Patriots voice grievances through dialogue, not uprising
It has been more than two weeks since the so-called People’s Coalition for Civil Action has been continuously issued statements inciting citizens to take to the streets to register their grievances. Their call has not only faced condemnations from peace-loving South Sudanese but also civil society organizations.
And, the government has since weighed in, not because it is shaken by this group hell-bent on causing instability, but because the government is concerned about the security and the well-being of the citizens.
This week, several state and national government institutions have urged citizens to resist being used by activists with vested interest to take part in any anti-government protest.
The Governor of Central Equatoria State Emmanuel Anthony Adil spoke strongly against any intention by citizens in his state to take part in any form of protest.
Juba City Council Mayor Kalisto Ladu vowed to tightened security on August 30, the day on which the invisible group allegedly planned their demonstration.
It’s not just the State government and municipal authorities. The national government also seized with the matter and warned against participating in such an uprising.
Ateny Wek Ateny, the Presidential Spokesperson put it very precisely in an interview with RBC TV: “Someone who is calling on President Kiir and Dr. Riek Machar to step aside is somebody who is not aware of our dynamics and the political dispensation of the country.”
Indeed, South Sudan is undergoing a transitional period that ends in 2023, after which a democratic election will be held and the government has reiterated its commitment to this arrangement.
While the Interim Constitution of South Sudan guarantees the rights to peaceful assembly, the timing of the rumored demonstration is wrong taking into account that the government is battling to contain rampant insecurity perpetrated by bandits along major highways in the country.
Incitement by ghost activists
Another good reason for the citizens to ignore the organizers of the said protest is that the whereabouts of the ringleaders are not known. Reading through some comments on social media, most of the civil society activists backing the agenda are based in the diaspora.
Surely, to think that a tweet or Facebook post can remove a government established after 21 years of fierce military battles is delusional. This is where the youth and whoever is being cowed to partake in the protest must exercise maximum caution.
The situation in South Sudan is well understood by the people on the ground and not some beneficiaries of political asylum who think they have a monopoly over ideology.
An infamous argument that the apologists of this invisible group give are that “they are not calling for violence; they are only urging the citizens to speak up”. Wait a minute! Speaking up and uprising are two different means of airing grievances. One can speak up without resorting to violence.
On the other hand, however, an uprising disturbs the peace and causes national instability. For the records, there is nothing like a peaceful uprising. History tells us every uprising meant to overthrow a government has turned violent.
And let’s face it, no government around the world tolerates national uprising, including the United States. Why? Because it leaves causes instability, leads to loss of lives, and leaves a trail of destruction, which the organizers of the movement will not be in a position to fix.
Patriotic citizens voice their concerns to the government through dialogue. Unless the leaders of the People’s Coalition for Civil Action are conscious of the current state of the country and its citizens, they must not instigate a problem they will not be part of.