By Dr Isaac Ayii Ayii (PhD),
Dec 19, 2016(Nyamilepedia) —— These few days, few weeks and few Months genocide had been the narratives, the headlines and definition of what is south Sudan and its people in the tea places, in the offices, under the trees, in the public buses, in bar places, in the clubs, in churches, in social media, local media and international media. Therefore, I took this opportunity as an indigenous south Sudanese on the ground to write on the followings headings: what is genocide? , what are the aggravating factors of genocide in south Sudan? , Why it will never happen? , recommendations and conclusion
What is genocide? , Genocide stands for two words Geno and cide, Geno- which means the genetic makeup of an individual which is transmitted from parents to their off springs e,g one may resembles his or her great grand parents because of the gene coated in his/her DNA or gets familial diseases such as diabetics, hypertension , breast cancer , sickle cell disease among others , tall or short etc. –Cide means killing
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Therefore, genocide means a mass killing of people along their ethnic line , the world latest cited example of genocide is that of Rwanda of 1994, where Hutus and Tutsi killed themselves a long ethnic line and the record has it that in just 100 days over 800,000 people were killed.
What are aggravating factors of genocide in south Sudan? With aggravating factors here I am referring to factors that promote or create a conducive atmosphere for occurrence of genocide, the following are few factors among others;
- Creation and promotion of unfounded rumors e,g Dinka are mobilizing a long ethnic line to kill non-Dinka or Equatorians are poisoning Dinka in restaurants, tea places etc
- Unclear role of international community/UNMISS in South Sudan e,g are they for regime change?, are they for protection of civilians?, are they for the interest of their country or south Sudan?, are they here to offer humanitarian assistances e,g food and medicines ?, are they laying the foundation for genocide ? , are they laying the foundation for UN protectorate for south Sudan?, etc, etc……etc
- Promotion of hate speeches through stereotyping/prejudice e,g all Dinkas are murderers or all equatorians are cowards or all Nuer are rebellious etc
- Promotion and maintenance of barriers among the communities e,g site for protection of civilians with no exit strategy , employment opportunities offered along ethnic lines, demarcation of boundaries along ethnic lines
- Lack of rule of engagement between Government forces and rebel forces e, g Does government forces differentiated between civilians and rebels? As a well does rebels differentiated between the government forces and civilians?.
Why Genocide will never happen in South Sudan? The followings are factors that I believe will never allow genocide to happen in South Sudan
There is wrong definition of who our communities are? , in comparison to Rwanda there was Hutus and Tutsi and they have too identified themselves as Hutus and Tutsi but here in south Sudan the major demographic lines that everyone and the world believes a long which the genocide may happen in south Sudan is Dinka visas Equatorians or Nuer, but my consciences do not agree to that school of thought why?.
Dinka visas Equatoria or Nuer in whatsoever the case will never come to consensus to carry out the genocide amongst themselves? In first place there is nothing call Dinka when Dinka believed they are either Jieng or Mounjang , Apuk, Agar, Ngok, Bor, Padang, twic, Malual, Kuac, Luacjang etc and therefore do not have common paramount chief /king that would command them to carry out the genocide, Equatorians do believe they are either Acholi, Madi, Kuku, Bari, Zande, lotuko, boya, lokuya , Mundari etc hence, have no a common paramount/king to command them for genocide, The same to Nuer , they do believe they are either Naath , Gaajak, Gaajok, Lou, Gaaweer, bul etc hence they do not have common paramount chief/ king to command them to carry out genocide.
Mixed Identification and intermarriages, Dinka and Nuer for instances have no any distinguished identification they all remove their lower tooth, their head scars and names are similar, the same to Mundari , shilluk , and Bari too and not to underestimated the intermarriages between Equatorians, Nuer and Dinka , this does not allow anyone planning to incite genocide to take place.
Bound by the common history of suffering, How would one agreed just because he is either Dinka or Equatorians or Nuer to kill his/her colleague whom they fought for 21 years, suffered in schools together, working in the harsh condition together this would be a myth
Learning from history, we ought to learn from Rwanda history that it is never of any benefit to have genocide in our Country why? during and after genocide it never benefitted Rwandese apart from bitter histories and memories of the past, a part from creating jobs for United nation, a part from establishing the sites for world research and acting as reference to scholars, it is my prayers South Sudanese sees no benefit during and aftermath and collectively desist once and for all on factors that will make it happened
Recommendation on preventing genocide
To government
- Facts finding on the rumors and addressing them through public arena e,g media houses , public rallies etc
- Formation of committee for genocide prevention since prevention is better than cure
- Dealing with rebels and criminals through rule of engagement
- Continue with the call of dialogue as the best option that would give the inclusive peace for all South Sudanese
To International community/UNMISS
- Establishing clear roles /mandates in South Sudan that even peasant/cattle keeper will know down in the grass root through action not by words of mouth
- Funding activities that promotes reconciliation, healing and self reliance among the communities
- Working hand in hand with TGONU to jointly address issues of South Sudanese as partners but not as oppositions
To communities
- Respecting each other cultures / way of lives and diversity
- avoiding stereotyping/prejudice statements that generalized a particular community
- Making use of available structures in our communities to address our problems e,g Jieng Councils Elders should as well be addressing issue that affects other communities not only that of Dinka, the same to Naath community leaders they should not only address Nuer issues as well equatorian leaders they should not only address issues affecting equatorians after all it is these communities that form South Sudan and addressing a section of a problem is liking leaving index finger to rode just because it is a small part of your
To individuals
- Each one of us has a positive role to play, mind your negatives ideas, words, writings and statements as the saying goes one bird spoil water , and what goes around will come round you never that very thing you manufacture can come for you.
In conclusion, I believe since our problems originals from us we ought to originals our solutions, rise above these innumerous challenges, learn from them and once and for all together takes the route to development and working for our next generation.
The author of this artile, Dr Isaac Ayii Ayii (PhD), is a concern South Sudanese who can be reached at ayiiisaac728@gmail.com
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