South Sudan Must Rise Above Tribalism

(OPINION | Arch Bishop Elias Taban Parangi)

In a nation as diverse as South Sudan, where 64 tribes live side by side, our true strength should come from unity, not from tribal identity. We must move beyond tribal loyalties and avoid making political choices based on tribal interests.

The revival of tribal war songs and the threat of inter tribal conflict only reopen old wounds and endanger the fragile peace that our people struggled for many years to achieve.

Tribal identity is part of our culture, but it should not shape our political life. When tribal loyalty replaces national identity, we create space for division and violence.

Such a path can lead to targeted attacks and, in the worst cases, genocide. This is a danger no nation should face, especially a young country like South Sudan that still carries hope for a better future.

Our diversity should be recognised as a source of strength. Every tribe adds value to our national life. Only through cooperation, mutual respect and shared responsibility can we build a country where every South Sudanese feels safe, respected and included.

We must replace war songs with songs of peace, turn confrontation into dialogue and place our common humanity above our differences.

Let us stand together as one people, crossing tribal boundaries and committing ourselves to a South Sudan built on unity, peace and progress.

We owe this duty to ourselves and to future generations. A nation can only grow when all its people are given the chance to live and work together in harmony.

In solidarity, let us choose peace over division, dialogue over conflict and unity over tribalism. The time for change is now.

The Most Rev Engineer Elias Taban Parangi is the President for the North East Africa Region of the Association of Evangelicals in Africa and Chairman of the African Governing Council Executive Board of the Association of Evangelicals in Africa. He is a religious leader and peace advocate with long standing engagement in reconciliation and unity initiatives in South Sudan and the wider region.

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