As is shown above the NGOs are not political organizations and would stay away from politics of our country with respect to the main objectives they are crafted for. A matter-of-factly, I remember the Norwegian Peoples Aid had recruited soldiers to form their own mini army to guarantee their security in volatile Chukudum and is unclear if they faltered or violated their expectations. They ought to stick to their ideals and at least demonstrate progress, accomplishment and resourcefulness in the process rather than becoming our new tribes (Hugo Chavez, President of Venezuela). In addition, the main message to the NGOs is by all means necessary (Malcolm X) to discontinue medaling in the affairs of our nation and ethnic groups and not to be extra mentors than good Samaritans. “It has been common knowledge that NGOs evacuate their staff members once they sensed danger and live the innocent civilians to the mercy of the enemy only to reappear later claiming to help. How will they help those who died when they had evacuated?!” posed Jok Gai. The NGOs are not being effective when they abandon civilians at times of crises because an old adage says that a friend is a friend at times of disaster!
The NGOs are not our representatives at any level and would know that they are partners in development of our country. They shouldn’t feel the urge to write about us, albeit patronizingly calling our land a “once worthless land” proceeding to the little ‘development’ going on. They must recognize that we have always valued our land and shed our precious blood and sweat for it. Their help is definitely appreciated and would continue to be in the future. They must disengage and dissociate themselves in all sorts of enterprises that enrich their status and personal wealth and stop doing businesses if they are on any scale and look at the small man as their equals or leave our land indefinitely.
*Mading Ngor Akec Kuai, is a Sudanese student in Canada, email: [email protected]