Of religious state vs secularism: The Case of Dr. John Garang and Dr. Hassan al-Turabi

Juba Regime Carries Secularism to the Grave

By Dr. Costello Garang Ring Lual, Germany

Dr. John Garang with the family of Jambo

April 19, 2017 (SSB) — Secularism means the separation of State and Church or Mosque or Synagogue. The term is not synonymous with atheism or permissiveness, as is often feared by conservative religious societies or somehow misunderstood by those with permissive tendencies, as we now witness in Juba.

Dr. John Garang used to argue, when the complex issue of the implementation of the Islamic Sharia and the institution of an “Islamic state” in Sudan was being discussed, that the state doesn’t go to the mosque to pray and hence shouldn’t be described as “Islamic”.

In most of my last discussions with Sheikh Hassan Turabi before he passed on, he kept repeating his well-known position on the issue of diverse “book religions”. He said that all book religions; Christianity and Judaism included, in “their pure not distorted or westernised forms”, are pure Islam.

These book religions demand total “submission to God”, which leads to the term Islam. Such understanding means that the term “Islamic” is not necessarily needed to have an “Islamic state”, which according to Turabi’s final position, could be home to Christians and Jews alike, since he saw them all as Muslims, “who submitted to God”.

Identifying the Patriot: How Do We Know that Someone Loves South Sudan?

By Daniel Juol Nhomngek, Kampala, Uganda

Presidential dinner for X-mass

April 19, 2017 (SSB) —- In South Sudan, the love of the country is not differentiated from the love of personalities or politicians.  This is because people become more associated with different politicians than the country hence leaving the country uncared for. The root cause of this attitude is because the country is equated with money or employment to get money from the government.

As one observed by Dr. John Garang, Sudanese (and now South Sudanese) people view government as source of income hence, the country becomes associated with the government and where individuals are not employed in the government they become enemies of the country or the state.

The whole matter goes back to the failure to understand what a country is.  The country as defined by other writers is a land mass with distinct borders or territorial boundaries occupied by permanent population who are governed by strong or effective government that is capable of entering into the international valid agreements with other countries.

Let’s avoid viewing South Sudan from the lens of the 1st world countries like USA

The Where have we (citizens) gone wrong and where is the government wrong? Our problem is viewing South Sudan in the lens of others and government problem is failure to learn from its mistakes and crowning the warlords but why? Read on

Kon Joseph Leek, Juba, South Sudan

April 19, 2017 (SSB) — It is not necessary all about having a country, there is a different between having a country and managing it. A man who is married many years ago and has kids is not afraid to marry again. A newly married man’s home-management is not the same as who has married years ago because he has learned through his managerial mistakes overtimes compared to who has just married.

Dinka would say that he that has already touched the water is never afraid of walking through it. He that was once jailed is never afraid of prison, once divorced has no fear and shame of divorcing again.

Just like if you are promoted to primary two after having passed in primary one, you cannot perform to the best if you skip primary two for primary three or four. You cannot plant RED PEPPER and expect sorghum’s grain; a man reaps what he sewed/planted. You cannot expect a Lamb after forcing your Billy goat on a she-sheep, never in a million years. You need to first diagnose a sickness before attempting the solution. This is about diagnosis not just prognosis.

PDM of Joseph Bakasoro: Position Paper on th Proposed South Sudan National Dialogue

The People’s Democratic Movement (PDM) of Joseph Bakasoro: Position Paper on South Sudan National Dialogue proposed by President Kiir (PDF)

Gogrial State Youth Union in Juba condemns Governor Gregory Deng of Gogrial State

Re: Condemnation of reckless behavior of the Governor Hon. GregoryVasilli Dimitry Yalouris (Deng Kuaac Aduol)

By Simon Machuar Mankeracnaak, President of Gogrial State Youth Union in Juba

April 19, 2017 (SSB) — On behalf of Gogrial State Youth Union in Juba, we are strongly condemning the irresponsible handling of our state affairs by Hon. Governor Gregory Vasilli Dimitry who created disunity and renewed the conflict between the people of Gogrial state especially Aguok and Apuk communities. The governor is using some youth against each other, community against another community as a means of saving his own interest.

The Governor is a part and partial of the renewed conflict between Apuk and Aguok communities because he released all the firearms that were collected from civilians (Tit-weng) by the former governor and distributed them to some group of cattle keepers. He also ordered the army and police that were deployed in the borders to go back to Wau and Wunyik. He recently released 100 guns in which he has given to Kuac South county commissioner to distribute them to the youth for defending themselves. But the question is, from what, who and where? Governor also directed the commissioner of Apuk County to distribute 16 AK47 rifles disarmed during disarmament process and store in county Headquarters to Titweng.

YDK Group of Companies of Luka Kuot: A Future South Sudanese Oxfam in the Making

YDK Group of Companies of Managing Director Luka Kuot Deng: A Future South Sudanese Oxfam in the Making

By David Deng Chapath, Kampala, Uganda

Juba, South Sudan

April 19, 2017 (SSB) — One of the things makes us lurk behind or remaining in Third world position or even below is the fact that we do not appreciate the effort of other people. Instead, we view each other as potential enemies and begin working for the downfall of each other.

This kind of imagined existential threat translated into hatred and undermining is the cause of all our predicaments in the least developed countries (LDC) including South Sudan. Viewing each other with hatred and contempt is even worse in South Sudan given the fact that we have already existing line of weaknesses running through our every existence which is tribalism.

In South Sudan, tribalism exists at various levels i.e. ranging from national to family level. Thus, when we see the government of South Sudan being attacked, then we must know that it is not because it has failed but South Sudanese are the ones who have failed to mentally and psychologically appreciate the Government of South Sudan simply because it is headed by Dinka.