Central Equatoria Governor cautions against sectarianism
His remarks come at a time there are fears that non-Equatorians may be told to leave and return to their regions when the independence of the South is finally declared following the recently concluded referendum vote. While Southerners were to a large extent united in the struggle for secession many commentators fear, once separated, cracks will appear within the South and sectarianism will run rife.
If we start to chase away people from Equatoria, the state we are trying to build will collapse.”
If we start to chase away people from Equatoria, the state we are trying to build will collapse”, the Governor told the gathering comprised of parliamentarians, ministers at the Government of Southern Sudan (GoSS) and state levels, members of the clergy and public.
Konga sounded the warning at Immanuel Cathedral in Yei while addressing mourners during a requiem mass for fallen veteran administrator Stanley Ajo who passed away in Juba Teaching Hospital recently. The late Ajo had served during Jafar Nimeri's regime (1969-1985) as Commissioner for Equatoria and as a Minister under the Joseph Lagu and James Tombura administrations.
According to Konga, Equatorians should accept living with people from other regions and should instead be taken before the law in case they do what he termed as bad things.
For more background information on the issue of tribalism read the LSE's research report "Southern Sudan at Odds with Itself"
Lakes State Youth Chairman in Yei River County, John Panther Kuek, is among non-Equatorians who have expressed concern over sectarianism after he was recently involved in an accident with a motorcycle taxi rider, commonly known as Boda Boda. Kuek said despite the motorcyclist ramming into the bumper of his car, onlookers instead blamed him and hurled insults referring to him as a foreigner, saying he should go back to his land that is hundreds of miles away.
John Panther Kuek
The youth leader told SUDANVOTES that acts of segregating people, based on the regions of Southern Sudan they originate from, was a threat to the much-needed peace, stability and development. Kuek said no community can achieve development without sharing ideas, experiences and conducting business with people from other areas including people from outside countries. I sustained severe head injuries in battlefields during the war. How do you call me foreigner in my own country?” a furious Kuek asked while pointing at the scars on his head.
A non-Sudanese who preferred to be called Johnson said the term foreigner” was inappropriate and sectarian when differentiating between natives and people from outside Southern Sudan. Johnson said many people from other countries including expatriates in different sectors have been here for decades and their immigration status and contribution towards the development of the region needs to be recognised.
According to him, many countries were hosting Sudanese who are termed as non-citizens but not foreigners. He adds that as Southern Sudan heads towards independence, authorities should devise ways of substituting the word foreigner” with non-Sudanese” like in other nations where a word non-” is used in official documents and public speech to identify one’s nationality.
