On the Need for a Robust and Responsible Citizen-Journalism
By Odongi IbaluKirram*
July 13, 2006 — A paradox of our time is unfolding, and for a people who live long under the eye of a police state, it is bemusing how an air of reluctance and tendency to remain information illiterate is widespread among Sudanese. Lest suffocating the future is our main goal, our society certainly can’t afford to delight dwelling in information poverty environment any longer. The mafia cabals who intent propelling Sudan into comprehensive failure always pray for our captivation with ignorance, so to cash in.
Sudan has been guided by and operating through an unwritten constititution. Even with tentative stability in the south and a provisional national constitution in place, the authorities across the board remain adamant the unwritten and undeclared Sudan constitution provides much sense on how to run the country. Their option is Machiavellian, of course, they love an unwritten constitution because it says: those in government are a law unto themselves and the public whose interest is at risk should keep mum – check and balances are outside government purview.
Baffled by response they received in Khartoum, Juba and Rumbek, the South African civil society team saw regression in Sudan. Asked what government role in society is, people said, “outsiders bring trouble to Sudan our government knows what to do for its people and it is always right [Khartoum].” On whether citizens have right to scrutinize how government conduct itself: “government knows more than us how we can do such things, this is sabotage [Rumbek].” Sorry, but these are victims of systematic disinformation.
If any interest, in the case of Sudan, the media, civil society and every single citizen at large have, it is to check government practices and not the opposite; for government rarely has peoples interests at heart. When last did Sudan have a government truly committed to nation-wide development, if you ask? Never.
Those in government: national, regional, state and otherwise need to kick-start whistle-blowing. The country is sick and with uninformed citizenry it is disaster. Supporting people, who are clearly wrong, on the bases of kin, political, religious, and racial/tribal affiliation has resulted in monstrous chaos. You ought to ask questions: What is it that my fellow citizens desire and how can I/we contribute to achieve that end? How has aiding some unscrupulous towering individuals/sect benefited us in Sudan?
It is only in Sudan where the military, in a foolish and short-sighted manner, continue to think its mandate is to protect individual selfish interest, not national interests and the civilian population. Whilst the soldiers may have assumed robotic status – they are programmed to give only desired answers when their masters demanded – but still weighing, ethically and intuitively, their actions against the damage wreaked in the country should fire thorough rethinking. It is time blind loyalty stop. We need government control.
As the only despotic club, NCP would no longer enjoy its exclusive status. SPLM has explicitly announced yet its “Dictatorial Intentions”. From appointing cabinet members, ambassadors to relief commissioners etc., tribalism not merit appears to be the criterion used by the potentate ex-rebel. Yet some school of though, purveyor of a sick backward tribal nationalism, sees no fault – it reckons GoSS’s driving the right process of sewing society together. Where on planet earth exist a unified, progressive society, country and people who use apartheid as a benchmark for reconciliation and development? Europe’s wars were tribal in nature and meaningful development only started when tribal quarrels were avoided.
Citizen-journalism – the ability of ordinary people to collect, decipher and disseminate vital information to awaken vigilance so to correct potential threats to their future good – is needed and must be fostered wholeheartedly.
Well the “pink” Arab might have been suspected of meting out injustice to the rest of Sudanese, the role of “Black Arabs” particularly has been second to none. After 1972 peace accord, development in south Sudan, for instance, never occurred because northerners partly thwarted it from happening but, understandably, because their faithful partners in crime “Black Arab” elites saw no meaning in carrying it out.
The word Arab has negative connotations in Sudanese society. It has come to mean an oppressor, financial fraudster, terrorist, an uncivilized person to say the least. Black Arabs by definition are persons who perpetuate social injustice, tribal/clan dominion and any ill acts associated with Arabs in Sudan. In the semi-autonomous south Sudan government they are as scarce as antipersonnel mines in the outskirts of Torit, preoccupied with appropriation of resources and money-laundering. And if the public dare inquire they promptly loud a fascistic alarm – but donors dishonoured their promises and Awad al-Jaz ministry reneged on CPA stipulations – hold Khartoum accountable. As the Otuho people would say, “believing a dog would cease eating bonds or turn vegetarian altogether is the impossibility.” It is the “Black Arabs” elites who have thrust south Sudan, Darfur and the country generally to failure; always in love with contrariness, hold them accountable instead.
Wherever you look in Sudan at this moment the economic and political diagnosis speak anything but paralysis, and there is no end insight. Tragically NCP fixation with kleptomania is beyond repair and to ask GoSS stop pussyfooting and deliver on south Sudan construction/development which is now secondary to its doctrine of charity beginning in the neighbouring countries, a vehicle of corruption, is tantamount to asking John Garang resurrect from his grave.
The reorganization of SPLM soul last April was indeed a publicity stunt by Salva Kiir, and his anti-corruption stab is merely a cosmetic exercise which shows delusion, hypocrisy, indiscipline, incapacity and mendacity coupled with a bankruptcy of managerial skills. Never had enough insulting the thinking of south Sudanese it seems. The commission’s underlying task, I honestly belief, is to stifle public awareness on matters of accountability and transparency or the lack of it in GoSS. Promise me Kenya has not assumed political mentorship of south Sudan politics just as Egypt does in the north?
* Odongi IbaluKirram is a freelance researcher, journalist, a media & communications consultant based in South Africa. He can be reached: [email protected].