Pragmatic Leaders needed for south Sudan States.

By: Daniel A. Daniel

American president Thomas Jefferson once said: " Question with boldness, even the very existence of God".

South Sudan is going through one of the most difficult instability period in our history, yet, during this despicable crisis, our current governor and the legislative leaders of Junglei state have demonstrated a complete inability to lead.

A state in such desperate massive killings between Dinka – Bor , Lou- Nuer and Murle, today needs courageous leadership with a vision for tomorrow. Facing this massive crisis, the people should rightfully expect their leaders to roll up their sleeves and confront the issues directly. Instead, citizens of both sides have just spent their time attempting to lay blame for what is going on in the state from madness and pinpointing their fingers to each others, which in my opinion is not healthy, and it will not help anyone. Therefore, we need to act, and act now, before is  too late.

As some writers and viewers mentioned in more than web site that; Dr. Riek Machar is behind what is going on in Junglei and some referred it to 1991 Incidents. To that, I just wanted to correct this concept. Dr. Machar is our national Leader who has his work cut out for him. He is not a Nuer tribe's chief to be held accountable for the shortfalls of the local authorities or tribal affairs. That's the core resposibility of the state's officials. In addition, Dr. Machar is not even from either A kobo, nor Fanjak counties, which are part and parcell of Junglei state. In short, we have chosen the wrong guy here.

Let me just make somethingn crytal clear that nobody has ever mentioned before.When Dr. Riek went to Bor town back in 1991, he did not do so to kill innocents people as many people believe. The truth of the matter is that, Bor was a part of his territory during the split. He was there for a convention, during which time he came under an attack by a group of people, resulting in the loss of lives on his side including high profiled politicians among whome was Uncle Joseph Oduha of Torit.

In the aftermath of that incidence, his soldiers ( some of them are now SPLA's) went on an attack as a revenge for their fallen comrades, which in turn let to the tragic loss of inocents civilians who got caught up between fires.

Now, Brother Manyok Biar is reopening the wounds, yet again. In his recently article in Sudan Tribune, Mr. Biar played a role of a victim while it's clear that both sides have lost some loved ones. In a desparat attempt, Mr. Biar is now trying to connect that incident with the current events that have just unfolded in Duk county, blaming and blackmailing Dr. Riek to apologize to Dinka- Bor victims' families. But the question: who is going to apologize to the victims' families on the other side?

Further more, I am totally aware that it's not an easy task to forget the past. But for the sake of our country, dewelling on this issue has proven unfruitful. It's time to move on, I believe.

These problems have not just started yesterday, and there are root causes for them. In fact, I remember quite vividly when I was young after Addis Ababa accord that another rebellion started again in 1974, and many southerners didn't even know about it, while they were enjoying life in Juba during Uncle Joseph Lagu and Justice Abel Alier's tenures.

Since the disarmament process began to disarm Murle tribe and others, by then Karbino Kuanyin Bol and William Nyoun Bany both were on operations of disarmament and they never rested until the two went back for our second struggle (1983 SPLM/A). And so as I mentioned above, we need to establish law and order especially, in this era of technology that we now live in, and where communication and transportation are made more available than ever before.

All in all, what am suggesting is that, let the representatives (Members of parliaments ) go to their respective areas in order to educate their constituents about the importance of living in harmony with their neighbors. This has to be a collective effords, because the government alone cannot solve them.

Therefore, if we really need stability and progress in South Sudan, am urging  the public to take its rightful place in the next coming electins, to kick out the dead woods ( I meant the long time leaders ) and elect some new breeds of pragmatic leaders who are for-wards-thinking individuals.

We need courageous Leaders with a vision.