Who is the real enemy of peace?

I am disturbed by the word 'enemy', but we must force ourselves to ask who exactly is the enemy of peace in South Sudan?  Leaders seem to be using the word 'enemy' to defend themselves, but is that their right?   For example the State Minister of Education, Stephen Lemi, after the student strike in Juba last year, claimed that the demonstration was the work of the enemies of peace after our leaders had clearly failed to ackowledge the grievances of the Juba students.  But how long will our leaders use this term 'enemies' as a thick blanket to cover from the reality of their own failure to govern?  Is it not similar to the use of the word 'terror' in the western world, justifiying the unjustifiable?

If the government can afford all the expensive cars, why can it not afford the education of our children? How many millions are lost in the purchase and maintenance of these cars? How many government registered cars are in individual government stables?  And the VIP motorcades, how justified is this show of wealth and power when the people have so little?

We are patriotic in our rhetoric during the day and at night we are the opposite. How can a country like South Sudan, if I can yet call it that, survive without basic human rights like education for its children?

I know of an example of a junior civil servant in the South Sudan Government that is allowed to abuse government vehicles, using them for transporting his relatives to funeral places, weddings and even drinking joints.  What a waste is this. yet there is no money for education! Whose fuel is burning? Tax payers and the donors are the sources. Is there any money for education? No education, you protest; rubber bullet, or life bullet on you if you wish.

Rwanda, in contrast for example, has less than ten government vehicles, having sold all the 4WD vehicles in December 2004 to buy cheaper cars in order to serve other basic services like education and health which are so much more needed. Only five government officials are now entitled to government cars: the president, the prime minister, the speaker, the senate speaker, and the head of the Supreme Court and the vehicles are all under 2000cc therefore costing less in fuel and repairs. Other high ranking government officials are given loans to purchase their own vehicles and are given fixed allowances for maintenance.

Cars are necessary for the purpose of travel but buying expensive cars while public citizens move barefooted, don’t go to school, drink water from wells in the 21st century is a shame on our leaders who when opposed rush to saying that any opponent of their actions is an 'enemy' of peace.

Remember he who corrects you, does it because he loves you and needs you to be better.  For we know there are enemies of peace but let’s distinguish them from those who fairly criticize the government in order for our country to develop and prosper.