Opinion | The gov’t failure to address impacts of floods and communal violence in Upper Nile region

By Ketket Koang Mut Hoal

OPINION – South Sudan’s entire Greater Upper Nile region is under threats of both human and natural calamities: the man-made senseless communal violence and the devastating flooding that has resulted in the displacement of millions of people in both rural and urban areas.

The people of Upper Nile region are suffering from intentional acts and natural causes such as the alarming environmental changes in the identity of floods. This is despite the fact that the Greater Upper Nile region is home to South Sudan’s most important resources: agriculture and minerals such as oil.

Why would such a region, being the bread basket, be subjected to war and negligence from the Reconstituted Transitional Government of National Unity by the political elites in the country’s capital Juba?

Why government of South Sudan is in silence mood for the flooding that has displaced many people in the region and the continued perpetuated communal violence which has proven to be one of the leading causes of death in the entire country? Is it because the head of the state and entire cabinet doesn’t care about the life of innocence people in Upper Nile region because of corruption and self-interests?

South Sudan’s First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar Teny, Vice President of Infrastructure Cluster Taban Deng Gai and Vice-President for Gender and Youth Cluster Mama Rebecca Garang, all come from the Upper Nile region and yet, none of them is paying attention to all the problems arising from the region.

These individuals are just watching their People suffocating on because of the floods and the deadly insecurity being perpetuated by certain political leaders to keep themselves in power. They haven’t contributed nor have called for the humanitarian agent to help the victim of floods or even resolve the communal violence in the area.

Imagine a region with a huge representation in the national level, the RTGONU and parliament is suffering from simple problems that may easily be resolved. This is because the leaders of the region do not listen to the voice of their constituencies.

As citizens of Upper Nile region, there is need for the leaders to work collectively to serve our people for this severe flooding. I also urge the South Sudanese to stand in solidarity with their People.

The author is Chairman of Nuer Student’s Union in Egyptian Universities and Higher Institutes. Reach him via: ketketkoang@gmail.com.

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