Open letter to Unity state governor
Unity state governor Nguen Manytuil (Photo credit: Unknown)
July 7, 2020 (SSNN) – We write to you in our capacity as Unity State youths to pledge our unequivocal solidarity with all the communities of Unity State; they are continuing to endure all manner of risk and suffering in the United Nations’ camps in and outside the country. It has been exactly 7 years since you became the Unity State’s governor of which much has happened since then.
We believe you are familiar with the fact that the people of Unity State had one time opted for you as the preferred leader prior to the civil war in 2013. However, the opposite was seen in your leadership in comparison with your predecessor. The unity state communities are still, frightened, dismayed, and have nothing to smile about despite the fact that the state continues to be the breadbasket of South Sudan.
We, the Unity State Youth Worldwide, alias the Liech Youth Union, are writing to you this letter based on the resolutions of virtual meeting that we held on 5th July 2020. The meeting was attended by a good number of Unity State youths residing in different countries across the globe.
Mr. Governor; we are much aware of your recent reappointment by the president, but we beg not to comment on it because of the obvious reason that we are a non-political organization. However, we wish to take this opportunity to appeal to you in such a way that may bring calm to our state.
You might not deliver what is expected of you given the current political milieu in the country, but we expect you to at least incorporate the principle of “Do No Harm”.
Mr. Governor, you are aware that about 80% of Unity State population are not happy at all on how you run the state. Your leadership failed in preventing our communities from fighting among themselves based on clan lines.
You will agree with us that, all the atrocities that could possibly amount to genocide were committed in your watch; talk of Rape; scorched earth policies; communal raids; destruction of basic livelihood; indiscriminate killing of unarmed civilians and vulnerable groups (elderly, young, disabled and pregnant women); forceful displacement of civilians; annexation of some of our land to the defunct Ruweng State (Currently Ruweng Administrative Area) and many more other forms of human right violations; all happened while you were the seating governor of Unity State and Northern Liech State in the defunct 32 states.
Mr. Governor, it is high time we call a spade a spade. Good leadership starts with the philosophy of human beings being the most valuable, beautiful, and with the fact that they are worthy of honor. You are called a leader because you have people to serve regardless of their ethnicity, clans, creed, or political affiliations. Mr. Governor, despite the relative return of calm in most parts of the country, Unity State citizens are still in despair. Their hopes are shattered in the crowded camps yet they have homes and have someone who should lead, protect, and meet their needs. As the youths of Unity State, we resolved to the following measures which we thought could possibly open a new glimpse of hope to our helpless people if implemented;
- Security – We urge your leadership to allow free movement of civilians without being harassed, tortured, kidnapped or killed by militants. We want to see our people move from one county to another without any difficulty. We also demand your leadership to beef up security in some of the hot spot areas, particularly in our borders with Warrap and Lakes states.
- Youth’s participation in the government – We wish to see youths being represented in the state government. We need commissioners and ministers who are youth. The older generation have only helped in dividing our communities based on clan/tribal lines. We also request your leadership to create jobs for the idling youth who only earn their livings through cattle raids and looting of civilians’ property.
- Employ the Build Back Better approach – Your reappointment should be an opportunity for you build our state back better. Our people need schools, hospitals, clean water, electricity, telecommunication services and good infrastructure. If possible, repair all the public structures that were destroyed during the conflict.
- Establish a Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) – We want our divided communities to reconcile and forgive each other for once and for all. You can involve our local chiefs across our seven (7) counties. Note that we need an internal reconciliation as Unity State community, separate from that of national dialogue. Moreover, such reconciliation should also involve Bentiu politicians. This is the only mean through which our people can proudly say peace has come.
- Disarmament should not be forced – We do not welcome any forceful mean of taking firearms away from the armed youth or any other militia group. This is for two reasons; One, is to avoid any possible resistance from the armed youths. Secondly, disarming our youth without disarming the neighboring states will not be acceptable. Some of our neighbors have been launching attacks on our people in numerous occasions.
- Create jobs for the youths – We urge you to come up with innovative ideas which can engage our youth. Vast majority of our youth are unemployed, a vivid reason for youth participating in the destruction of the state.
In conclusion, Mr. Governor, we, the undersigned youths of Unity State, represent a broad spectrum of opinions on the role you have played as the Unity State governor for the last seven (7) years of suffering. Our main message here is that, our state needs an efficient and effective post-war reconstruction and recovery which can arrest the devastation inflicted on our civil population.
Yours,
Signed by
William Tarir, Chairperson
Odingo Kueth, Secretary General
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