Thursday, March 28, 2024

Sudan Tribune

Plural news and views on Sudan

Should South Sudan establish a ministry for Veteran Affairs?

By Dhieu Dok Minyang Monyjok

December 17, 2008 — The veterans who fought the first Anyanya war to brave men and women of SPLA who brought us the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) deserve a ministry separate from the current Ministry of SPLA Affairs.

My take is that the Ministry of SPLA Affairs has taken a depth responsibility within the army. I would loosely say the former freedom fighters that were wounded in action have been partially or totally forgotten.

Many things have happened including the clashes in Nimule between one of the SPLA commanders (who became a wounded veteran after the clashes) with veterans to rampant corruption that delays their salaries for months. If the salaries for members of South Sudan Legislative Assembly (SSLA) are not paid for a month, they will tear Gen. Salva Kiir into pieces for sure. I think it is a big insult to create a veteran day when some of those who fought voluntarily for 21 years are miserably struggling to raise their families as compare to thousands who took their families to safe heavens during the war. This equity must be addressed otherwise the government is unknowingly creating another generation similar to Mungiki that is responsible for beheading and merciless killings in Kenya. Mungiki are the sons and daughters of war veterans who fought for Kenya’s independence from Britain, however, they were sidelined by successive regimes for decades. As a result of economic and political marginalization, they resorted to terrorism so as to earn a living. Do we really need the same scenario to happen in South Sudan?

It is a matter of equity and justice that has to prevail. According to a theory of ethics, an action is morally right as long as the situation is reversed and the same action is done to you. Therefore, it is morally wrong for members of SSLA not to put themselves into the shoes of their former comrades.

Although creating this ministry will be a big burden to tax payers, we have more to reap from it. Technically nobody pays taxes in South Sudan. The little that is paid goes into hands of tax collectors. So, where does the money come from? Oil! Oil! Oil! Well, if it wasn’t for these veterans, the 50% oil share taken by GOSS would have not been seen in the first place. Why not give Caesar what belongs to him and give God his?

Creating this ministry is like specialization in economics. A country obtains competitive advantage by specializing in production of a single good. A country that tries to scramble for a competitive advantage in production of many goods is likely to fail in the long run. Therefore, the current Ministry of SPLA Affairs is scrambling between modernizing the army while at the same time giving hand to veterans. It is easy to predict that the ministry may end up between two entities like Chol Muong for those who know Dinka. Well, to be inclusive, Chol Muong, a Dinka legend received invitations from his daughter and son at the same time. On this way to the occasions, there were two separate paths, one leading to his son’s and other to his daughter’s. Chol Muong could not decide where to go till a Good Samaritan arrived. The Samaritan was very kind to advise Chol Muong to go to his son’s occasion. Since he is a father-in law, some foods will be reserved for him at his daughter’s house according to the Samaritan. Eventually Chol Muong took the advice and the plan worked out.

The scenario in South Sudan is like driving a car without repairing damages. Our veterans are the damages, as long as they are not properly repaired; the enemy will strike us in the head. Repairing them (veterans) is not giving artificial parts of the body to those who lost those parts but to improve their living standards otherwise a car that is driven for long time will suffer from mechanical failures and the owner will pay higher price for repair. If the repairs involve changing the engine then the owner is better off disposing the car and buys a new one. With this in mind, I would have proposed this bill to be enacted into law if I were a member in SSLA.

The author is a holder of Honours Bachelor of Commerce from McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada and currently working for an oil and gas company in Calgary, Alberta. He can be reached at [email protected]

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