*By James Okuk
Tribe is good and we must be proud of our different tribes in South Sudan and should try hard to preserve them from disappearance in future. Tribalism is bad and wrong and we must fight hard – nails and teeth – to combat it in Southern Sudan On February 25, 2008, Gongich C Ngueny wrote: “This is not Congo, not Rwanda or, Kenya. It is Southern Sudan, a country not yet born, still there is already an emergence of struggle for political power based on ethnic lines brought by some enemies of togetherness’ far as I know it has never worked any where instead it brings animosity and anarchy.
They struggle for power not knowing the hour. Please
brethren, let us unanimously kill that attitude before it grows; most
especially a state like southern Sudan, a state that is not yet born”.
He added that “We people of southern Sudan should know and be proud of
our history. A history which has consumed 2.5 millions lives, a
history, that has turned Southern Sudanese tribes against one another:
Nuer vs Uduk, Shilluk vs Anyauk, Monyjiang (Dinka) vs Beer (Murle), and
Equatorian vs great Upper Nile. In after-math, a final peace was
achieved… Let me just beg the rest of Southern Sudan communities to
adhere unity wherever they are. We did not just inherit this great land
from our parents, but we borrowed it from our children and their
children’s children. So let’s make it a better place for posterity.”
Gongich opinion is wonderful at a glance and it deserve to be respected
because he took the courage to voice out something he is seeing as
dangerous for the well-being of Southern Sudan, particularly when it
becomes and independent South Sudan after 2011. This is what he calls
“the virus of tribalism” used by those who are working for the abortion
of the State of South Sudan, which is still growing in the womb of the
CPA politics. However, the fight for combating tribalism in a continent
characterized by tribal affiliations is not so simple without dilemma.
It is not either without sacrifices. I tend to believe that if you are
a non-tribalist in the midst of tribalists, you will be a loser in the
jungle of tribalism. Right or prove me wrong?
There is an irony in discussing the problem of tribalism: Tribalism
cannot exist without a tribe. Right and unfalsifiable! In this regard
the root basis to eliminate tribalism is to eliminate tribes. But this
elimination will be contradictory to the desire to preserve tribes in
South Sudan, which is part of Africa. Africa is ranked in the world as
the continent where tribalism is high. The reason is clear - because it
is also ranked as the continent which is still maintaining so many
tribes so far. This reason could be enhanced by the facts that you find
no tribalism in other continents of the world whose tribes have
disappeared into the memoir of history (but this should not be
understood as lack of other forms of injustice). That is, no tribe, no
tribalism. This could be a justification that if we mean to fight
tribalism to the roots we have to make tribal affiliation disappear so
that we live as Southerners rather than as tribes - no Dinka, no Bari,
no Nuer, no Collo, etc any more. Are Southerners willing to let their
tribal identity and affiliation go?
When you struggle not to favour your tribe in your action, and others
struggle to favour their tribes in their decisions, then you would have
done no good to your tribes though you did well to other tribes when
they have not done it to you. What is the way out from this dilemma?
Two options: either accept the loss by sacrificing your tribal people
while pleasing others, or join the practice by favouring them and
disappointing other tribes. Each of these options is not free from
damage (personal or community). Nonetheless, this dilemma could
possibly be resolved by using the wisdom behind the song of famous
Collo (Shilluk) musician, John Adhok: "let us destroy it if we are not
willing to adjust it, or let us adjust it together if we think
continuing this bad thing is not good" – ‘rënya en amaa e ca rëny, wala
tienya en o dung o caa dok keje.’ That is to say, either all of us work
to eliminate tribalism in Southern Sudan or we continue to practice it
in whatever position we hold if others continue to practice it in the
decision-making positions they hold too. Of course this will put those
who have dual tribal identity in an awkward situation of choice; either
to favour the side of their mothers or the one of their fathers, or
favour both.
It is important to understand that injustice and oppression by a
brother is the same practice when done by an enemy; it makes a brother
an enemy as well. Kokora by Equatorians in 1980s was not for a
non-reason; it was because of jange (Dinka, Collo, and perhaps Nuer)
domination in institutions of Government of Autonomous Southern Sudan.
Also defections from the SPLM/A in 1990 (mostly by some Nuer, Collo,
Dinka and also some tribes from Equatoria and Bahr El Ghazal) was not
for the joy of cooperating with Arabs in Khartoum; it was a result of
Dr. Garang's dictatorial and individualistic style of managing the
movement, which was so fatal to some comrades who were presented with
no choice but joining the enemy for safety from death from a brother –
because death is death wherever it comes from. That is to say,
Southerners went to bush under the SPLM/A to fight against brutal
Northerners (including the Darfurians who were in the SAF and also as
Mujaheen – holy warriors) but in the process they also turned brutal to
themselves in some instances as described above. Nonetheless no one can
deny that Dr. Garang is a hero today because of the CPA; he is lucky to
have died early, otherwise, his heroism would have been demonized by
the problems surrounding the implementation of the CPA and enormous
quest for development in Southern Sudan.
In my conclusion, we should not be simplistic when we try to address
the problem of tribalism in Southern Sudan; otherwise we will cause
injustice to those who are qualified to do good work to the South but
have happened to come from one tribe. In this case, I will prefer
encouragement for equal access to competition for jobs and other
privileges in Southern Sudan and accepting whoever wins the competition
test even if from one tribe. As far as we need participation,
involvement and representation of all tribes of Southern Sudan in the
GoSS, we should not also sacrifice efficiency and merits in the
process. After all tribes are going to disappear in future (given the
ongoing civilization conditions) but efficiency, productivity, quality
and merits will persist to be desired in the forthcoming independent
South Sudan state. I hope logical and truth-seeking Southerners will
agree with me here.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
*You can reach me at
Newer articles:
- Slave rescue bid resumes in Sudan - 05/03/2008 23:33
- The SPLM is becoming a danger for the demise of the CPA. - 04/03/2008 17:40
- SPLM 2nd Convention: A Hard Test in Democratic Transformation - 03/03/2008 17:42
- Sudan nomads clash with ex-rebels, dozens killed - 03/03/2008 08:00
- SPLM Pagan denies calling for Sudan's CPA review - 01/03/2008 14:02
Older news items
- Expelled Sudan SPLM official accuses Salva Kiir of 'dictatorship' - 26/02/2008 02:30
- CPA Adjustment and Quest for Southern Sudan Development - 21/02/2008 18:33
- Salva Kiir sacks South Sudan Auditor General - 21/02/2008 11:10
- Uganda, LRA reach breakthrough deal - 21/02/2008 11:03
- Exiles sail home to difficult future - 16/02/2008 16:42
Latest news items (all categories):
- South Sudan needs ‘civic education’ before elections, says bishop - 16/01/2025 16:42
- South Sudan parties set to resume peace talks in Kenya - 16/01/2025 16:39
- Abandoned but not forgotten – the invisible crisis in South Sudan - 16/01/2025 16:35
- The SAF has committed barbaric atrocities against South Sudanese refugees in Wad Medani - 16/01/2025 16:27
- Syria 2025: The historical Syrian project: From revolution to a modern inclusive civil state - 16/01/2025 16:10
Random articles (all categories):
- Sudan, South Sudan leaders meet over disputes - Newsday - 15/07/2012 12:41
- In South Sudan, UN struggles (again) with how to protect civilians - 02/09/2016 07:37
- AU Urges South Sudan Parties to Complete Arrangements before Government Formation - 28/05/2019 05:46
- China asks South Sudan to punish those responsible for Chinese peacekeeper deaths - 29/07/2016 23:50
- Ethiopian Ambassador Confers with South Sudan Vice President - 03/05/2021 06:03
Popular articles:
- The Final Communique of SPLM-DC Third Session of the National Council - 29/03/2011 01:00 - Read 76044 times
- Roles and Definition of Political Parties - 29/04/2011 01:00 - Read 60894 times
- Agriculture in Southern Sudan: Challenges and Investment Opportunities - 06/10/2010 01:45 - Read 42182 times
- Fashoda Youth Forum Rehabilitation of Drainage Culverts in Malakal town Report - 07/08/2008 16:22 - Read 33396 times
- Dozens of gunmen on horseback ambush peacekeepers - 24/05/2008 13:47 - Read 26729 times