I have watched with great concern the tribal ethnic hate rhetoric spreading on social media, in the last few days, is still ongoing in Facebook videos. My message to you all is very simple. STOP Tribalism and STOP it NOW!
How do we understand what exactly tribalism is and why it is bad?
Tribalism is when the integration of other people from the same country is based on the ethnic group of the tribe a person belongs to or is considered to belong to. Factors such as name, language, and appearance are used as a basis for a decision of common interest for a group and association, rather than information that is not immediately apparent (for example a country or nation-state). This kind of tribalism is a type of ethnic discrimination which means that a person is not included in a group or community because he/she has a name, language, and appearance that is different from people who are included. This is followed with hate speech that has close ties to tribalism and the negative culture of exclusion. Tribalism is therefore produces violence, corruption, and civil war.
I call all South Sudanese, and especially the Diaspora, to end their tribalism associations and transition into inclusion of all South Sudanese via a range of South Sudanese Communities. The Jieng Council of Elders must also change and expand to include the South Sudan Council of Elders. I also urge Parliament consider that Citizenship needs to expand their commitment to anti-tribalist and anti-ethnic discrimination; that Citizens’ interest for and the right to express their anti-tribalism, and ethnic discrimination and anti-war wherever they come from be allowed. Good citizens and good leaders of our country should have legal rights and obligations to protect their independent country against the threat of tribalism and corruption.
Finally, I want all of us, young and old, women and men, to adopt a new vision, to do and say, “I am Bahr el Ghazal, I am Upper Nile, and I am Equatoria. I am not born for one region; the whole South Sudan is my native Country. I am voting against tribalism, regionalism, corruption, and injustice.”
by Gisma-Angeth Mou Mou
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