The challenges of the new Republic of South Sudan!!

By: Luk Kuth Dak.

March 11, 2011 — As we reflect on the future of our young state ( South Sudan), one thing is clear, the state of our unity is stronger and invincible than ever.

Finally, an issue all South Sudanese can actually rally behind so forcibly with an unprecedented historical margin of 99.8% per cent for the independence of the region.

No acts of evil, not even from the renegade George Athor Deng, David de Chand, and all the rest of the traitors, will rifle or undermine the core of the solid foundation of the house our people have just built.

I also really and truly believe that our people, who are just recovering from a half a century long of torment, oppression, mass murders and rapes, will not be fooled to allow anyone to take their freedom away. They understand that the current and the future challenges of establishing a new nation, will never be overcome unless we all put our differences aside, if we were to see a better and brighter future for our children.

No question, most fair-minded South Sudanese will testify that without the SPLM skillful and tenacious negotiations with the NCP hardliners, we wouldn’t have been anywhere near where we are today.

Therefore, we’re indebted to all of our heroes, but especially to the President of the government of South Sudan, H.E. Salva Kiir Mayardit, the vice president, H.E. Dr. Riak Machar and Hon. Ustaz James Wani Iga, for their commendable leadership roles during those tough give-and- take negotiations marathons, and for the conduction of one of the most, if not the most, flawless referendums in the world, even by our worse enemies admission.

And so, I’m pretty sure that my dear friends, Pagan Amum, the Secretary General of the Sudan peoples Liberation Movement (SPLM), and Ezekiel Lol Gatkuoth, the Representative of the Government of South Sudan (Goss) to the United States (USA) and the United Nations (UN), must now be the most happiest men in the world, for they- both- were the first to predict the magic percentage outcome of the referendum.

As a result, one would hope that the success of the referendum would indeed boost the confidence of the South Sudan media outlets in the SPLM’s leadership abilities and eventually reward them for having done so marvelously well in leading our people to the very end of the ends of justice and freedom.

But no!

Worst of all, there continues to be some of the most shoddy, mean-spirited and nasty articles ever written in belittling of one of the most, if not most, popular movements in Sudan, if not the entire continent. That movement is none other than the SPLM, which has just carried South Sudanese people to their respectful and most deserving place in the world community arena.

The real question is: why are we being so uncivil and so nasty against our leaders, in particular? And what good do we accomplish by criticizing them for the sake of criticism, and not on the bases of their performances?

Now, as we continue to face the uncertain and changing world, the last thing we need – in my humble judgment- is division. I get sick when some one introduces himself or herself by: I am a Nuer, a Bari or a Dinka!!

That’s as sickest as it gets.

Last year, I wrote an article in witch I expressed a belief we should all tirelessly work together to fight tribalism, but of course, no one listened. The media continued to be unreasonable, and in most cases ludicrous, which made matters all the more complicated.

That being said, the hope is that the writers of the shoddy articles would – at the very least- have the decency, the professionalism, and surly the responsibility to acknowledge the tangible achievements done by the SPLM under the leadership of President Kiir, and not just be engaged and locked up in some destructive criticism, that will only bring division among our people.

The question of who should raise the flag of our independence has already been put to rest when the founder of the SPLM, the late Dr. John Garang de Mabior selected Kiir as his vice president.

And yes, President Kiir isn’t perfect, but who really is?

Luk Kuth Dak is former anchorman with Juba Radio. He also the vice president of the Sudanese Journalists union in America. He can be reached at: [email protected]