A poverty-stricken man attempts to commit suicide in Juba
By James Gatdet Dak
June 9, 2008 (JUBA) – A man in his late thirties, about 6 feet tall and could weight about 70 kg attempted to commit suicide on Monday morning in Juba before the Governor of Central Equatoria state, Major General Clement Wani Konga, rushed to the scene and convinced him to climb down safely from a tall tower.
The man whose name is withheld for security reasons climbed up to the top of a hundred meters tall radio transmitting tower that belongs to the Southern Sudan Radio in the early hours of Monday morning, demanding to talk to senior members of the government and threatening to jump down while hundreds of Juba residents gathered around the tower begging him not to do so.
Speaking to a junior government official in Dinka dialect, the man reportedly demanded for assistance from the government and dropped a written message to the official who rushed back with the message which said that his days were over and wanted to kill himself.
The situation was finally rescued after Governor Clement Wani Konga suddenly appeared at the chaotic scene and asked the man to come down so that he could talk to him, which he did and went away with him.
A similar suicide attempt occurred last year on an Easter Holiday when a man known by his only second name, Ayii, from Aweil in Northern Bahr el Ghazal state, dressed smartly in black suits and climbed to the top of another very tall transmitter tower of the same Southern Sudan Radio threatening to kill himself in a letter he dropped and addressed to the President of the Government of Southern Sudan, Salva Kiir Mayardit.
Ayii explained in his letter that he decided to end his life after a lot of suffering he endured and several failed attempts to find a job in Juba.
The office of the Vice President was alerted about the letter and the suicide attempt which prompted Dr. Riek Machar to rush to the scene situated near the buildings of the government headquarters along the main tarmacked Parliament road leading to the nearby premises of the Southern Sudan Legislative Assembly and the Secretariat General of the Government of Southern Sudan.
The Vice President pleaded with Ayii not to kill himself “on Easter Holiday” and convinced him to come down safely after which he took him in his car to his house to discuss his grievances.
Thousands of residents in Juba who witnessed the happy ending of the last year’s suicide attempt were filled with joy and relief after Ayii accepted to stay alive in what was painfully witnessed as the first public suicide attempt in the capital after the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) in January 2005.
However, the recent Monday suicide attempt angered many citizens who gathered at the scene and demanded that such a person who attempts to commit suicide, or use it publicly as a means to get the attention and support from the government should face the law in order to stop people from repeating such a criminal act.
(ST)
Mr Famous Big_Logic_Boy
A poverty-stricken man attempts to commit suicide in Juba
Sound funny not to mention those kind of people who are just after money and food.Why don’t you go to your villages and kill yourself there,i don’t think such kind of people should be buried in a beautiful City like Juba,how many people are starving on the ground of South?,are they thinking like what you planned to do?.My advice is take him to prison for life may be thirty years will fit him instead of doing your stupid ideas which does not tell any thing to our people.That is why i say people are just coming with their rubbish to spoil with other parts of South which are not interested to live in dirty enviornment.Please just behave like people and learnt from those who are peace loving.If i was around by that time i would respond confidential to that guy,because i thought that,what had happened last year was an attempted of telling Mr president that,our region of South needs alot of jobs,but now this seem to be a source of benefit to individuals as some are hoping to act any time.Stupid,crazy,foolish,selfish, and etc should not intend to deceive our nation just remain as you were born to be.
Gai Chol Paul
A poverty-stricken man attempts to commit suicide in Juba
How come for man to threat people for his own life.these type of people are suppose to be hang so that they should stop embrassing Goss.It is something which has never happened on the world.Let me ask Clement,have you one day give your own life for the sake of the other? you sholud not encourage these hopeless man to continue doing thing the way he think.
Mohd El-Fatih
A poverty-stricken man attempts to commit suicide in Juba
Dear poor fella:
I was so sad to know that you have come to such decision. Please try god dear. We as a community must assist each other and the State must provide the emeans for every one to live a honourable life. For real, Iam speechless except from words of sorrow and sympathy and regret that our fellow citizen are in such conditions. Dear readers, please let us try to assist such human cases by any means. We can set up a fund for example. We as a Sudanese people must do whatever we can to make every one in our soceity feels proud of being a Sudanese. The thing I know is that every single human being in the Earth Planet and under the same Sky has the right to live an honourable life for him and his family. Sorry dear fella, I wish I could assist you in any way. But try god.
Mohd- Khartoum.
martin simon wani
A poverty-stricken man attempts to commit suicide in Juba
Our government leaders must be careful in dealing with these strange incidents of succide attempt in Juba.It seems some conmen are applying these tactics to decieve the government to give them money or job.Poeple should not think that employment by the government is the only mean for survival. Others can look for opportuniites in private sector. peace does not mean that the whole population of Southern Sudan must be employed by the government. this did not happen even in the developed countries, leave alone the infant government of Southern Sudan.
Deng Akol Agut-tungdoun
A poverty-stricken man attempts to commit suicide in Juba
Dear Gatwech,
Am sickened of your poor command on this public site. It looks like you don’t reason beyond your dirty nose. Don’t you even see that this article is only based on the propaganda of those evile hearted like you and your colleagues who comeposited this poor article. Do you really thinks Dinkas are the only poor people.
Stop that before it is too late for your own safety.
Be Bless.
Kideopo Boy
A poverty-stricken man attempts to commit suicide in Juba
Dear Brothers and Sisters,history of April/2007 is repeating itself again in June/2008 at the same Tower opposite the GOSS HQ. This is the second time for a man to do this kind of bad bussines in the History of Southern Sudan. Things like a poor person moving and begging in the market,Government Offices,bus stations etc. was not existing in our communities in the South. In our Southern Sudanese cultures, if one of your relatives is Disabled you don’t let Him/Her to go and beg because this will ruin the family reputation. But we are suprise to hear a person weighing 70kg in good health dealing in this dirty bussines. I would appreciate if our government (GOSS) can fence ( iron shield) all the Towers in South Sudan to avoid future incidents. Also those who are caught must be given tough lesson in front of the Public to discourage others from dealing in this dirty business. May God relief us all from these bad temptations.
Mabor Yiel
A poverty-stricken man attempts to commit suicide in Juba
Dear Readers,
I salute and apreciate the editor of this artilce Mr. Gatdet Dak by exposing this secret to the World. I personally disagree with those who blame these inocent figures.
They have right to commit suicide because the Government seems to be ignoring the fate of their people. The victims are 100% right eventhough they belong to one community as I am.
It is better to tell your problems to your people rather than being submissive, thief, traitor, selfish and so on.
Mabor Yiel.
Around South Sudan
James James
A poverty-stricken man attempts to commit suicide in Juba
Hi funny guys:
Actually, this is the most farcical artical that carries the most absurd episode that I have never read. Southerners need to learn how to become independent from government or UN assistances, I know, there are a lot of jobs out there ranging from toilet digging, house building, road constructions, porting, caltivation, hunting, security/watchmen jobs, rearing of somebody’s cow/goats, being sale men, trading, and even cleaning. But every Sudanese want to be seen as a boss or rich though he can’t afford a single role of sweet. Because of our foolishness, we let those wise Kenyans and Ugandans to do these dirty jobs and tomorrow, we surprise to see them returning to SouthSudan with brand new landcruisers bought from our money, meanwhile, we expect government that don’t even get taxes from us, to feed each and everyone of us, with which money?. This need to stop mediately.
Those who want to commit suicide because of hunger, better choose to die in the field while digging or doing some work. We need to stop leaning on those few govt officials. or relatives who might be working inside or outside Sudan. It is time to turn our muscles into food, development, and prosperity rather than retaining it for beating our wives, killing each other, boxing our friends during tiny disagreements, or just staying till we die without using this God given energy.
I hope everybody learn from that.
God bless.