Tribalism in South Sudan is an epidemic
By Dominic Woja Maku*
July 30, 2006 –Many people in south Sudan struggle everyday to come to terms with tribalism
and it conflict related sufferings. Many human lives have been unnecessarily
lost, many properties have been destroyed, physical infrastructures have been
damaged quite substatially, and more significantly, many people are left to
negotiate everyday for their survival within their own communities or
societies.Consequently, south Sudan is facing numerous calamities and
attrocities such as lack of socio-political, economic, and cultural structures
and infrastructures that are badly required for the reconstruction of the
already destroyed civil war ravaged south Sudan. One feels so sad to witness
such a vibrant hamanity in south Sudan sink into an oblivion due to tribalism.
As a result, quite a reasonable number of south Sudanese are struggling
physically, mentally, emotionally, and spritually to overcome tribalism and its
sight effects, including how privileges are being awarded in thier societies.
However, tribal strives and conflicts can be avoided if south Sudanese can
realize the importance of their differences (tribal, ethnic, dilectical, and
physical distinctions) which might be the root causes of tribal or intertribal
wars in their amidst. If southerners could identify and realize that every
tribe, culture, tradition, political opinion, and people are unique and
different, and respect those differnces, tribal conflicts may be avoided. Many
people have been marginalized and pushed to the periphery of society just
because they are different (tribally, because of their belief systems, their
physical characteristics, the way they talk, eat, cook their food, dress,
because of their gender, and political opinions). Within the context of
tribalism, many people have been excluded from socio-political, economic
decision-making process that affect their lives directly rendering it difficult
for them to survive. Many people have been denied opportunities and privileges
because of their different political perspectives and opinions. Critically, it
is difficult for others to express their point of views, even if they did,
their voices are not being heard. Leading to total oppression of other groups
of people which eventually breeds conflicts, and ultimately culminates into
human destruction, societal breakdown, and alienation.
Tribal wars can be avoided if southerners can creat a multicultural society in
which every culture is regareded important, unique,different and respected.
Most of the industrialized and more developed societies in the world today have
also been through conflicts much more worst than what we have seen in southern
Sudan.However, they have learned how to respect other people’s political views,
worldviews, physical differences, and accomodate their differences rather than
tolerate those differences creating an ideal condition for which they can live
side by side in peace with each other.The more advanced societies take
criticisms seriously and analyse those criticisms carefully and accomodate some
of them into their dominant ideas for the betterment of all in their society
regardless of the differences.
In my opinion following the protrated civil war that we have been through we
should be able to reconstruct our lives. We southerners should be willing to
accept our differences because we are all different and unique, but our
differences should not deter us from living side by side in peace and harmony
as human beings. If we accept our diffrences and accomodate them rather than
tolerate them, we would be in a position to overcome tribalism. Because if we
tolerate each other without recognizing the importance of our differences then
it will become even more difficult to accept others into our societies because
of their tribe (which is an archaic school of thought). Progress would come if
we avoid tribalism.
* Dominic Woja Maku is a graduate from the University of Saskatchewan in
Saskatoon, Canada. He can be reached at [email protected]