A section of students of the John Garang Memorial University of Science and Technology listen attentively at an UNMISS forum on identity
“If I take blood from any of you and ask that you identify which one is Dinka, Shilluk, Murle or Nuer, that will be impossible. Dinkas, Shilluks, Murlers, and Nuer – all have the same blood that unites us as South Sudanese people,” said Dr Agot Aleir Leek, Deputy Governor of Jonglei State.
“We kill human beings and have no feelings. Yet have more feelings when people kill chicken or cows. We are human beings and must respect each other’s lives,” followed Dr Julia Aker Duany, Vice Chancellor, John Garang Memorial University of Science and Technology.
The conclusions above were made at a National Identity forum over the weekend, speakers called on citizens to identify themselves as South Sudanese instead of people coming from different tribes.
They condemned tribalism which, they agreed, was a canker to national cohesion and a danger to peaceful coexistence.
The speakers universally agreed the different tribes must rather be a source of strength, unifying the South Sudanese state, instead of being a cause for contention.
Other speakers were Diing Akol, Special Economic Advisor to the Jonglei Governor and Isidore Boutchue, field office head of the Civil Affairs Division of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS).
Officials from the UNMISS Civil Affairs Division said after the signing of the Revitalized Peace Agreement, they were keen on initiating discussions that would enhance peaceful coexistence to sustain the unity of the country.
Dr Agot called for an effective management of the diverse nature of South Sudanese:
“It is a people that make up the nation. It is not a sin to belong to different tribes. God did not make a mistake by making us of different tribes,” she said.
“But we must use our rich different cultural and tribal background to build the nation,” Dr Agot underscored.
Dr Agot noted that it was key for South Sudanese to see themselves as citizens of a country and not a citizen of a tribe, adding, “You should better be proud of yourself as a South Sudanese.”
South Sudan has 64 tribes, although more than half is either Dinka or Nuer.
Dr Agot told the students to rise above the challenge and make the opportunity worthwhile.
“You face a new real challenge since you are in a transition period, top of which is tribalism ... if you graduate and continue to pursue tribal sentiments, you would not have done yourself any good or use for being in the university,” she concluded.
Mrs Duany expressed worry that for several years citizens of South Sudan had allowed the different tribal groups to be a source of contention.
“It is important for our humanity to show,” said Mrs. Duany. “It is our humanity that makes all of us South Sudanese,” she stressed, noting that citizenship trumps tribal affiliations.
“Please note that you are a citizen of a country and not a citizen of a tribe,” she added, concluding, “Don’t say this is Shilluk, this is Nuer, Dinka, … these are just seal marks. But if they are not there, u see a human being, and that is our identity, we must respect each other.”
Mr Diin Akol, giving a historical perspective of developments said there are reasons why the people of South Sudan may feel strongly about identifying with their tribes, but said, “even though diverse, if we go deep into them, you will see there is something common that binds all, of the 64 tribes.”
Later in separate interviews, students welcomed the forum and pleaded that a similar forum be organized for their communities to push down the message further.
“The message in this programme is very important and I am happy to have been here to know that we are all from different tribes. But we all come from South Sudan. I wish you can have the same programme for our communities so that we all will have this knowledge,” said Elijah Deng Manyok, a third-year university student.