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Sudan Tribune

Plural news and views on Sudan

Current Tribalism, Nepotism, Sectionalism

By Ohiyok D. Oduho

March 1, 2007 — Tribalism, Nepotism and sectionalism are three very serious elements haunting our people in South Sudan. A lot of information has come from Juba and other States in the South saying that someone has to be a relative, a friend or belong to a particular section of the vast South Sudanese community to get employed by the Government of South Sudan (GoSS) and the State governments. This column will not mention any names here but it will discuss in general terms the elements raised above.

There are some senior government officials in both GoSS and State governments who are accusing some of their colleagues in the Government of National Unity (GoNU) of employing relatives in their ministries at the level of GoNU. While such accusations would not go without some truth, it is also important for those who are doing the accusations to remember that they too are doing the same.

Reports from Juba and the States say that South Sudanese in both GoSS and the State governments suffer from either mistreatment or getting sacked from their places of work as a result of not belonging to a particular tribe, section or family of those in charge. Perhaps those accusing others in GoNU from the South should not behave like a Monkey which is believed in an old adage that it ‘laughs at the reddish chair-like hind of its kind in front while forgetting its own.’

It’s usually a sincere conviction inside a person to practice tribalism and it appears that every society of people that emanates from tribes has some elements of tribal leaning. But this is usually fought by a strong ‘will.’ It’s this strong ‘will’ that redirects tribally-motivated leaders to realize that they could not survive within their tribes, if they are to seek support from the other tribes in the community.

Tribalism, nepotism and sectionalism epidemic now afflicting GoSS and State governments could be seriously fought if there is a ‘will’ to do so. This ‘will’ cannot be developed because those intending to dominate others have a series of inter-linked secret plans aimed at harming others.

The GoSS and the State governments could try their level bests to introduce anti-tribal, sectionalism and nepotism task force, whose aim would be to seriously watch against individuals within governments, governmental and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) as well as those in the security force, who would tend to promote such tendencies. This task force could be formed at the level of GoSS but must be composed of specially trained personnel from all the communities and tribes in South Sudan. A special court should also be established to specially deal with cases of tribalism, nepotism and sectionalism in South Sudan.

South Sudan will not succeed in its development and recovery programmes unless the current tribalism, nepotism and sectional epidemic is properly and willingly diagnosed by government authorities and a proper therapy like the one suggested above and others that would emerge are applied. There will always be a tribe, a relationship, friendship and a section and as such the epidemic would continue unabated unless there is a serious ‘will’ to intervene from the government authorities to put an end to this menace.

* The author is a columnist with Sudan Vision Daily. He can be reached on [email protected]

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