Why the SPLM-IO choose federalism.

By Cde. Sirir Gabriel Yiei Rut,

Feb 11, 2015 [Nyamilepedia]—-According to Cornell Law School; Federalism is define as a system of government in which the same territory is controlled by two levels of government. Generally, an overarching national government governs issues that affect the entire country, and smaller subdivisions govern issues of local concern. Both the national government and the smaller political subdivisions have the power to make laws and both have a certain level of autonomy from each other. The United States has a federal system of governance consisting of the national or federal government, and the government of the individual states.

The amount of power exercised by the federal government is dependent upon how the various provisions of the Constitution are interpreted. For example, the United State of America Supreme Court expanded the powers of the federal government when it construed federal powers to include those “necessary and proper” to effect the legislation passed by Congress.

Perhaps, for the case of South Sudan, we have seen what have been the so called Democratic Republic of south Sudan under the regime of Cde. Slava Kiir Mayardit. Someone could be tempted to ask are we really a democratic state?
Then one will be sillier to say yes we are……and thinking that South Sudanese are united as it has been always unstoppable advert in the national television [SSTV] on its daily programs is misleading, “One people one nation”

The killing that was decorated by our leader instigated differences among the citizens of our beloved Country making them categorized themselves and regroup thy-selves into uncontrollable tribalist of which is us to be blame for… Too ridiculous as it sound.
South Sudan have change to a dictatorship country.

Features of Dictatorship of which President Kiir cling to:
1. One Party, One Leader and One Programme:
In dictatorship only one party is allowed to exist and it is the dictator’s own party. Other political parties, associations and organizations are not allowed to function. These are banned. All opposition to the dictator is ruthlessly suppressed. Hitler used to say, “Swastika or gallows”.
One Leader:

Under dictatorship, leadership is given to a single man. Full faith is to be concentrated in the leader. The leader is supposed to represent national unity. He is considered to be a symbol of national prestige. He is the final authority in every matter and his word is supreme. {Salva Kiir’s Rule of decrees}
One Programme:
The whole country is supposed to have one political programme and it is the programme of dictator’s own party.

1. Absence of Individual freedom:
   The individual does not enjoy any freedom or rights under dictatorship. Maximum obedience to the laws is equated to the maximum freedom. People are not allowed any freedom of speech, association and press. All agencies of education and propaganda such as schools, colleges, radio, papers and films are controlled by the state. In the words of Mussolini “people do not want liberty but they want law and order.
   “No criticism against the dictator is tolerated. People are supposed to believe and obey. Democratic slogans of liberty, equality and fraternity are replaced by slogans like duty, discipline and sacrifice. Mussolini asserted, “Liberty is a dead carcass, I kick it.”
2. National Glorification:
   Dictators glorify their nations to an illogical extreme. A mad sense of patriotism is inculcated in the minds of the people. They are made intensely nationalistic.
   The state is regarded as the march of God on earth. The state is considered to be the end and the individual a means to that end. People are supposed to sacrifice their lives on the altar of state.
3. Glorification of War:
   Dictators glorify war. War is considered to be essential for the normal health of body-politic. The state is all powerful and it must enhance its prestige. The dictators adopt a war-like policy and glorify brute force as the means for achieving national greatness. In the opinion of Hitler, “In eternal warfare, mankind has become great; in eternal peace it will be ruined.”
   To quote Mussolini, “War is to the man what maternity is to the woman.”

5. Totalitarian State:
Dictatorship is a totalitarian state which controls each and every aspect of human personality, and takes into its fold all human activities in the social, economic, political, educational, religious and cultural spheres.
No margin for individual liberty is left behind. “Nothing against the state, everything for the state, nothing outside the state” is the basic principle of dictatorship.

6. Racialism:
Dictators preach racialism. The Germans under Hitler regarded themselves to be superior to the people living in the rest of the world. They claimed that they belonged to the ancient Aryan stock. As such they regarded themselves to be superior to others.
Similarly, the Italians claimed that they belonged to the race of the ancient Roman conqueror and that they had a divine mission to conquer the world. In south Sudan there is Dinka misconception of born to rule.

Conclusion:
Dictatorship was a mad doctrine. World War II was the direct result of these dictatorships. Democratic camp led by U.S.S.R., England and America uprooted dictatorship from the world and gates for the growth of democracy were again opened.
If President Salva Kiir Mayardit want to practice dictatorship, He will also end up being uprooted as it was done to the founders.
Moreover, it’s up to us to accept Federalism as the only system of governance which can be necessary for our people. And also we should also think of this vision and to relies it future effect on us and unto our children whom will be the primary beneficiaries of this system of governance. The entire communities of south Sudan needs to promptly rush for it call and it implementation as the Peace blare in Addis Ababa, Ethiopian capital.

There are no side effects in installing Federalism to be our current system as some intellectuals misleads their inmates contrary to what we really know federalism for.
However, there are advantages and benefits toward the practice of this system not to the government Icons alone but to the entire country.

Advantages of federalism:
 -It provides a barrier to the dominance of the majority. For example if the majority of those in power represented a conservative coalition.
 -Local Interests Reflected: National Government provides and regulates “national needs” which would be too difficult or expensive for any one state to handle alone such as national security, social security and welfare programs, national transportation and communications.
 -It ensures that government remains close to the people. The State governments argue that they are more in tune with the daily needs and aspirations of the people.
 -Includes increased flexibility among regional governments, which allows policy experimentation such as differing laws across states

There are a number of ways to show you how effectively or efficiently federalism tackles problems which the SPLM –IO have come up with.

• The SPLM under Dr. Machar and his comrades chose federalism rather than a centralization because they had tried centralization. They had found that it created a central government that was too weak to really do what was needed.
• The Resistance leaders chose federalism rather than having a unitary system (all power given to the central government) because people did not trust central government. They had just fought to become free from a centralized Kiir government that, they thought, was too oppressive.
• The SPLM-IO chose federalism also as way of preventing tyranny. They wanted to split the power of government between the states and the central government so that neither level of government could become too powerful. They felt that splitting power up was a good way to protect the people from government tyranny.

The SPLM-IO should be given a chance to return us back to our happiness and to eradicate the educational paralysis, Carnage state of our own roads, filthy/disgusting images of our hospitals and health care centers in the country and Looting culture of our subordinates salaries in all public and private sectors as it has been inherit to us by our Ugandans friends. Kiir government is a mixture of all unwanted cells.

Oh yes! Federalism has been welcomed with open arms by the greater Upper Nile region and by the entire Equatoria region but due to manipulations and silencers, the mighty Equatorians and some few traitors from Upper Nile region have not been able to made it up to the peak. But hopefully heart failure will surprise our oppressors one day at a time.

Applause to the people party the SPL-IO for the tireless struggle and resistance of the tyranny. We are all behind you and I can assure you the citizens are all yours.

I have spoken my words and may the gods of the land hear my voice………

Cde. Sirir Gabriel Yiei Rut, is a writer and commentator and He is the Chairman of SPLM Youth League Chapter in Egypt he can be simply reach through sirirgabrielyiei3@gmail.com