Page 20 - Nile Explorer Issue 12

Ladies and gentlemen,
I am not raising these points to defend
myself from what has been said since
this process started, I am raising them as
of way of sharing with you what I believe
to be part of our problem.
What you have discussed in the last four
years and the resolutions you have come
up with in this process will only serve our
country, if we re-assess ourselves in two
critical areas. First, we need to re-assess
our tendency to readily accept external
models that ignore our history. Secondly,
we also need to examine our attitude Delegates attend the closing ceremony of the National Dialogue Conference at Freedom Hall
towards our laws and institutions. on 17 November 2020. Photo: South Sudan National Dialogue Secretariat
Since 2005, we have been falsely assured
that templates of thematic experience of constitution, which was violated because This was done with total disregarded
what has worked for others will work of our attitude. to traditional community ownership of
for us. We have been told again and We forgot that the way we interact with land.
again to adopt these models by people our institutions promote or retard their The Second law was the Civil Transition
who in most cases do not understand development. As part of the broader Act of 1990, which also denied any
our context. At times, even those who reflection, let us look inwardly and work recognition of customary land rights
know our experiences cannot resist to correct our attitudes towards how we and asserted that the land in the country
overlooking our specific history in the relate with our institutions. I would also belongs to Allah and the state was only
quest for templates of what has worked like to briefly say something about the the inheritor. I am not sure how many
in other countries. And when things claim the liberators have monopolized people among those championing
do not go as planned, the same people everything, including power. This exclusive communal rights to the land
turn around and blame us for nor assertion is nor borne out by facts. were this vocal when the two legislations
implementing what they have pushed We have been inclusive politically since I have just cited were enacted.
with no consideration of our specific 2005. The SPLM/A from its start did
context. not take up arms for personal benefit. Sometimes, we need to reflect a little
on our history before we decry certain
I know we are all united in our aspiration Revolutionaries do not exclude because issues. Stopping a little to think on the
for a democratic South Sudan, but armed struggle itself entails death, and
let us work towards this goal within nature of some complains we make,
our specific context. Any whole sale no one is ever sure they will make it to may tell us, perhaps today is better than
adoption of any governance system as the day of victory. Revolutionaries fight yesterday. We are still committed to the
for the people, including those who did
advised by those seeking to import their principles we articulated on land issue
model at the expense of our context will not participate in the liberation. On the in 2005, but that does not mean blanket
be counter- productive. charge to liberators’ monopoly of power communal claims to land ownership
No governance system can endure if it is is the cause of our problems, there is can be used to impede legitimate land
not shaped by its political environment. another view from those who fought allocation for national development.
Ladies and gentlemen, Most of the in the war that what is affecting this I believe all levels of government can
failures that this national conversation country is excessive political inclusion. work jointly to ensure that communal
has blamed on the SPLM leadership are From these two contending positions, ownership of land can co-exist with
rooted in our attitude as a people. you can see what we have been doing all legitimate land development directed by
I am going to speak about few issues along is the balancing act between these government. There is more to be gained
raised in the opening of this conference two positions. We chose to maintain this if everyone works together on this issue.
to illustrate my point on our attitude. balance because this country belongs to Ladies and gentlemen, I would like to
Part of what determine progress in any all of us. conclude my remarks by thanking you
society is the attitude of its population Ladies and gentlemen, once again for making this conference a
towards its guiding laws and regulations. Let me also say something in passing success.
The laws in our books are comparable to about the land issue, specifically on the I would also like to wish you safe trip to
what exist in other countries, but have background why the SPLM negotiating your respective areas across South Sudan.
we really followed what these laws say. team in Naivasha insisted on the position Please convey my sincere greetings to
Has our attempt to enforce the law been that land belongs to communities, our people in your respective areas. As
welcomed in certain quarters? Take the which was the basis of the most quoted mentioned earlier, the ideas brought
2013 crisis, this crisis would have been statement from late Leader Dr. John forth in this conference will form
avoided if we respected what the law has Garang de Mabior on the same issue. The greater part of our discussion on how to
stipulated. SPLM demand on communal land rights build strong South Sudan. Be proud of
The elections were two years away and was intended to guard against the effect yourselves, because you have done your
because of our poor attitude towards of two Sudanese legislation on Land civic duty. May God bless you all and our
our institutions, some of us decided it ownership, especially in South Sudan. country, the Republic of South Sudan.
was okay to attempt to take power when The first law we were guarding against
the mechanism we have adopted for was the Unregistered Land At of 1970. - His Excellency President Salva Kiir
peaceful transfer of power was two years This law stipulated that any unoccupied Mayardit.
away. The SPLM government created the land belongs to the government.

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