Do we see such a strain?

Ngor Arol Garang

I have over the past few days since the coming into circulation of The Juba Telegraph been grappling with whether I should drop a line of piece of brotherly advice or leave it altogether, because it would seem to have flattened on individual liberty. But today I felt overwhelmed to hold back from sharing with members of the public how I feel to get other perspectives.

I could be wrong but I am persuaded by the fact that in a country in which illiteracy rate is comparatively higher than literacy rate, it would be difficult to analytically sieve so as to segregate and come out with a clear and well refined understanding to point out the difference between personal views as article 24 of the transitional constitution stipulates, and that of the institution from which individual works.

I feel challenged to ask such a question given the frequency in the way some of the government officials cross into the functions and institutional roles illustratively explains it all. It is common and public knowledge these days to spot an individual supposedly party official talking on behalf of the government and the government extending lips and free arms to military affairs, notwithstanding the existence of relevant officers and officials.

In such an environment where supposedly educated officials themselves seem not to understand their own roles, would it be possible to make a clear distinction from Ateny Wek Ateny, a former critical columnist with the citizen newspaper who seems to have made a comeback to the writing world after a temporary pause, following his appointment as a presidential spokesperson from the views he would be expressing as individual and that of the presidency? Of course Ateny was not only a great writer, articulate and persuasive but also developed a rare culture of being objective around the subject of his writing, however controversial his view, and so those who used to like his writings and became accustom to reading him may have been missing out.

But it would be mystic if his genuine opinion as individual citizen with all the constitutional rights would not be confused with view of the government, raising doubts whether this would not eventually put him in somewhat difficult, if not swinging position. Indeed an official asked whether it would be possible to make a distinction between an expressed view of the government and those of President Kiir as an individual citizen on any subject issue on national affairs.

He was asking this in an attempt to get an answer for views expressed about the resumption of regular writing of his colleague in the government, Ateny Wek, who, from the public eyes, as the presidential spokesperson, someone placed in a position seen as the mouth piece of the president and deals with issues exclusively coming from the highest office in the land, would not be taken lightly not only by the citizens but equally by the foreign diplomats in the country. So do we see such a strain?

Garang is a Sudan Tribune journalist. He can be reached via [email protected]