Heart to the Tilapia

By David Aoloch Bion

Joh gave Mou small
roasted tilapia fish
Small as it’s
he rejected tilapia in greed
And threw it in to river
fat and savoury soaked his palm
he looked and smelled his palm
He licked his palm
‘’why you throw fish away
And you lick your hand’’
they asked him
‘’I am not licking but washing my hands ‘’
‘’why don’t you use water’’
‘’my tongue can clean better than water’’ he  said
What irony

 

…lose all like Khoryol pots

By David Aoloch Bion

Khoryol had three pots
Wanted to take them home
Carried them all
Balanced one on head
One in right hand
One in left hand
Friend advised him to
Take them one by one or two
‘’Pots are fragile’’ said friend
he refused, said trust he
‘’No one’’ to leave pots with
he went on way home
On way she stumbled, staggered
Pot on head fell
She threw two in hand to save falling one
She missed to catch falling one
The pot fell down broken
The other two pots broken too
… Take one  or you lose all like Khoryol pots

                                

 

…the other things are ears

By David Aoloch Bion

Owl said had horns
Threatened all birds with them
One day,, oxpecker
Decided to prove if owl
Had horns or not
Black bird came to owl
His nephew and said
‘’can I shaved your hair’’
‘’okay, but take care horns
Are sharp edge and tip, it
May cut or pierce you’’
‘’I know ‘’ said oxpeckerl
With cunning he shaved
Touched horns gently
Owl felt touch and said
‘’ Don’t touch horns
It will harm you’’
‘’I know’’ said  oxpecker
But continued to touch gently
He found them soft and were ears
Not horns as owl claimed
oxpecker flew up and alarm
‘’ …… birds, birds, , , ,
…the other things are ears.
The other things on owl head
Are not horns but ears
All birds swooped at owl head in mock
Owl flew, flew and flew and all birds
Were running after him in mock
They cursed him ‘’ evil eye, evil eye……
Birds chased owl for whole until night
Where they not see him
For this owl stops to move in day
But at night to avoid being mocked
So came proverb, ..the other thing
Are ears

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dau Aturjong: A Veteran Turned Silly.

By MonyDit Waa 

Mabioor de Garang with Gen. Daau Aturjong, Nairobi

At wee hours of 31th of May, the once darling patriot, a man who once defended our territories with no absolute arms for his soldiers made a disastrous move to rebel against the system of General Kiir Wat Mayardit, a man he defended in thick and thin during his deployment first as an area commander in 1990s in Northern Bahr el Ghazal state, second as a useful commander with rapid deployment to put off the insurgencies in and around Equatoria staged by Riek Machar in his 1991’s revolt against the system. 

Gen. Dau, many fair-minded people would agree with you that President Kiir’s government has been on the bullying spree against those who once liberated this country. Your very own colleagues in the government formation since 2005 have had the honour of picking who will serve where and why neglecting the very basic reasons you, among others took up arms to fight against the Arab regimes in the north. We know this, and the world too, knows it. 

But General, how intelligent is joining Riek Machar who once been the vice president of this country for nine good years where powers of appointment and strategizing were solely made under his office? Did I hear you saying Riek will bring equality, justice and democracy where your Aweil people will not ever be marginalised in preference of the people of other states? Is this Riek you were referring or was it just a “rebellion gimmick” we’re hearing so often these days? 

Before you left for the bush possibly in Akobo, Nasir or even in the poor villages of Aweil to fight for Riek’s presidency, allow me educate you who Riek was to Aweil people: Your future president has contributed to Aweil’s marginalisation. Do you know this? Let’s face it. Riek Machar, for nine years, has used your fellow Aweil Gen. as his junior without promotion, a mere office manager to be precise! 

Deng Deng Akon, a man with long track record of defending this country first as your comrade in arms who joined the SPLA since its inception the same day as you and grew in the ranks and files as its Brigadier General. As his axillary assistant in the zonal command of western Upper Nile State in 1980s, he rebelled with him since Aweil people would not led down a genuine friendship. They went to Khartoum together where he became Riek’s Private Secretary, a general becoming a private secretary to his junior. Yes, Riek prior to his joining the SPLA in 1984, after his failure to garner support from Muhammer Ghadhafi to back his Sudan’s Revolutionary Congress, alongside his London friends, among whom are our very own Marial Benjamin, the boy handling the diplomatic docket for South Sudan, was just a student of reservoir engineering, a course which later turned out to be an industrial management which is done by the low IQ and a non-mathematical inclined engineers while Deng Deng Akoon was already a field officer in the SPLA.

Riek, after the failed Khartoum Peace Agreement, proposed a five persons to be appointed ministers in the government of Bashir. This list didn’t include any single Aweil person. As he always does, he came to meet Aweil community in Nyala, western Sudan on the 10th of June 1997 where he told them the half-barked truth— and that truth was his perceived temporary marriage with the regime of president Bashir, comparing it with Malual Both-Ayaar’s traditional dance where dancers use one foot as they balance themselves on the other springlingly to the amusement of the onlookers. Meaning, he was on the trial mission, and he would therefore calls it a quit should the Islamist regime reneges to implement his dubious and audacious recommendations prior to the signing of Khartoum Peace Agreement. This took him couple of years before he solely left with a briefcase to Nairobi as he sought to make a prodigal comeback, a biblical lost child of the SPLM he became! 

Fast forward to the comprehensive peace agreement where he became the vice president, he made huge appointment where he double-facedly became the Minister of housing in addition to his vice presidential role. His second or third wife, I don’t know, became a minister too. Your friend, Deng Deng Akon, became the office manager (I don’t give a sh*t of the name given to the position he was holding) which was indeed an insult to him, given the fact that he was a Brigadier General in the SPLA and a senior to Riek by the virtue of earlier joining of the movement, and a member of Shield one division, though Riek was quickly passed over by Dr John in Ranks and assigned under the pretext of being a PhD comrade. Garang became the first victim of this PhD’s syndrome! 

In the drama that ensued when mile 14 was intentionally put among the contested areas without the knowledge of Aweil community, Dr. Dhieu Mathok Diing, another man who I believe might have been the driving force behind your unwise defection to Riek’s tribal militia today, willingly wrote to the vice president’s office about the facts surrounding Mile 14, or as locally called, Kiir Adem, a topic he actually wrote his doctorate thesis, which underscored the relic coexistence of Rezigate and Dinka Malual dated back to the advent of British colonizers into Sudan two centuries ago.
Despite being smuggled into the office by the Wife of Riek, he was humiliatingly thrown out by Riek in his office. A man who was part of the government to which Riek was the co-chair, an intellectual in his own right and an experienced politician. After this dramatic and disgraceful event, Riek mentioned to those present that Aweil people think in their eyes. Adding that he didn’t have anything to do with Mile 14 yet he was a vice president. 

This is Riek Machar Teny you’re now coercing our young ones to fight for his presidency today. So, Gen. Aweil people think through their eyes, Fair! Right?

To quote what you said as a package of your rebellion, “Metaphorizing it with an oak tree which doesn’t stand alone when budding, but penetrates on the independent tree as it propagates its branches which later engulfs the whole tree”. I guess you might have missed the fact or those who are cajoling with you are misinterpreting the actualities in desperate attempt to bring down the government by joining someone whose priority is to cleanse tribes in this revenge conflict. 

When you and your friends left Aweil for Ethiopia in 1983, you had no guns, no food no nothing, but managed to fight enemies along the way till you reach Ethiopia. You fought the well-armed Nuer Militias with sticks and some outdated rifles and emerged victorious. When you came to Aweil too in early 1990s, you fought Murahileen with few AK 47. You turned the household taxes to buy more uniform for the soldiers and weaponry and even cars that were later used in the military operations. You fought the successful wars in places such as Riangawei, Rumdier, Malith-alek-yai, Wathok, Auluic and many other places with local support. Aweil had never been penetrated by the enemy at the broad day light. Aweil has never been rounded-up while men clothed themselves in women’s wears. We never had Nuer or Riek Machar coming for our defence, never!. 

Now for you to join force with Riek Machar who has hugely contributed to Aweil’s marginalization during his time as vice president is somewhat a betrayal to Aweil people not to the regime you sullenly wanting to overthrow expediently.

As you make your final strategy to invade Aweil villages and kill the remaining patriots there, know that Aweil is not denying your rebellion or your mistreatment by President Kiir. Aweil would have loved if you had stood independent and fight your own war against this corrupt government. It’s not difficult to overthrow this government even if Aweil people take up sticks and machetes and confront it head-on. It’s the strategy that majority would have loved you pursuing not joining forces with Riek and his tribal militias. 

If you don’t reconsider your alliance with Riek, Aweil people will never ever vow down or giving you sanctuary in our territory should you come with White army or Massiriya as its alleged now to invade our poor villages. Yes, under the SPLM-led government, bullets speak louder than ballots, but know that this won’t be the business as usual. 
Aweil stood to defend its territory against Arab north and it will, this time, stand against White Army under your command, as you fight to install another enemy to Aweil people just like this current president you’re overthrowing.

MonyDit Waa is a native of Mading-Cit-Amerika, a member of the renowned Cattle Camp Council for Elders, CCCL/3CL and an emeritus professor for cattle rustling affairs. He lives in MadingCielic!

LETTER TO MY YOUNGER SISTER–Part 1

“FOR MOST OF THE HISTORY, ANONYMOUS WAS A WOMAN”: DEDICATED TO YOUNG SOUTH SUDANESE’S FEMALE CHILD

Amer Mayen Dhieu

By Amer Mayen Dhieu, Australia, Queensland

Dear little sister

I failed in so many attempts, so many trails. Socially and culturally, I have no status. I am almost done but with determination I am still zero-day old girl-child at birth.

Through all of these, you been peering at me, watching me crawl because you just came after me. My only words are, in all the manifesto of my failures you have witnessed, I need you to remember:

1. Not my failures but my refusals to remained in dust. My fights to get back to the surface.

2. Not how many times I revolves in pool of critics but my enthusiastic to stay in shape. Know that I have critics because I exists.

3. Not how many times I fail but how many times I get back up. Remember that I fail because I am trying to hikes more stairs.

If you were to ask me for reimbursement in view of the fact that I fail to set you an example, I would have nothing to defend myself but my only word would be take my “die trying” philosophy with you.

I am sure with “die trying” philosophy you will win many cases, fights many battles and cruise many voyages of thousand miles

Don’t make mistake to get over crammed at one point. There are so many doors to your destination and if one door closed don’t spend a lot of time thinking why it close before you enter.

Immediately make consultation with your brain, inform your whole body that it is time for critical thinking and that you need emergency exit ASAP.

The time you will regret in life is the time you spend thinking of “WHY and HOW” unless you were answering some science questions or was doing some hypothetical researches for your academic work.

As woman, don’t be loose in notions and sentiments that your journey will be as facile as men’s. Our world has very high conjecture on women. Young and old. Do not get tired of these assumptions and don’t even think of switching your mind off from them. Some of them are positive and helpful.

Assumptions on women lend us helping hand to maintains our feminine instinct. Do not make mistake to compete with man because by real definition of nature, women are the most abundant creatures you would ever wish to leave. Only ask for similar opportunities and equal treatment.

My little sister, I never wish to be someone else than who I am truly is. I could be dumb, ugly, short, tall or too dark but had never ashamed the father and son above who put effort to mold me out of dust by wishing to be that outstanding woman.

I only craves to upgrade myself to the level I would be proud of the “me” in me and this is what your focus should be. My words to you are; Every woman have the require qualities and proficients of becoming a high standard woman.

You have what it takes to aggressively push away the dim light in you and bring upon the chandeliers that will outshine every positive part of you. You are so, so good the way you’re.

Don’t ever wish to be someone else because that someone else was born just like you, but because of her determination and hard-work, she is who she is today.

Subtract this ugly word as you grow. This evil word called “envy”. Don’t you try to be envious of your other woman. Get close to her and try to have a clear shot of her experiences, then use them to aids yourself to be able to grow to your full potentials

Try as much as you can, not to have too many enemies. You will understand this as you reach my age. There are no permanent enemies and it could be very exhaustive to called someone who will later be your friend your enemy.

Try to make as much friends as you can. I understand only few will like you but have a room in your heart to act opposite way. Never hold anything against any one. Grown up women don’t hate. Mature women understand why people hate and treat hatred has human epidemic with no cure.

You will confront a lot of things in your way. Many of them will be very challenging and resistive. There will be a time you feel like giving up. But mind you, If you accept defeat and give up, you’re no longer a fighter. If you don’t fight who else will fight for you? I am busy fighting my own army.

Few things to remember: “surround yourself with positive people”. Being in positive environment is one weapon you need as a women to be able to pursue all your dreams. Researches all strong women in your area.

Try and don’t be ashamed to ask them for professional friendship. Let them know you are not there for other intentions but to learn from each other uniqueness. Always, Always, be around positive people.

Those who make you feel strong even when you’re not. Keep negative people on your side too because they will remind you of the reason you want to be a determine young lady. Negative people exist so you can learn to resist.

This is only part one. I will discuss more with you on my second letter especially what happen to sisterhood and the so called intellectual women, importance of being smart and the positivity of staying alert. Be strong! Be a woman!

Yours sincerely and loving older sister
Amer Mayen Dhieu.