The President’s Incentive Remark Debate Versus the Use of English Language in South Sudan

By Hon Arop Madut Arop, Oxford, UK

Hon Arop Madut Arop is the current MP for Abyei in Juba and the author of three classic books, namely: Sudan Painful Road to Peace, a full story of the founding and development of SPLM/SPLA (2006); The Genesis of political consciousness in South Sudan (2012), and The Ngok Dinka of Abyei in Historical Perspective (2018).

 

Tuesday, 15 May, 2018 (PW) — When the IGAD decided to revitalise the 2015 agreement on the conflict in South Sudan in 2017, it dawned into my mind that the term used may be misinterpreted by many of our compatriots since many of us have learned English Language as a second language. Those of us who had first learned the vernacular or the mother tongue will rather think first in native language before writing it down in English Language. In this respect, it is very possible to misinterpret what would otherwise be a straight forward term, like the revitalisation of the 2015 ARCSS peace deal.

When the word revitalisation of the ARCSS was first introduced by the IGAD Mediators, I thought of making it easier for the stakeholders by listing alternative acronyms to the word revitalisation. I first started with the word, ‘vita’ which in Latin Language means life. Thus the word vital has become used in English Language as an adjective to mean important and to revitalise means to energise. But in the IGAD Mediators context, it means to review the 2015 ARCSS peace deal with the aim of improving its contents for feasible implementation. Other acronyms that would help people understand the IGAD terminology to revitalise better, include among others: to resuscitate, review, to revise, to rearrange, to improve, to adjust or simply to correct the terms of the said agreement.

Only participatory farming can break the acerbic teeth of food crisis in South Sudan

By Awuol Gabriel Arok, Juba, South Sudan

farm in Bor, Jonglei state

Tuesday, May 15, 2018 (PW) — There is nothing so precious than to feast on one’s plate of hard work and sincerity, my chief shout of admiration and call goes to the holders of farm tools wherever they are, whether in the villages, near the towns or within the towns. This rainy season must be used to throw off the gloomy face of hunger and economic crisis that has stiffen our necks and blurred our optional journey for unpretentious survival.

Localities within South Sudan that are peacefully marked must all have unconditioned farming exercises.

This farming call is not been directed to the farmers alone but to everyone who have energy and a piece of unoccupied land particularly the areas around Juba City such as Rejaf, Luri, Jambo, Kondokoro, Mongalla, Lobonok, Rokon, Jebel Lado and other localities within Juba City that are within the watching eyes of the security and have an expanded customers’ based markets.

This will shield them and their families from abysmal paws of hunger and weirdest market prices.