Equatorians Conference is queried
By Isaiah Abraham
April 18, 2011 — The people of the three states of Eastern, Western and Central Equatoria have met in Juba-Nyakuron for matters related to peace, unity and development lumped together under the theme unity, equality and prosperity. The foot soldiers of the big three leaders (Governors) of these states did an earlier preparatory shuttling a month ago, and all system went at Nyakuron Cultural Center during the past four days. The Conference commences colorfully, graced by invited other members from other regions. The participants and organizers were upbeat that the Conference will achieve it intended objectives for the good of the people of Equatoria in particular and that of the Southern Sudan. Now the resolutions are made public.
But this author has faulted (like my dear brother Dr. James Okuk Solomon) the theme and intent of the gathering by Equatorians. Regionalisms at this stage are uncalled for and indeed unnecessarily. I thought we have graduated from parochial politics, an outdate fashion that has killed progress in the developing countries. Any conference should have been about Southern Sudan and only South, unless there are compelling reasons to do so. In our case I doubt whether we have really issues to be address be one section of our region against others. To curb out one piece and leave others in suspense raises concerns. I know people aren’t saying things publicly this way but currency is that something is foreboding.
Conversely however, I have a positive view about people of Equatoria in general; they are good and great right from day one in Torit to date. My hat goes down for you Equatorians for standing firm in thin and thick for the liberation of the people of Southern Sudan. Other regions of course have done their part but rugged most of the time. Equatorians have shown again and again that they mean liberation business.That spirit must not be charred by only looking inwardly. Our beloved Vice President has said everything good about you yesterday. But here I don’t take it kindly that you meet to chart out your future without others.
Granted, regional gatherings aren’t new in our struggle. Greater Upper Nile had similar conference held in Panyagor in 2003, and Greater Bahr El Ghazal people did their own in Tonj area few months later. But at that time, the two aforesaid conferences (Panyagoor and Tonj) were largely about national focus opposed to regionalism matters. We are hearing that Equatorians have discussed unity, Justice and prosperity, and the imposing questions are: unity against whom? In another word, with whom are equatorians uniting against? Southern Sudan has poverty, illiteracy, diseases and underdevelopment as main challenges for our new state. We have no more enemies among us so to design an outfit. We shared similar challenges and nothing will really be peculiar to Equatoria and not to others.
How about justice, who can paraphrase it further here? I hear some saying that Equatorians don’t want police, prison and wild life nationalize. They want their sons and daughters to occupy any of the said security forces. They are even entertaining the idea that the army should be shared equally among the three states. The big Vice President had yesterday was close to same sentiments to the delight of the participants. My ears couldn’t believe it, when he questions the kind of federalism under GOSS, the government he is the second most powerful person. The same government two governance perspectives! Am confused why these two leaders contradicting themselves in public! That is another topic another day.
I doubt whether there is true Southerner who will ever agree to federalize our security units. Nigeria has a federal system on everything but not security; the same is true with the remaining Northern Sudan, India and the United States. Why do we create parallel arrangements or laws, when our laws talk of nationalizing security. Please fellow Southern Sudanese (Equatorians), leave our security status, structures and deployment alone; claim anything else and not the army, police, prison, wild life and fire brigade. That is a red herring thing we should stay away from. The South needs that mixture!
Look justice has another side of the coin called injustice; the later is done by a system manned by human hands and minds. If we take that someone somewhere has inflicted injustice to Equatorians, then who is he in the first place for us to kneel down and ask him to correct injustices done against Equatorians. We have missed the point therefore! The best place we could have use to fix things is the Book (constitution); if we failed to put up laws that will guarantee justice, equality and good governance, conferences would do us nothing. That is where we got it flatly wrong.
I don’t have time to argue about ‘prosperity’ catch due to time, but the summation of what we have been saying in many words above is that regional conferences however noble their causes they are trouble shooters and hence problems in making. Already the public (say other regions) is calling it a perfidy scheme or Kokoro Renaissance Conference; a can of worms that was effectively applied by Khartoum to slice our psyche. That might not be the case in Nyakuron anyway.
Proponents of the conference however argue that one of the resolutions of the Nyakuron Conference would touch power; say for instance presidency quest or key slots in the executive, more counties or constituencies. If for example we rotate presidency, then why not do it. International borders for the three states should be manned by Equatorians and the list is long. The drawback in the long run after we have chosen to go regionalism, would be that we will never be Southern Sudanese but groups; I must repeat myself here. South Sudan comes first!
Some of us have tried to advocate for years the need for unity based on what an individual could do and not where that particular person comes from. Dr. Garang our founding father had made it vividly his strategy when he first appointed Chief Administrators in our ten states. He was conscious of our diversity but the same time ready to mould different parts of the South into something. We need each other for our common good. Regionalism is bad; we spent years together and no need to separate at the end of everything, I don’t care whether Equatoria Conference will complement the GOSS Task Force work, the point is this: how will the resolutions of this conference going to fit into the national Development Plan of the larger South when one section of our society move to start a liberation from within. Why do we want to chase away other Southerners in our cities and states at this stage when we have enough land, opportunities and resources to share together? Why would anyone start to rewrite ugly history we had closed, known then as regionalism? Please spare us such divisive theories, the new world is moving together not as pieces?
Isaiah Abraham lives in Juba; he’s on [email protected]
Hero
Equatorians Conference is queried
Yep Mr Isaiah Abraham:You’re absolutely right.But don’t bother,trust me,they won’t get their way through, whether they like it or not.It will be buried with them, especially those stupids initiators.
Takpiny
Equatorians Conference is queried
Equatorian are dreaming on daylight , it was but at the moment nothing called Equatoria region again .
we have Ten states in south Sudan in which every state responsible for it owns affair .Therefore ,I beg our brothers in the three Equatoria states to work for unity of southerners as whole.,
Rejecting Juba as nation capital city and following what so call Equatorian conference is a threat for unity and co-existing of our people.
jur_likang_a_ likan'g
Equatorians Conference is queried
You visionless people, what are you saying? The people of Equatoria have every constitutional right to discus the future of their region and their children in their region. It should not be a matter of concern to you, idiots. It is why they joined in the war for freedom from Jallaba. If necessary, it might be so to whoever comes to create trouble in their region. It might not be now but believe me it will happen if you continue to err in your leadership. Mind you, nobody is born a leader or a soldier! We were all born in the same way. In the same way we will leave this planet. What is important on earth is to do GOOD. Since you want to stick with bad things like corruption, tribalism and thuggery you will definitely meet confrontation soon. It took centuries to get rid of Portuguese in coastlands of East Africa and so will be you in Equatoria. So will be you if you want to entrench internal colonialism and tribal apartheid in Juba. Please do not boast with the weaponry you begged from overseas under pretext of freedom of all South Sudan. Any one can do so to create a region of sanity and not what we are seeing. What is happening in your regions now? Are you really people or sub-humans? Wake up!!
Philosopherking
Equatorians Conference is queried
The problem with Isaiah’s reasoning is that
He thinks matter exists because there is vacuum!
To him it also follows that for equotorians to seek unity among themselves, it most definitely has to be against others!
It is called paranoia!
Nhomlawda
Equatorians Conference is queried
Why security organs approved such a stupid meeting to go ahead. There is nothing call Equatoria anymore but CES, WES, EES. Any meeting that brings those states together should only be security related but not to call for regionalism and hindrance to development of South Sudan such as asking GOSS not prioritize capital city issue. Some of those representatives in that meeting are blindfolded by their tribal resentment and failed to see big picture of South Sudan.
Anybody with brain cannot ask GOSS not to prioritize capital city issue now.
Dark Ages
Equatorians Conference is queried
The author of this article is either out of sanity or lacks complete insight of what he is writing about. Why would any Equatorian gathering be viewed as a threat?. During the struggle days, people use to sing about freedom and I think Mr Isaiah shld first look up for the definition of freedom before exposing his lack of knowledge. Ofcourse I dnt mean that what ever is being discused in the conference is good bt people are free to brainstorm new ideas. Such idiots like u are the ones encouraging the current rebellions against the government of southern because the brainless elite still enforces the element of oppression on others. This is 21st century and u guyz shld wake up. You ve seen the collapse of the then unshakable empires across the Arabian peninsula and its only a matter of time for my people to be totally free.
Philosopherking
Equatorians Conference is queried
When you sense threat even when it does not exist, it is called paranoia. When you feel threatened because someone else is doing well it is called jealousy infested inferiority complex! Both need treatment! Don’t bother with the likes of Isaiah and the likes of Okuk because they most definitely belong to a mental hospital! If there is non in South Sudan, they should be exported to Butabika, in central Uganda. I promise, they will see the light!
Philosopherking
Equatorians Conference is queried
Even with more than 20 tribes within the 3E States, there is one thing that is undeniably common; they are civilized and peace loving!
Now whether you like or not, regionalism/federalism has already taken root in South Sudan. Every State has their own governor, they have their own commissioners and most of all their own parliaments. The keep and maintain their own cultures, their own economic activities and their own education. They collect and spend their own separate taxes. If every state is already managing its own affairs and making its own decisions and by-laws, what is there to deny that regionalism/federalism can not work or that it is negative?
There is nothing wrong with each state having its own police, its own wildlife and its own prisons and its own by-laws and even their own security apparatus!
With 7 militias fighting South Sudan at the present, GOSS must understand that without the 3E-States, South Sudan would be considered a failed state or another Somalia. Instead of shunting peace-loving people, GOSS must think twice about how to make federalism work. They should think twice about the example that the 3E-States are manifesting. We are tolerant of differences and peace loving people who do not see rebellion as a means to prosperity….we value human life and wish other states would emulate!
The 3E-States have the right to association….they have the right to decide how they want to be governed and this is called democracy!
Philosopherking
Equatorians Conference is queried
Equotorians are already co-existing and saying that working together hinders co-existence or that it a threat for unity lacks logic.
The Capital should be relocated to a neutral place as already planned by GOSS and that place shall be called South Sudan Capital Territory. Its capital shall be the Federal Capital of South Sudan.
Every State shall have their own Capital and Juba for CE.
There is still nothing wrong with that!
Think harder…..think bigger, think outside of the tribal box and you will see how beautiful South Sudan can be!
Hero
Equatorians Conference is queried
Philosopherking,
Do you know what it was like went the war was ragging within South Sudan? Can you tell me where were you during those days? And what was the state of Euatorian region under the rule of Arabs?If you can answer these few questions correctly, then you will clearly knows who’s your enemy and who’s not? Instead of being out touch with the realities.
Moreover, I would like you & your likes to know that NON-Equatorians’s residents are not your enemies but your brothers.They’ve fought bravely enough to liberate the whole of South Sudan without questioning whereabout you guys are. And now silly enough, you guys seem to have forgotten their selflessness. Anyway,I guess it will be hard for you guys to appreciated and acknowledged, and even harder to understand the history our nation, but we will try hard to gives it crack.Otherwise, be in peace but not pieces.
Philosopherking
Equatorians Conference is queried
Mr. Hero, I never speak in negatives or opposites! Never did I mention the word ‘non-equototian’ in my writing. South Sudan including Equotoria was liberated by South Sudanese including Equotorians….and you can’t deny this fact! It is people like you who believe otherwise, yet without statistics! As to where I was is upto you to find out…..look in the history books and you will understand. The way you write, it looks like you were in your drapers when others were fighting in the bush! I would also want to remind you that armed liberation was not the sole means for peace in South Sudan but a peaceful agreement which culminated in the just concluded referendum. Every Citizen of South Sudan including Equotorians voted overwhelmingly for South Sudanese Independence. This is what I call true liberation. Those who have refused this liberation are the war addicts who are willing to sacrifice his own brother for the shake of power. By trying to portray South Sudan as being incapable of ruling itself, these people are the real enemies of South Sudan. They think backwards, they think in opposites and they think negative! Just like you! Shame on you!
Mawa Alson
Equatorians Conference is queried
if you think your current deominance (Dinka) has all that it takes to make you reign for ever, then it is a mistaken belief. the law of diminishing returns acts an every thing. please remember, the Arabs devised the same policy by dominating all aspect of life in sudan thinking that it is the way forward to reign forever in the Sudan because the army, police, civil service, interlectuals, justice system, finance, etc are pocketed by them only. this action is a time bomb that awaits time to explode. note this all Dinkas and your one tribe government.
Malou Luiny Joseph
Equatorians Conference is queried
Mr. Philosopher,
If there is anybody who should take a big portion of blame in this discussion, it may not miss you.
From the way you put your Ideas forward and the way you politely put your argument forward with a lot of rewardful logic, I could perssonally conclude that you will one day be the best person who will liberate the people of Southern Sudan from things like ignorance, poverty and more so on issues that have to do with the tribal nonsense. I call them nonsense not because I do not have a right term for them but because I see that they are meaningless to me and to any citizen who knows where we came from and where we are going. It is not bad for those guys up there to talk about how much they love their Regions and their states and South Sudan in general but we should know that when we are talking about our welfare, we should know that it is always good to be careful abou the environment we are in ( I am sure you are getting what I mean when I talk about the “Environment”). Currently three thing are happening and they need us as peace loving people of southern Sudan to talk about the Unity of Southern Sudan and not fragmentation of the Country.
One is that we just came out from the common Jallaba and we still need enough time to come out as a whole. I am sure everybody knows that everytime we are being attacked here and there by the Jallaba to make sure that we fight back as to sabotage the CPA and the newly gotten independence. Should we continue to seek independence in fragments or as a whole? better as a whole and not in pieces.
Seccondly, the government is now faced with a lot opposition militarily by militias and rebels who do not have clear objectives and visions for rebelling. This needs a special attention from all of us to decide on one table and one mind with one everything. We cannot deal with these if we are not together beacause it being together that makes us strong.
The third one is the issues of tribal clashes which everybody is not comfortable with unless you are part of the fighting gangs. This needs us to make sure that we participate not by the use of weapons but by using creating an envronment of peaceful co-existence and making sure that we creating NATIONAL FORUMS which will bring the fighting communities together instead of creating forums which pull people away from one another.
It is not good to talk ill about other communities especially if they are working for their own welfare but it should be a talk that does not cripple the activities of others on the other side. If it does, then there is where the others feel insecure and want to talk against gatherings.
Where is your mistake?
If not intended, then there is a mistake in joining the simple majority who talk ill of the Dinkas. Well you can also do it but what we should know from now and we need to carry it back for withdrawing other insults and hatred. Mr. hero and others said the Dinkas have dominated the government other areas of service like police, Prisons, SPLA and others hence making the rest to be minority. Well, If we take time here to think outside the tribal box like you put it, then let us look back at the time of war for SPLA recruitment.
Some years back, people were recruited into the army in two ways:
1. Through Chiefs and elders. The chiefs were given a number of people they were supposed to contribute to the SPLA and it was upon the chiefs to decide who should be recruited.( You maay know well what the turn out in Equatoria was).
2. Voluntary joining for those who were willing. This is where one would just wake up one day and start joining the tarining camps to be part of the fighting groups.
Those who feared death and never mind about the future of the country fled to the other side world with their families. By then, it was hard for many Dinkas to move other parts of Africa becuase they a centrally located within the country and did not have neigboring states to move to. Their only way out was to have more recruits in order to protect their land and people. For others, it was the only way outside to countries like Ethiopia Kenya and Uganda because they could not move around if they were not carrying arms or if they were not red army. Not many red army members were removed by then because most of the people looked older then they were.
Promotion in the SPLA was by then, done through who participated so much in the fight and Heroism. So should we complain about the why the SPLA is dominated by the Dinkas, then this could be why.
POlice: Some people who were fit to join the police units in the SPLA were moved to the police, Prisons and firebrigades.
If we cannot see all these, then we will be lost in the mist of Hatred.