By Maintaining The Divisive Memories We Shall Always Remain Broken No Matter The Fight We Stage Against The Evil In Our Country

By: Ogeryath Oger

The world is a home never made or destined to be occupied by hopelessness, discrimination, tribalism, injustices or persecutions neither was it intended to house broken, persecuted and disadvantaged people. The world I assume has a great meaning to all the humans as it symbolizes optimism not pessimism, advancement not backwardness, affection not hatred and it was well shaped and intended to house and shelter us against all the destructive waves of the darkness and the world I refer to is our beloved country South Sudan. This stunning country once never existed neither was there hope of assuming its existence at any one time in the history of our lives. This country was created as a home for those who were once abandoned, persecuted, marginalized and looked at as worthless beings. The republic of South Sudan was created and designed to protect and defend us against all sorts of injustices in this tempting and trembling world. We once existed as second class citizens, disadvantaged, persecuted and lamenting broken humans. But here we are today in our own designed and created home and in our hands our own affairs and vital matters. But no matter having our country in our own hands, there seem to be no existence of previously motivating thinking and the reasons for the vanishing of the motivating thinking and harmony is because there is something destructive and divisive that is still holding us back far from development and prosperity and the real dreams that we have always dreamt and still dream of.

Few years after the declaration of our independence we are well aware of the misfortune that befell on our country because of the incorrect steps that we took towards handling our own affairs. The mishandling of the state matters really retarded the strength of our unity and planted within us disturbing memories that still drag us back today. And as we have witnessed with our own eyes, the disturbing memories proved to be divisive and backward. Yes we have badly treated ourselves up to an unimaginable level that made us look like animals or worse than animals. Sometimes the previous wicked memories falsely energize us to take revenge or hurt those who hurt us but the theory always produced negative results and escalation of tensions only.

There is a plea deep inside us to abandon the immoral past memories but sometimes our influence on ourselves holds us back and makes us retreat from reconciliation and forgiveness. But when shall we be in this horrible past? Do we need change or do we wish to suffer forever in our own divisive memories?

It is impossible to achieve peace in an environment where we haven’t freed our minds from the divisive ideas of the past. We must give ourselves a chance to feel the purpose of living and honor our own country with peace and unity. We must combat the divisive memories starting from within ourselves to feel the freedom and prosperity that for long we held as symbols for the creation of South Sudan. Other than belonging and attaching ourselves to our tribes and states of origin, we must embrace the message of hope and unity that we are all South Sudanese who once existed in the same boat of suffering, discrimination, persecution and injustice.

Sinking the divisive memories can free our minds and bring peace, eliminate vengeance and create unity and build our country and transform it into a home we all wish to create. There is no place greater than a home full of peace and unity in their purest and natural forms. To stage a good fight against whatever obstacle holding our country back today, we must free ourselves from the divisive past, gain strength, courage and momentum to accelerate the good fight for complete and constructive change in South Sudan. “For if we choose to resurrect we shall surely resurrect and if we choose to die we shall die”.

May God bless South Sudan.