Dear brothers and sisters in Canada and beyond:
I have wrestled with these remarks for two reasons. First of all, I know that a number of people would wish these remarks to be the omnibus exploration of the preserves and destructive nature of alleged and confirmed corruption which has been the headline for 2006 in southern Sudan. Some were proven true and dealt with swiftly. Others were pure propaganda machinations of the enemy and its allies in the globe. I am pleased nonetheless with the recognition that there are a number of people who have report on that issue and have brought that evil to light for all to see. Second, what I intend to do is to deal with the progress being made in the south and our Canada action plan for 2007 which I urge all chapters to follow closely as we enter the critical era of elections in 2008 and the 2011 referendum.
But, of course there is more. Implicit and explicit in my remarks will be criticisms of some things which all of us feel are important to implement in order for southern Sudan to deal with its own fate as 2011 approaches. Those issues impringe on a number of people with whom I have developed relationships over the years or recently which gives me some anxiety. That does not compromise my determination to deal with difficult issues, it only means that I am some what clutched on various grounds about some of the views I intend to disgorge. That doesn’t mean I won’t deliver them. It only means that beneath the rhetorical broadsides, there are heavy duty palpitations.
In my short visit to south Sudan, I have seen a number of progressive and degrading practices. Some officials work harder than we do in the western world make no mistake about it. If you go to the President or the Vice President of southern Sudan’s offices and some other distinguished ministries, you will find someone at 8:00am and you will never fail to get someone at 7:00pm. In my few days in Juba, I was concerned about the health of some officials as I feel that they are over working themselves. I also feel for their staff. How can anyone go home for example if the boss is still inside the office? No one can build a nation alone. People are hired to implement government plans. And yes, there are offices where it is hard to find the decision makers. Sometimes you wonder how you could get anything done if no decision makers are available. In my view, what is stalling the development of southern Sudan is not lack of vision; it is lack of willing implementers. What excuse can you have if you have the resources to do the work and yet nothing is happening? If you feel you need qualify people to do the work in your ministry, I have stated it clearly that we have a qualified Diaspora---the seventh front---to pick it up. We have many talkers in the south who do little about reality. Yes, even when a given ministry has the brightest work force, there is nothing a staff member can do if the minister is not interested in any kind of progress. Sometimes it forces one to feel that some kind of evil draconian sabotaging of success is in some heads. But then you wonder why that is. Because if you don’t want the government of southern Sudan to succeed, why be part of it. One should wait for an administration of his/her liking. What I know many people need to have in southern Sudan is a different world view. There should be a clear distinction between working in southern Sudan for money and working there to develop it. Those who work there for money are going to put our country, our beloved nation into coffins. I met with my former colleague from grade 7 to University, a very bright and intelligent young man. He worked for a certain ministry in southern Sudan. He said to me: “Peter, you know I hold a very big post here, but each time we go to the office in the morning, it is a waste of time. We are not using our knowledge to implement the plans outlined in the 200 day government action plan. I would rather go and work in the private sector or my knowledge will go waste.” My heart sank when I heard him say that. I asked, “why don’t you create your own action plan?” He said that even if he did, no one would accept it. Plans have to come from above. If this is the feeling, then how can we ever progress to anything?
Having said that, we have to be very careful with the enemy tricks. They have provoked the Malakal instability, the murders on Juba-Uganda road as well as inculcation and planting of seeds of division among southern Sudanese. They are telling people that your tribe has been left out of government positions or that you are only getting junior positions in the government of southern Sudan or that your land has been occupied. If you are not a tribalist, you should know by now that all southerners are your brothers and sisters and as long as they are qualified, they represent your interest. But if you are a tribalist, go to the website and count how many of your people are working in the Government of Southern Sudan or GNU. You wouldn’t even have the chance to know how many of your people work in a given ministry because their names may not be visible, but they are there. Then you talk about occupation. Southern Sudan was occupied for fifty years. During the liberation struggle, all southerners were placed strategically to fight for our freedom in all parts of southern Sudan and that is how people get to those places. No one talked about occupation when it was hot war. Now that there is relative peace, we are being instigated to reject each other so that the enemy can come and occupy the land. Make no mistake about it, nothing good will come from our counterparts which southerners cannot give. I believe strongly that there are that must be addressed, but they must be addressed in the spirit of unity and fraternity. No one benefits from disunity. We were there. The leadership we have is pro-unity and listens.
As indicated in my reflection report earlier, I am equally glad to report a lot of progress in what is being done. Yes, as Steven Wondu indicated, there are many things that are happening, but because they are not tangible---you can’t touch or see the them---they seem not to exist in the eyes of our people. But here listed are some things that one could report as progress made in the last two years. Roads are being constructed in and a round Juba. You can now drive from Juba to Rumbek or Yiey and other places. When did we ever have that in the history of Southern Sudan? Investors are in southern Sudan. Restaurants are established and so are other services. As I reported earlier, Juba airport receives more than 100 landings per day. That is quite a record for southern Sudan. I was told that before the establishment of GOSS, there were three Sudanese government cars in Juba. Now, there are more than 11,000 privately owned and over 7000 GOSS vehicles in Juba. That is a record number of cars in the history of southern Sudan. Maintainence of old buildings and building of new ones is continuing. Health is a big challenge there. But since I am a southerner, I have to compare this period with the period of occupation. There are more medical facilities now in Juba than there has ever been in its history. And because health is not only about
hospitals and clinics, I can add that our civilian population has changed. The way children play freely, women going about their business without fear of being raped or attacked by outlaws is an indication that life has returned to south Sudan. To be honest with you, it is just hard to compare the life there with what happened in the old Sudan. Electricity lines were being constructed along the streets. I watched the workers as they were working on the poles. It felt good that it was happening in the south. Yes, you all should know by now that Jinubeen have either two or three cell phones in their possession. Normal cell phones and the famous Thuraya which we have difficulty here calling from Canada. Yes, internet is there in southern Sudan and like most people, I kept checking my email there. Yes, as well negotiated in the CPA, Juba has more than 15 diplomatic missions accredited to the GOSS. In return, the Ministry for Regional Cooperation has and will continue to establish Liaison offices in foreign countries. I hope for one here in Canada once we get the response from Canadian government. Those who feel that regional cooperation is an internal affair, please read the CPA clause section D on concurrent powers. That will assist your analysis of the situation. I was amazed by the fact that Southern Sudan Television is already running and broadcasts meetings of the President live with foreign dignitaries as well as important meetings with officials of the GOSS. I was one of the lucky ones whose meeting was broadcasted live on our SSTV. And yes, there is south Sudan Radio which I happened to listen to in the car with our own singers, our own anchors and broadcasters. It felt good to be there. Yes, the government of south Sudan, office of the President has produced the 200 day government action plan. If those plans are implemented, south Sudan will be like a place you have not seen before. I also would like to remind our people that development of southern Sudan is a collective undertaking. You have representatives in Parliament of Southern Sudan as well as your own states. You need to speak to them and ask them why they are not advocating on behalf of the areas which they represent. They are your eyes in the government and should be able to carryout their roles. If they fail to do their job, then you decide in 2008. Southern development is our collective responsibility and unless we take it seriously, some people will get away with the blame.
But as to our part in Canada, we still have a problem. Despite my pleads and efforts in Juba to get resources for SPLM in Canada to operate successfully and be prepared for the 2008 and 2011 referendum, we failed to get any resources. The leadership of SPLM does not have sufficient funds to support SPLM activities in the world, but we are expected to do the work in any way possible. More than all of you, it is frustrating for me not to be able to travel around the country and assist in the organization of chapters. But, I will continue to do my best with whatever personal resources I have to do the work. I expect you to do your part as well in the national liberation struggle. In so doing, I would like to outline the priorities of SPLM Canada for 2007 in the following areas and all chapter leaders are expected to play a major role in the implementation of these strategic plans:
1. We need to increase SPLM membership across the country: this is done through annual renewable registrations on which members must pay $20 dollars and development fee of $60 dollars annually.
2. Development of fund raising strategies: annual membership fees, development fees, those who run for offices pay an election fee of $100 dollars as well as three public fundraising parties which will give the Sudanese people the opportunity to contribute to the country financially. SPLM Identity cards will also given for a fee of $10 dollars. The identity cards will have an expiry date of one year as that of membership. There are other creative ways of fundraising such as sale of SPLM articles---T-Shirts, watches, etc which each chapter can design. All chapters a cross Canada must follow those funding strategies so that we can financially assist the Head Quarters by the year end
3. Registration of all southern Sudanese in Canada: it is a directive from the GOSS and SPLM Head Quarters in juba that we need to register our people in Canada for census as well as elections and referendum reasons. This is so because we must know how many people are in which city so that we can adequately prepare election booths in those areas with more southerners.
4. Annual report: we are the only SPLM Diaspora that have submitted an annual report for 2006 to the Head Quarters. This, year, we want all chapters to submit their reports to me by November and project their December activities so that we can submit our annual report by the end of December 2007 to the Head Quarters. There will be no exceptions to this deadline.
5. Appointment of the Eastern and Western Coordinators: for the sake of clarity and ease of accountability, our SPLM organization structure for Canada has been developed and approved by the Head Quarters. I want to keep the line of accountability simple to avoid inherent confusions. These two coordinator positions will be established once we have enough chapters in the Eastern and Western Canada. It will be the two coordinators that will be responsible for their geographic chapters.
6. Establishment of GOSS Liaison Office: we will work hard to convince the Government of Canada that establishment of GOSS office here will facilitate development in southern Sudan as stipulated in the CPA. That will require all southerners to work with their Canadian MPs to ensure that some political push is exerted.
If we focus on those issues established above, we will be able to move forward with an agenda that will benefit our people at home and our selves abroad. It is time for us to move with pride. We got what we wanted---southern Sudanese working for their own future like anyone else in the world!
Thank you so much and God bless you all.
Peter Both
Representative,
SPLM and Government of Southern Sudan in Canada