SSUF under Dr. Emmanuel Sunday De John should stick to Peace in Rome

‘‘Time has come when young men and women must be able to sacrifice their lives.’’ Steve Biko,

By Dak Bouth,

Oct 2, 2020(Nyamilepedia) — Barely months after unlawful incarceration and subsequent push away of the prominent Youth Leader Dr. Peter Biar Ajak to exile in the United States of America, on 21st and 26th September 2020, another brilliant Youth leader Dr. Emmanuel Sunday De John faced a brutal purge from the South Sudan United Front (SSUF), not forgetting the recently assassinated philanthropic and visionary Youth leader, Kerubino Wol in Rumbek East county in June, 2020. 

Dr. Sunday’s humiliation from SSUF/A is another slap on the face of the Youth by one whose ‘modus operandi’ is violence and abuse of Human Rights. These grievous cases among others were orchestrated wittingly to scare and smother our voices of reason. We knew their intention is to send Youth into permanent silence and submission. 

These Senior Youth leaders were prosecuted without committing any offence known to the law. They are bright and hardworking young professionals who had shown exemplary performances both in military and academic fields. They took part in the South Sudan liberation struggles for independence right from their teenage years. 

Late Kerubino Wol was butchered for merely forming a Movement to oppose SPLM dictatorial tendencies. Peter Biar was arrested and exiled for harboring and advancing what he called ‘Generational exit’.  Also, Sunday de John’s fresh ideas and eloquent articulation of issues in conformity with the laid down procedures made him became a thorn in the flesh of then SSUF’s octogenarian leader who is ideas bankrupt. 

The revolutionary Youth of South Sudan are facing attack and resistance every now and then. When Youth appeared to show commitment in national and political leadership; s/he will be stone, abused and spat on like Sunday De John, Peter Biar and Kerubino Wol. 

In fact the Youth do not deserve to suffer like this in the hands of our elderly politicians who are supposed to show and open the door for us. In 1961 John F. Kennedy said that, ‘‘a society that does not pay respect to its Youth is a society at risk, a giant headed to the rock.’’ 

It is evidence that our octogenarian leaders in South Sudan are no longer visionary as we expect. Their daily deeds do not reflect an old African adage which say, what an old man can see while sitting down a young man can see it while on top of a tree. The Youth of South Sudan will not hesitate to join a defensive war against anybody who stands in their way to a United and democratic South Sudan. 

We are cognizant of the fact that old is gold. We respect the old folks but we don’t fear them. Our very own, Professor PLO Lumumba in his book titled ‘‘the Searching Soul’’ explicitly stated that ‘‘we are tired of the leadership of the retired and octogenarians who refused to leave the stage, who suffered from what I call the prima Dona syndrome.’’ 

Having said that, we believe the bold decision taken by Dr. Emmanuel Sunday De John and company to seize and take over the leadership of SSUF is aimed at avoiding or minimizing internal leadership wrangles. We see rays of hope in this leadership lead by Youth in the person of Dr. Sunday De John. 

Finally, we would like to state as follows: one, while Dr. Sunday continues to expand his influence politically, we demand that he act with decorum and not with emotions. In other words, we want Dr. Sunday to respect the personalities of his erstwhile comrades and colleagues in SSUF/. 

As a Senior Youth of South Sudan, we cherish political of ideas. Secondly, we demand that he stick to peace currently being negotiated in the Italian town of Rome. We need peace, and we are in this race to restore peace and unity in our beloved country South Sudan.        

BY SENIOR YOUTH OF SOUTH SUDAN (SEYOSS). For more information, you can reach the group at eligodakb@yahoo.com

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