Wednesday, June 3, 2009









Will threat of discrediting members help our community?
It has caught my attention recently that our effort to work cooperatively or willingly to complete the project of building a community center in Ulang is threatened by outburst reaction from community leader from Canada in the name of Mr. Reath Puok Nyuon. Mr. Reath has been skeptical and employ idiom which I believe is a deliberate attempt to brand others as childish in public eyes. I think readers would concur with me that people can disagree to agree. Once would wonder why would our vice president of UCA in Canada choose to criticize his members at this point? He has taken an approach which I think would undermine his leadership which in turn would result into further failures. Here are some of the quotes that directly attack members at best:
"In my community here in western world, where everybody practice to become dishonest politician,or leader who will misuse the community funds every day. Our leaders never thought about how important the community is or how they can credited the community in the public eye. But I am not blaming those leaders, but the people who elected them. Because whenever, my people here in Canada and United States elect their communities leaders, they never though about who will be a good leader to elevate the community, instead they choose the very lazy men, corruptors, and the very cruel ones who always never thought for worthy of society, but for themmselves."
Yes, you can opt to challenge other's opinion especially if you want to bring their consideration to the project at hand. However, you went as far as challenging the leadership of the community of which you lead. I know for sure that you were elected to chair our community a couple of years ago. If leaders of our community are “very lazy men, corruptors, and the very cruel ones” then whoever had volunteered as a leader including yourself may not be spared of the same category which is dishonest, ill conceived generalization of a community, for a mistake committed by few individuals. You have described how community works with some reference taken from social work text. Some are irrelevant as they do not fit our community structure. Some can only be done by government run agencies; hence, they are not of importance to us as a community but for your own knowledge at school.
I am not that much concerned about your summarization of facts but completely cannot comprehend what the vision behind your critical stand on those of us who came out questioning the effectiveness of our County administration. Friend, we are entitled to different opinions. You called it blame but refrain to tell us what yours would be called if it doesn't mean counter blame. I would appreciate if you can elaborate more on why Ulang County pay teachers who are not in her jurisdiction. How would it be possible to carry out development when an area as vast as Ulang is run by three or four people? Like we do here in the Western world, there should be at least five people to govern Payam leave alone County. In less then a year, the former commissioner was able to start work using County budget. What do you have to explain to people like me? I won't buy into empty claim that Ulang doesn't have enough budgets nor should I accept blindly that the budget is overused due to a large number of staff because there is barely any. When Duer Tut took the commissionership, he did not start by building his house but a building which will house different departments. How long does it take just to finish putting up doors or paint the building? Is this the better job you are referring to? I am afraid that by grouping people as ‘us here in western world’ versus ‘them at home' would do any good at all.
It is your responsibility as a leader to make people do something but it is unfair to use language such "as philosophy said “Fool never fool” which mean that fool never know himself he is a fool, the things that we do here in the Western world are worst than the things that our brothers do in the Sudan. Many people here promoted themselves and have high pride but in detail they are good for nothing..."
I am not taking anything personal here; however, the vice president is off track, a challenge aiming at discrediting other people rather then calling on them to unite as one for common objective. There are a lot of inconsistencies which are far from reconciling opposing sides if he dare to. Like my colleagues who are not happy with the administration of the outgoing commissioner, I feel that at least our budget would be used and allocated not by one person but a committee who would look into key priorities such as building school for each payam, health centers, push for a final approval of the three payams by the Government of Southern Sudan. A County as vast as Ulang can't be run by five, six or even ten people. We need an organized executive structure of leadership in Ulang. Frankly, a committee of five could not change or develop Ulang nor should commissioner’s office be used for public meetings. There should be a building designed for the purpose of debating County affairs. The commissioner is the official person to promote air service if there is no road linking County with her neighbors. Does our airport work? We deserve better then what we got in the last two years. These are some of the concerns that I and others were raising so much so that we don’t fall at once. If one person is able to lead County, then it will only take one person here in Western world as well to do anything alone.
Coming to fundraising parties, I think you should be hold accountable as well to answer your community for the party you had held or be questioned as to why you are planning to have one in August this year when the money is knowingly going through a hole. To me, there is better mechanism to dig that hole if there is any and retrieve our money in a way that doesn't reduce any member to being referred as ‘nothing’ or ‘proud dishonest politician.’ Against, do not take me wrong that I am defending particular person or certain friends. I only take turn to bring to your knowledge what would be unintentional destruction of our community.
Thanks to incoming commissioner for he might have the gut to bringing in more NGOS and put Ulang administration in order. More importantly, let hope that he is the right person for the job. Congratulation to the new commissioner, His Excellence Mr. Duer Chuol.
Lastly, I will leave our leader with an appeal that it would be much better to let out his frustration over what is not achieved when he called general assembly meeting.
And thanks
David Bang Teny

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