Letter: An Open letter to Taker Riek Dong

By Bona Kueth Machar Nyak,

Opinion.

Dear Uncle

July 13, 2014(Nyamilepedia) — Let me hope my letter find you in good health wherever you are. Honourable, for the sake of clarity let me introduce myself to you, my name is Bona Kueth Machar Nyak a son to the former Nurse in Leer hospital and civil servant at the ministry of finance at the state level James Machar Nyak, you might not comprehend me but I guess you might know my father. the content of this letter is to remind you of those days when Dok community see you as a son from dignified background, a leader, humble and a honest gentleman, Honourable, I have known you from late 1990s when you were a businessman who had diversified his investments into boutique, meat selling, sorghum selling etc., you use to be a good man that assist even army officers when they are in need. Honourable, when we were growing up every one of us who happened to know by then think to imitate your characters but God forbid

Honourable, I use to admire your courage, humbleness and more importantly your love for our community, many, me included before then would put you at a calibre of your Dad Riek Dong, Bading jageah, Kuong Mabiel, Kuol Kai, Koang Biel Kueth, Kai Chan (late), Gatjiek Teny Youk, Gatdor Manguet, Dang Yout, Pan Madeng (late), James Kuong Ninrew, George Riek tap just to mentioned a few, the above mentioned sons of our beloved community serve us at different capacities but all were driven by the love and care for this great and vibrant community. Honourable you are from a dignified background, your father use to be respected by many not only from Dok community but the entire unity state community and we are proud to have someone like him. Honourable, we cannot conclude one is a great warrior by the size of his body, but we can conclude that one is a warrior by the tactics of his fight. It is just unfortunate that you are changing from bad to worst

Honourable by the virtue of your background in the year 2009 you were brought to be the Leer commissioner by the state government most of us had great expectations and joyous we were, we thought you are still the same man we knew, a man who use to overweight our meat kilos whenever you are on duty. We thought you had imitated the wisdom of leadership from your father because we believes in saying’’ like father, like son’’, little do we know that political poverty has changed you for good. The community experienced and suffered a lot of division and insecurity related issues under your leadership but those of us who still believes in your past thought most of these issues can be resolved with the help from the state government and we use to give a benefit of doubts to your failures Honourable.

Honourable, my letter does not intend to abuse you for any wrong doings but just to remind of how good you were those days when we were in bushes fighting against the government of Khartoum, I also does not intend to appeal to you because since Dr Riek Machar is from our county you should follow him, my appeal is, it does not matter how we differ politically, but we must always serve the community we claim to loved most at any point in time despite our political divide and that makes a politician popular amongst his/her people because a politician is to popularity as a pastor is to congregation.

Honourable, the fruits of democracy are always bitter when one is losing popularity amongst his peers and that is what President Kiir is doing, and those who are always naïve will find a short cut to impose themselves on people and we call them ‘’Dictators’’ but decent politicians will always appreciate the will and rights of the people who are their masters in any servant leadership, Honourable we must always adhere to these simple rules, so simple even to those who never went to school. Honourable I do not want to refer you as politically naïve but may be you are weak in political negotiations and so desperate in political power, and that is the worst in any political agreement and your opponent will always hold you politically hostage and you will have a limited alternatives more so in a country under dictatorship. Honourable, you are now a claimed leer commissioner who had butchered his people, the people you claim to lead were raped, maimed, starved, killed and their properties were destroyed at your watch, even your family members whom you know are civilians were killed, the Leer hospital which was the best in western, central and eastern Nuer was destroyed to ashes, Honourable, are you now Proud?, Honourable, as we pray for God to forgive your sins you need to rethink your political adventure in this define and historic moment of our country, I know you can never be proud of a government who have done so worst for your county, Leer community has been known for their loved even those who tortured them, we are God fearing community who believes in God scriptures, remember the prodigal Son who was forgiven by his dad after misusing all the resources, you will be our prodigal Son.

Honourable, the history is in the making and be at the right side of history because it will judge us. I personally believe you have a lot to offer to our community and the nation at large but you are in the wrong company. BE ADVISED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Bona Machar

These are my personal views and opinions for any inquiries reach me at kueth96@gmail.com, bnmachar@yahoo.com