By Simon El hag Kulusika
![South Sudan youth ride atop a bus as they chant slogans in support of the referendum on southern independence in Juba, January 4, 2011. [Photo credit REUTERS]](https://i0.wp.com/www.sudanspost.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/south_sudan_youth001.jpg?quality=89&ssl=1)
Whenever civilian politicians were in power in Khartoum, the governance instituted by them was called democratic governance: representative and limited governance, one of democratic attributes. When the military were in powers in Khartoum – Al Bashir’s regime – governments were referred to as dictatorial, as powers were usurped by force following military take over. Questions that the reader has to answer to satisfy the two classifications of types of government are many and will be set out under.
The answers will be provisional and contentious, but will provide indicators as to whether or not SS, at present or in the foreseeable future will be described as governed democratically or dictatorially. The article will provide four terms around which questions on governance will be addressed by the readers themselves in order to prevent claims of orchestration or misleading by the writer.
The four terms are Absolute, from Absolutism; Democratic, from Democracy; Despotic, from Despotism; and Dictatorial, from Dictatorship.
The dictionary definition of absolute ruler, or absolutist ruler is a person, whether a monarch or not, who governed or governs a country or a state single handedly “having unlimited powers.” The governance is characterized by oppression and cruelty. Where opponents or those so perceived or those holding desenting opinions or stances were or are tortured or put to death without following due processes of the law.
Examples of rulers who were absolutists included, Qein Shi Huang; Genghis Khan (1206 – 1227); Queen Mary I of England; Czar Ivan IV (1533 – 1547); Maximilien Robespierre (1789 – 1794) ; Joseph Stalin ,(1922 – 1953); Pol Pot (1975 – 1979); Iddi Amin (1971 – 1979); Francois Duvellier of Haiti. Those absolutist rulers did not hesitate to kill persons claimed to be enemies to the rulers or to the state.
During Pol Pot reign more than 2.0 m people were executed, overworked or starved to death in Kampuchia (Cambodia). In Uganda more than 300,000 civilians and men and women in uniforms were massacred. There were and are more absolutist rulers who could be included. The question for the reader is whether or not there were or are leaders in SS who could fit into the definition of absolute ruler?
Rulers under democratic governance. Under this label, there were and are many who could claim the title ‘democratic’. Democracy is a kind of governance in which representatives is prevalent. All are offered the opportunity for participation. Decisions are taken from Bottom up rather than Top down. Equality, rule of law, separation of powers, respect for human rights and freedoms, Federalism and constitutionalism are the dominant characteristics of governance.
A dictionary definition of democracy is “a government in which power and civic responsibility is exercised by adult citizens, directly or through freely elected representatives. It rests on human rights, fundamental freedoms and Media freedoms,” it’s regulated by the rule of law not man or woman, and the separation of powers.
The importance of the rule of law is that “it promotes legal certainty, the security of legal expectations, and safety of the citizens from arbitrary interference by governments and their agents.” The question for the reader: does this kind of governance exist in SS today? If so then the rulers are advocates of democracy. You decide, objectively.
Despotism is defined as governance by “a ruler or person who holds absolute powers tyrannically, who exercises those powers in a cruel or oppressive way.” There were and are many rulers of this description.
A few examples will suffice: Caius Julius Caesar; Attila the Hun (AD 434 – 453); Abu Al Abbas Al Safah (Middle East); Friedrich Ii; Peter I; King Leopold of Belgium (1865 – 1909); Benito Mussolini (1922 – 1943); Adolf Hitler(1933 – 1945); Fransico Franco (1935 – 1975); Mao Zedong (1949 – 1976); Hafiz Al Assad in Syria; Ahmed Sekotore of Guinea; G. M. Nimeiri in Sudan; Augustino Neto of Angola; Diya Al Hag in Pakistan; Nicolae Ceausescu of Romania; Augusto Pinochet (1973 – 1990); Saddam Hussein of Iraq; M. Gaddafi of Libya; and many in your own time.
The reigns of those rulers and others were characterized by brutal, cruel and oppressive actions and policies. Pinochet was reported as having tortured more than 35,000 persons who were accused of opposing him or attempting to subvert the state. The crimes committed by Hitler, Mussolini, Franco and many despotic rulers are well documented, not to be repeated here, but the reader should bear that in mind when answering questions that may follow. Does SS need these kinds of leader? How can SS prevent or avoid the creation or emergence of rulers who are despotic? Is Despotism in – born or acquired? Your answers will light the path to democratic governance in SS.
Dictatorship is widespread across the world despite appearances of democratic governance. A dictionary definition of a dictatorial ruler is “a ruler or person with total powers over a country. Typically one who has obtained or occupied the country by force.” A dictator is a ruler who exhibit all the attributes of an autocratic ruler. He rules by decrees, whether or not there was or is a written constitution or convention that laid or lays down procedures for adoption of decisions and how they should be implemented.
The ruler did not or does not tolerate unsolicited advices. Even if solicited, the advice must coincide with the ruler’s expectations. No one was or is spared the whip for tendering resignation. Appointed officials or officers should be dismissed at the pleasure of the ruler. Cries of respect for fundamental human rights and freedoms were or are treated as cries in the wilderness. Or at the best cries full of fairy tales suitable for children’s books. No senior government officials travel outside the capital without a nod of head from the ruler. While travel outside the country by ministers must be preceded by sanctions from the ruler, otherwise the culprit would be slapped in the face before being unceremonially dismissed through announcement over Radio or TV.
At Cabinet meetings, the ruler has the last words, thereafter any contrary remarks or comments were or are treated as akin to insubordination, deserving harsh penalty. Indeed, a dictatorial ruler. God forbid. The question: is this depicks how SS rulers or political leaders act in the performance of their national or state responsibilities? What are the impacts of such actions on good governance?
Every country requires a leader, a political leader in matters of democratic governance. The leader that is needed should be a man or woman who believes in democracy and does practice it. He or she defends democracy and strives to promote and protect its foundations: human rights, fundamental freedoms and Media freedoms, the rule of law and the separation of powers.
He or she must insist on equality in spheres of governance. He or she should implement policies of distributive justice, due process of law, separation of powers organized by checks and balances. In this case the political system should be anchored in federalism. In that ways, socio – economic transformation will be achieved in SS and political stability and peace shall reign forever.
The author is a professor of law at Zambian Open University. He can be reached via: simonkulusika@gmail.com.
The views expressed in the ‘OPINIONS & ANALYSIS’ section of Sudans Post are solely the opinions of the writers. The veracity of any claims made are the responsibility of the author not this website. If you want to submit an opinion piece or an analysis please email us here.
“Simon El hag Kulusika”
Didn’t you write before that you were Zambian professor? Now you are a Zimbabwean open university professor. Oh Yeah!! Your question, in your opinion, ” Who should rule South Sudan?”
I don’t know, probably as the South Sudanese people just want more says, ‘they want want’. But for all I care, No Bantuses are wanted in South Sudan. No cloned so-called arabs of North Sudan, no Abeshas (so-called ethiopian) prostitutes, no evil juus (so-called israelis) attack dogs, no gulf terror exporters, No Palatai (fulanis) of Northern Nigeria, Darfur, no Indians, no Pakistanis, Nepalese, Bangladeshis, Sri Lankans, no Americans, no white English people whom their piece trash Mr. Cecil Rhode own you Bantuses in Rhodesia as his subject and estates——Zimbabwe is the only Bantus country who county who kicked the evils. Mr. Robert Mugabe kicked out the so-called white farmers. Bantuses, are not our equals, they don’t marry them. We share Africa together, but we are not their equals. Bantuses, worship white people, Arab, their evil juus (so-called israelis) attack dogs.
You pieces of shits, always wants others to be fighting and then. Here in our Nilotic plains and valleys. Round up all the white people in Zimbabwe, South Africa, Botswana, Zambia Angola and Mozambique and Namibia and keep them in jail. Here in South Sudan. I am one the boys who will again helped bomb the cloned so-called Arabs of North Sudan back to Yemen and Saudi Arabia. Some Bantuses, running recklessly in our Kiirtoum/Khartoum, will be bombed with their masters to Yemen and Saudi Arabia and the rest Back West Africa, where low lives belong. The Muonyjiengs/Jiengs/Jaangs/Jongkoths of the Sudan and Egypt are back with a lot vengeance, Pure HATRED and RACISM is here. Mr. ‘Simon El hag Kulusika’
Do you speak Arabic really, piece trash? EL (of) hag (hagika) truth Kulusika (all road) that your name good old professor. For all I care uncle, be very careful. South Sudanese are well ahead than some of white piece of of shits. We are the masters of longshot warefares. That the railway from Capetown through Lesotho, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Angola, your Zambia, Malawi, Tanzania, Kenya through South Sudan, through Abesh (so-called ethiopia) prostitute, through Kiirtoum (Khartoum) to our Egypt and from our Egypt through our Kiirtoum/Khartoum to our Wau Acholdit says your former master, Mr. Cecil Rhode of devil infested island of England.
They have gone their dirty and cheap intrigue—–COLD WAR. South Sudan is the one being fought over all along. But the evils don’t don’t knot they are going to be WIPED OUT OF MPA and pee, reasons. pure HATRED and RACISM. Good old professor, *Omicron variant* Is just *an electronic virus* nothing to do with human viruses *micron*. There are some pieces of shits. That South African where white people are. Know better programming and all. ‘Omicron’ is just ‘a code word’ for ‘secret societies’ *telling themselves revert OLD MICRON PHONE listening stations in Southern Africa——that is meaning behind the so-called Omicron. Brexit (British leaving mainland Europe and the evils think, they can trace the evil arses back to Southern Africa. and together with their French people, Indians, their US and their evil juus (so-called israelis) attack dogs. Did you piece shits of low lives ever heard of the so-called Fashoda incident here in Upper Nile? https://www.britannica.com/event/Fashoda-Incident
That is the dirty cheap and dirty game the low lives, have hedging all along. The Nile is own by the owners, the Muonyjiengs/Jiengs/Jaangs/Jenges/Jongkoths/Dinkas of the Sudan and Egypt. People who can challenge us on this planet earth don’t exist.
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