By Atok Dan Baguoot
Dear fellow citizens;
At the onset, I would like to thank the leadership, citizens in attires of defense, and the entire public for having stood bold in defense of our territorial integrity, properties, and the pride bestowed upon us by nature as people of this nation. We have seen and tolerated enough aggressions, looting of our resources, abuses, and humiliations against the people of Southern Sudan by a few confused human elements in Khartoum in the name of Jihad as it wasn’t enough; the same behaviors are transcended into an independent sovereign state.
Much is still being tolerated as Abyei and other resourceful areas of South Sudan are still in satellite control of Khartoum by the use of threats using warplanes bought with money from oil looted in South Sudan. Our populations at the delicate edges of this country are subject to daily bombardments from the same Khartoum yet we are paying minimal attention. Parts of us are bleeding but we still procrastinate on the pretext that International Community will pinch Khartoum to reverse its intransigent attitudes.
In this high-octane atmosphere, I am appealing to us individually whether from opposition or ruling party, male or female, young, old and rich or poor that our relatives in defense clothes have shown our pride in defending all our territories from our true and ancient enemy and they are continually doing so. Parties come and go, likewise, generations but this nation will always be this very nation.
My sole simple message is to stand in defense of this country. I know you might not be in military cloth to go to Heglig or any other threatening targets but your contribution is valued. To the abled bodies you either stand in queues to face the baptism of fire and that is going physically in the frontline but much needed from us is to deepen our hands into our coffers whether you raise a piaster, all combined will cater for daily up keeping of our brothers in the battlefields. I know not all of us are paid highly but any form of little contribution you make is what is needed.
Fellow citizens, remember that our brothers on the frontlines have made huge sacrifices. Though they are on the winning side as stories trickle in day by day, we still owe them a lot. A little that you give them would boost their morale and they can fight a successful war that will let us sleep without worries in our huts, houses, and cattle camps. We know very well that the enemy is competent but we will emerge victorious at the end of the day.
Remember that our wounded relatives need nutritious food to regain their blood to go back to the battle, likewise, there are those who need blood to boost their immune systems, cigarettes, clothes, cars for mobility, and even supplements for their meager monthly incentives to give hope to their families.
Remember that our drug stores do not have enough antibiotics, pain killers, and intravenous that can be used to administer first aid and treatment. Our combined position can substitute such areas of deficiencies. Keeping in mind that there is no more oil flowing into the world market, knowing that our rural populations were left destitute by the long war, our taxes are insufficient to bridge all these gaps.
The working population is a drop of oil in the ocean in terms of taxes, given the sustenance of government daily activities, soliciting military ware for modern warfare, our government would be left in no effort to render service to people.
Your bag of grains, piaster, gloves, a bottle of antibiotics, a liter of kerosene, goat any form of contribution are all that our soldiers need from us, besides spiritual, psychological, and professional like nursing. Out doctors, lawyers, teachers of contemporary history, geography, and media specialists are highly needed to exercise your professionalism while the fighting forces are doing their fronts. This second call for massive contribution is no longer for liberation but to defend what we all liberated.
Of course, anybody might still fear corruption that what we shall contribute will again fall into wider mouths of corrupt elements before it reaches the designated destination. Yes you are right those elements still exist but I’m also appealing to them that in all that they have looted their sins are pardonable on the condition that they give us back a quarter of it in terms of contributions.
I’m urging us to get out to public rallies to contribute to Kenya’s Harambe style in order to finish the unfinished business.
Atok Dan is a media specialist based in Juba. He is reached at atokbaguot@gmail.com
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