Thursday, July 9, 2015

Happy 4th Birthday South Sudan

I wrote a post four years ago on the independence of South Sudan. It was really interesting going back and reading it today. As you can see below there are was a lot of hope in my writing. I argued why being free and failing was still better than having been oppressed for 50 years and failed. Sadly, it turns out I was wrong. Sadly, it turns out all the naysayers were right. South Sudan is arguably in a bigger mess than it was under Sudan. As I had written four years ago that before getting independence everyone in South Sudan was united in fighting a common enemy, but once that wasn't the case would deep rooted differences within South Sudanese re-surface? Would the corrupt elite keep getting more powerful and exploit the masses? Well they did, and in a way that has left thousands and thousands dead, about 2 million internally displaced, an economy that is near collapse with no end in sight, all because of the ego of two men right at the top (Kiir and Machar) whose fight has taken down the hopes and dreams of millions with it.  

Will it change? Will South Sudan ever become the nation it had the potential of becoming with it's fertiles lands and natural resources? I don't know anymore. I'm tired of arguing both sides. What I do know is that I still have the resolve to keep trying in my own little, insignificant way to do something about it. Maybe I'm just a glutton for misery, maybe I'm just delusional. 

Happy Birthday South Sudan! 

"Yeah, I've probably seen more horrible things than good ones but there was no better feeling than the euphoria of witnessing the birth of the world's 193rd state - The Republic of South Sudan.

I was lucky enough to be right under the flag of north Sudan when it was lowered down by the state officials and the new flag of South Sudanwas being raised. I was right there when everyone stormed towards their new flag. It was as if one's favorite team had won the world championship and everyone stormed the pitch. There were thousands of people bouncing up and down to the beat of their new national anthem under their new flag. I had chills for 10 minutes. It was a feeling I will never forget for the rest of my life. I saw tears in the eyes of men from the SPLA (sudan people's liberation army) who had probably seen more horrific things as child soldiers than we can imagine. I could do nothing to stop the tears that trickled down my own face even though I had only been part of this land for two years.

This land that is the size of France with a population of 8 million has tremendous potential. It is blessed with tremendously fertile soil, it is rich with minerals and a proven 5 - 10 billion barrels (could be a lot more) of oil, making it the third largest oil producer in Africa after Nigeria and Angola.

That being said, there is virtually no infrastructure in the country. Up until last year there were 30 km of paved roads in ALL of South Sudan. There is a great shortage of clean water in almost the entire country, vast majority of people are illiterate and their life style resembles pastorals from 500 years ago. There is a shortage of health care facilities, electricity, and other social services. There are no markets, nor any industries that could promote trade and commerce. Over the last few years money has been pouring in from other countries in the form of NGO run aid programs which has kept the ship afloat. The money that has been coming in for development is widely being accused by locals of being warming the pockets of those at the very top. You see massive mansions and brand new Toyota Land Cruisers springing up everywhere amidst shanty huts in Juba. Corruption is rampant at all levels. No money that is coming to Juba trickles down to the other 10 states. Basically, it doesn't look good at all.

 In addition, the South has always been very divided amongst various tribes that haven't coexisted harmoniously since like for ever. Over the last 50 years or so they had a common enemy in the North which they don't any more. There are already signs of discontent amongst the various militia leaders who had allied together to be part of the SPLA but now want a bigger piece of the pie. All of them want those Hummers and mansions. Yeah, I know I did say Hummers, there are plenty here.

Then there are unresolved border issues with the north in the oil rich area of Abyei (north west) and Nuba mountains (north east).

What a cluster **** right?

You hear all of what I've just said above dissected in 400 ways every day in the news. "Experts", mostly Arab mind you, use these "problems" to support their argument that "the south should not have seceded", or that they should have "waited for another few years till they could stand up on their own feet". Till they had an "infrastructure in place".

I abhor and detest these type of comments so much I can't every express it in words. "Wait" they say? Wait for what? being treated like shit for another 50 years. The reason why there is NO infrastructure, NO electricity, NO water, NO roads, NOTHING in the south is because they were under the North for the last 50 years. The North gave them nothing, except for war and misery, so how will being under them make things any WORSE off than they already are.

Whats the worst that can happen, they'll be a failed state? There won't be any development? WAKE up people they have been failed for 5 decades, at least now they will be failed but FREE and I'll take failed but free, over failed and oppressed any day, and so will all of you.

The hope of this country lies in its youth. In the hundreds of thousands who fled during the war into neighboring countries, mostly Kenya, who are dying to come back home and make something of themselves and their new nation. These are people who never were really Kenyan or Ethiopian or Ugandan even if they spent decades there. They were always Sudanese and now they are coming back. On my recent trip back from the US, I met two British Sudanese bankers who were coming back to Sudan. I asked them if this was just a visit or more than that. They looked at me as if I had cursed them out "We're coming back home, brother, home for good". It is this educated youth that gives me hope for South Sudan.

Will South Sudan be a bust or a major success? Only time will tell. But for me, I will never forget being part of history being made. It has left a mark that will never be washed away. I wish this beautiful nation the very best and I will do everything I can till I'm here to do my part in helping it." 

entire post on http://gandairi.blogspot.nl/search?updated-max=2012-04-26T12:23:00-07:00&max-results=7

When the flag of Sudan lowered and South Sudan was first raised in Kapoeta July 9, 2011

Sunday, July 5, 2015

Imam Ali (a.s)

Today marks the day when Imam Ali​ was mortally wounded due to a blow to a head  by another (so) called Muslim while he was leading the morning prayer at a mosque in Kufa. Imam Ali is widely recognized by most Sufi orders as the father of Sufism, by all Muslims as the fourth Caliph of the Muslim umma and by the Shia's as the father of Ithna Ashri sect of Islam (Shiaism).
To me personally, his words are the inspiration behind my faith in God, behind the work I do and behind how I should live my life. There are thousands of his sayings that one could quote but for some reason the one that springs to mind right now is from the letter he wrote to his appointed Governor of Egypt in which while instructing him on how to rule, he says:

Remember your subjects are only of two types "Either your brother in faith, or your equal in humanity".

The sad part is that people all over the world especially Muslims today, have forgotten the latter part of this statement. I hope I never forget it though. I hope I always remember that no matter how different someone might be from me, no matter what the color of their skin might be, no mater what they might believe or not believe in, no matter how poor or rich they might be, I always treat them as my equal in humanity.