South Sudan at Heart

Give a girl child the rights to education By: Abraham Daljang Maker. Kampala Uganda Sudan has been torn apart by constant civil wars for many decades. As the country is recovering from its war hangover, there are several things that need to be put into consideration urgently. One of these things is the rights to take a girl child to school. Although an old Roman proverb says that “Rome was not built in a day,” the issue of girl child learning is very sensitive, it needs a critical observation and prompts action before it gets out of hands. Education for women has been neglected in the country especially in the South Since the time of Adam and Eve. Women are very influential and educating them can bring development in the nation. Like any other person; a woman has potential and can do anything that man does, the world’s powerful women like Angela Merkel of Germany. Hilary Clinton and Ellen Johnson of Liberia should be taken as role models by our fathers; I can imagine what it fee...

South Sudan government should prioritize the environmental conservation.  By: Abraham Daljang Maker, Kampala Uganda Environmental degradation is the deterioration of the environment through depletion of resources such as water, air and soil. It is the destruction of ecosystem and extinction of wildlife.   There are many bad practices that should be discouraged if we need to live in a happy environment.   It is our collective role to educate the masses about the dangers of the environmental mismanagement. The media is a platform on which all these should be aired out in order to create full awareness. There are many forms of degrading environment and one of them is bush burning.   Bush burning is a practice done by pastoral communities in search for pasture to feed the animals.   Many people especially the common men in many countries in Africa who rear animals and others who farm the land know nothing about the greatest dangers of bush burning. The...

Pray in a way that is convenient to you. Abraham Daljang Maker, Kampala Uganda The mode of prayers I have so far seen since 2003 the year I set my foot on Ugandan soil are still fresh in my brain. Although I was born in a village, I had a chance of being baptized in a small town called Akot which could be just a small trading center in advanced world. My mother Rebecca took me for baptism at the age of five. She asked me to choose my Christian name and I said that. “Abraham is my name.” I had no idea of what the name mean until 1999 when I read it in the Old Testament.   Episcopal church of Sudan ECS is where my mother used to pray till 2007 when I learned that she is one of mother unions in Anglican Church. Being a Christian, I used to pray in Anglican of Uganda since it’s the main church and which is a bit related to ECS.   My colleague called me one day to go and attend three days conference in Arua youth center. That was in April 2003 if I can still remember it...

Can the ex- foes comfortably eat at the same table? By: Abraham Daljang Maker, Kampala Uganda. The former largest country in Africa split into two in few months a go. Sudan which was the continent’s giant nation had horrific war for more than two decades which resulted to the autonomy of the south. The two sister nations are still sharing most of the things in common, plus many other outstanding issues that remained unresolved. It is never easy for people who have just been exchanging blows to sit down and share the same table when the sweat of the fight they had is still visible on their foreheads. Sudan envies its neighbor due to its wealth. Meanwhile south Sudan is not happy because the tail of its wealth is still being held by Sudan. Although the two are trying to forge the relationships, it is very clear that their hearts are crying in the middle of smiles. There has been counter accusations between the two nations. Juba accuses Khartoum for constantly bombing its territory; also...

Excessive drinking is a threat to the development. By: Abraham Daljang Maker, Kampala Uganda. It is Christmas season and everyone is crazy to save money for this crucial season which everybody has been yearning for. To some people, they are saving money to buy new clothes and many other valuable items for the celebration. While others are struggling to make sure that they spend their money on bottles of beer, wine and many other types of hard drinks. In south Sudan, drinking has become fashion to everyone. Both young and adults are all alike. You realized this at the end of the month when civil servants have got their salaries, many people hang out in drinking joints to intoxicate their brains and later disturb their families at homes. The worse of it all is when children under 18 drink more than the elders. Despite the warning made by the brewery companies that “alcohol is not for sale to persons less than 18 years,” young people especially street children mostly 10 years and below...

How prepared are you for Christmas? By: Abraham Daljang Maker, Kampala Uganda. As Christmas is drawing nearer, everything is in the mood of this festive season. Moving around Kampala city, I can smell Christmas fever everywhere as it is evidence by decorative flowers in shops and supper markets. A sound of Christmas song is heard in every corner. Prices of basic commodities are skyrocketing and the money is flowing from the public to the few hands of business men who are using this particular period to maximize their profits and plan the New Year when things will be tough to everyone. Back to my small room at the university hostel where I am waiting for my intern slated for third January. I am reflecting on how I used to celebrate Christmas back in my small village Titagok. This is the period when I keep on nagging my mother to buy for me flip flops, small shorts and a T-shirt for Christmas. My mom could have no option other than making a local wine and sale it to buy for me these thin...

The enemies of peace in south Sudan By: Abraham Daljang Maker South Sudanese have been struggling for more than two decades to liberate themselves from slavery and oppression from the Arabs dominated north. The comprehensive peace agreement (CPA) which was signed in Kenya’s capital Nairobi brought a relative peace and tranquility in the region. There were two crucial events in south Sudan; The overwhelming vote for secession and the raised of the independence flag. These two events were widely believed to the end of fighting and suffering in the south. But little did we know that some few elements amongst us don’t really want stability and progress at all in south Sudan. On October 29, 2011, Sudan tribune published the announcement made by the south Sudan liberation movement /Army (SSLM/A) that they have captured Mayom town in unity state. We all know SPLM/A as the only movement that aimed at liberating us from the Arabs who treated us like second citizens in our own soil. So what is t...