I knew only few Nuer in the past. They were classmates of mine; I won't name them. My relationship with them was cordial. There was no political agenda. They were refugees, that's all we knew about them, that's all they knew about themselves. Every year, a charismatic man named Tomorrow invites some of us to celebrate Christmas with him through me. Although I have lived in exile for most of my life, I still feel friendly toward some of those who are still alive. It was then a small fledgling Nuer community living in the middle of the sea Anyuak community. Back then, they lived peacefully in harmony and treated each other with respect, honor, and no discrimination. The Anyuak viewed the presence of Nuer among them positively, rather than negatively. They understood the pain and suffering the Nuer had endured to reach Anyuak-land from the ongoing conflict in South Sudan. At that time, the Anyuak understood the important politics of addition, understanding that any additional numbers could help mitigate the highlanders' centrifugal forces, almost surpassing those of the Gambellan. However, the Anyuak politician were mistaken. It was a political mistake for which the Anyuak paid dearly. The error was colossal. They had been bitten by the ones they had fed their hands to. It remains a nightmare even today. Adding insult to injury, the majority Nuer stock from Sudan, which inflated the number of Ethiopian Nuer, has continuously screamed unfounded accusations, accusing the Anyuak of not allowing the Ethiopian Nuer to enter towns, gain education, and obtain fertile land. This is utter nonsense. The Anyuak stonewalled nobody, prevented on one from coming to town from getting an education. The Nuer should blame remoteness. And pastoral rural lifestyle that kept the Ethiopian Nuer from going to school. No one would prevent Nuer from joining civilization. The wheels of civilization will spread throughout this wider world without hindrances, it isn't like a pandemic disease that man can control, the spread of civilization cannot be derailed or controlled by no one. So, such accusations are unjustified, and could not be verified. The complain about inability to access land in the Anyuak country, is not valid argument, there are plenty of undeveloped land in the NUER country, the Nuer should focus on developing those untouched barren lands and utilized them for use. It surprised anyone on some occasion to hear some Nuer politician constantly accused the Anyuak of mistreatment of them. They had a hardened judgments against the Anyuak, they are incorrect with their views. No one today can imagine that the actions of a group of people would have impeded their progress, whether they are talking about social, economic, political, or cultural progress. In the narrow nationalist political dirty books, the Nuer political elite are consuming more than what they chew, they are intoxicated by them. They preach divisive agendas, they think they are correct, but they correct only if one is hailed from a sectarian bunch of political division, yes, they could utter nonsense like that. In fact, such people, are not national politicians in the sense of the national character in the political discourse. Rather than bridging the gap between communities, they look to create friction. In the media, they often fabricated cheap lies and spread false diatribes and innuendos to propagate chasm as a political ideology. In fact, the OLF leadership thought they could bring them to power with guns but were surprised by the Gambellan people's stiff resistance and determination to defeat them. Gambella remains peaceful, united under the remaining umbrella of small Ethiopia of Gambella. Ethiopian ethno-federalism and democracy in supposition are deeply misunderstood by NUER and other Ethiopian Ethno-political elites. Their preconceived notions about the federal system of power- division and rights -allocation have been dead wrong, neither their understanding about ethno-majoritarian rule policy. In truth, the NUER political elites are not the right messengers of democracy, its ideal. They totally misconstrued democracy, mispresented wrong outlooks regarding democratic dispensation programs in the Ethiopian constitution. Whether they know it or not the Nuer failed to understand the current regime in power political trajectory. They didn't know everything have been changed to outfit a particular group in power. Thus, the constitutional paradigm shift doesn't spouse democracy but something of authoritarian in nature disguised as democracy. In fact, what we got now is an ethno-authoritarian regime masquerading in disguise as democracy and hovering over the country. But for Nuer stock, such types of tribal system are what they had all long for decades. They think such system would impower Nuer at all costs. They believe that the Anyuak long-held power grip must end, power must be handed over by hooks and crooks, and Gambella's political control should belong to them. This is where they are wrong. Many Anyuak believe that although some NUER are Ethiopian citizens, most NUER are of South Sudanese descent, who have become Ethiopian citizen by the default, that they have no complete rights challenging natives. That the Nuer are mostly not of the Ethiopian origin, but they are natural citizens of Ethiopia. The Anyuak think it is inappropriate for Nuer to speak first before them as they are not real citizen of Ethiopia, challenged Nuer from taking important leadership positions at the national and regional levels. Thus, no matter how majoritarian Nuer are in the Gambella regional powerhouse, the Anyuak think Nuer must be denied most crucial hierarchical power. That Gambella natives or originalists should be the only ones to hold power in the important positions. Even so, neither the Anyuak nor the Nuer were involved in the government's decision-making process; power have often been delegated to favored individuals by the central government. And the Anyuak, Nuer, have no choice over their choices. They are just bone eaters fighting over bones thrown at them. So, tearing down their communities is pointless. Despite divergent interests, it is better to work together since the primary goal of both communities is peace and prosperity for the Gambellan people. It is a waste of time and energy to tear down their communities. To begin with, the Prosperity Party is a tribalist party with an extreme ethnonationalist viewpoint that wants to create a new image for Ethiopia, based on one ethno-hegemonic identity or otherwise they could push the country away from its traditional national discourse. Besides the Oromoma, political revanchists, regarded all good land in Ethiopia as "Kennya", or ours. Whether it be on the ground or in the sky. For instance, revisionist revanchists identified Abol and Itang, as belonging to greater Oromia in their book a few years ago. There have been many people supporting revisionists, expansionists world views out there, one wouldn't think the Nuer elites would sit well with such dangerous toxic ideological spectrum. But who knows? And Gambella is not the only place where this deadly aggrandization project is taking place. It extends throughout Ethiopia. In view of this dark cloud hovering over the Gambella people, it's imperative that they unite against the expansionist forces rather than pursue fictitious goals that bear no fruit in the long run. But how can one convince greedy NUER politicians, especially those from the South Sudan, who have brainwashed the Ethiopian Nuer into believing that a prosperity party political program will benefit them by disorganizing and dispersing their unity. It's a false conscience being cultivated within their community, which believes they deserve to rule over other communities regardless of democracy or not. They believe their cheery numbers will prevail regardless. Ajumhara, Journal, argues that the idea that certain nationalities should be in charge because of their high numbers is undemocratic, illiberal. It is wrong, according to the journal. Only the wrongheaded opportunist would entertain such divisive ideology. If Sudanese Nuer don't follow the law, or break the law, they need to be sent back to their country. It is important, we should also protect law-abiding ones even they are not citizens. They must not be forced to go but encouraged them to start preparing on their own free will to go. Any supporters of this retarded ethnos-centrist-led government should serve the interests of the Gambella people, not always disburse money given to Gambella to political factions in power somewhere else. Both Nuer-Anyuak communities have been victims of politics, economics, and social-cultural disorganization and dislocation, when it comes to push and shove. They took the wrong path to development, they split up; they broke down; they failed to fulfill their political promises and achieve their goals for bettering their communities. Both must put aside their differences, confront our common enemy methodically, and bring forward development agendas for recognition. In order to distinguish themselves from the divisive hegemonical political power in the country, both social forces must use a centered focus united agenda. It's better to tangle together. Adios Amigos!
The author of the article is Namphili Otho Gilo. He can be reached at amhare14@gmail.com.
No comments:
Post a Comment