Dealing with the devil, China’s investment in South Sudan
Charles Anteros
Feb 18, 2007 — I thought I should start this piece of mind with an anecdote as it befits my meandering on issues of the future of our economy and the oil and mining business in the light of opposition to Chinese presence in South Sudan.
I remember an old priest, Rev. Fr. Silvestre Aharanya, from the diocese of Torit in the late 70s or early 80 who was stationed at Kapeota Parish. The parish hires security guards to watch its orchard during fruits seasons so that no one could freely eat from it, steal or rob the Parish. Unfortunately, the keeper was unmatched by a notorious individual who could bit the guard and tie him up on the trees while he audaciously sits in the garden to eat what he could eat. Certainly, the priest was driven nuts by this unbecoming demeanor of a guy most powerful and feared.
The story however took a dramatic turn of events as the priest thought of confronting the situation and makes a deal with this devil. One evening, the priest decided to pay a visit to this notorious individual and asked if he could become the guard of his garden. He convinced the guy that he knows this he was the most powerful and feared in the area. The returns this guy can bring him are quite promising. So, the guy took the bait and brokered a deal and became the watchman for the parish of Kapeota. He certainly became the best guard who never allowed anyone to cross the fruit trees or disturb the priest. To the time this priest left the mission, he was never bothered by any one regarding his garden anymore.
The moral of the story can be interpreted in various ways. However, the point I am driving at is, can we make some deals with the Chinese? China has become aggressive in its pursuit for oil dominance or security in the world. It recently toured the US and most parts of Africa. Even our neighbor Kenya announced trades deal that involves oil exploration probably offshore the coast of Mombasa. What is this about? Can China be trusted as its diplomatic overtures are somewhat questionable? What moral stand does China demonstrate as its potential growing might is expanding economically across the globe?
To many such as us, China presents a real dilemma. Is it then possible to protect our resources even if it means we make a deal with China regarding some concessions in the energy and mining? In my view a definite yes. China’s demeanors cannot preclude any necessary preconditions of survival. The game is the fittest lives. South Sudan should open its economic doors to anyone regardless. An economic liberty guarantees greater promise even to our grand children. We have to remember the anecdote just presented. China can become an ambivalent guardian at the UN or Security Council if we involve her to participate in an economic partnership.
China’s political and social order has no bearing on our cultural or moral obligations. In fact, China has come very far from their traditional authoritarian system to open and some what liberal forms of political order. It is the Asian cultures that must be understand to underpin what we perceive as repression in China. To the Asians, satisfaction and security are just the social order of the day and it is in their fabric. Loyalty and conformity in their social order further confuses the rest of us because it is in their traits of human conduct and not the individual freedom. This is how the West is now dealing with China because the West is trying to understand that the Asians have different values of their basic political and social order which even range widely in the ordinary political behavior. For the Asians, it elevates the tests of loyalty and commitment to matters of political importance. Dissidents then, violate group norms outside legitimate power structure in the Chinese culture. For them, it is almost a taboo. Rights there are extended to the people by the regime. It is the benevolence of the group towards the individual.
To deeply understand the Asian culture, one must not become judgmental because attitude towards power is that power stresses status and hierarchy, divine order and ethical property. Individuals are expected to stick to their group loyalties or stay out of politics. On most parts of the world, merit and not consensus or loyalty guides the relationship between the politicians and the people. South Sudan needs to stick to its own tradition and the Chinese in theirs.
It is important to put bilateral relationship and economic plans above our past experiences. In fact, we have to deal with the Chinese as we should be cautious and shrewd as both can become best advantages to utilize in a crux situation. China is Africa to trade and secure its economic worries and Africa has to ask China something in return whether it is technological transfers, elevating the educational standard in order to boost the staggering human resource potential for services in industries or agriculture. We have to broaden our ambitions in the hope of securing our future.
We need to make alliances as one of the people had written me this story: “One night when he was chairing a cabinet meeting of his ministers, he got a call from his wife. She was saying that there were suspicious movements around the house and she was afraid thieves could break into the house. Numeiri is said to have interjected by saying that it was not possible, because according to him, all the thieves were with him in the meeting. It was common knowledge that Numeiri often appointed some people with notoriety to his cabinet, so as to use their records against them whenever they did not want to carry out his wishes.
* The author is based in Vancouver, Canada. He can be reached at [email protected]