By: Esther Aurelio Agira
In many countries, people join the military for a variety reasons, including economic necessity, access to educational, and personal development. Sometimes, military service becomes the only available option when a family cannot afford to pay for college.
However, the situation in South Sudan is different. Many individuals join the military for reasons that go beyond patriotism. Some enlist primarily for self-defense and personal security. In South Sudan, being a soldier or a police officer often offers protection from harassment and humiliation by other government officials. As a result, military service is seen not only as a profession, but also as a means of survival and dignity.
Drivers, particular taxi drivers, tuk-tuk(raksha) drivers, and boda-boda riders, face frequent intimidation from both traffic police and military personnel. During the day, harassment occurs at the hands of traffic officers, while at night soldiers intimidate drivers under pretext of vehicle inspection. Anyone who drivers or regularly uses public transport can see the level of intimidation drivers face every single day from traffic police during the daytime to soldiers at night.
One day a driver told me that he was going to a military training camp to become a soldier. As I encouraged him, I said it was a good decision because being a soldier is a patriotic act. I explained that he would be offering voluntary service to the citizens of South Sudan and that, after completing his training, he would be ready to defend and even die for the country.
When I finished speaking, he looked at me sadly and said ‘‘I am not joining the military for any of the reasons you mentioned. I am joining because I am fed up with the humiliation I face every single day. I am joining so that traffic police will stop taking the little money I earn from my driving hustle. I am joining the military so I can have a gun to protect my family from unknown gunmen’’.
This response reveals a painful reality. It should be noted that a soldier is a brave individual whose duty is to protect the country and its people, not to steal from the nation or threaten its citizens. Soldiers who work at night are meant to keep citizens safe, not to harm them or create fear.
Soldiers are crucial to national security, protecting citizens and national interests through combat readiness. However, some soldiers are not fully aware of their roles or the importance they play in maintaining peace. A soldier’s duty goes beyond fighting; it also includes protecting civilians, respecting human right and providing humanitarian assistance when necessary. When soldiers uphold these responsibilities with integrity, they can safeguard the nation and regain the trust of the citizen.
Being a soldier is a sacrifice and patriotic decision. It should never be a refuge from humiliation, a shield for abuse, or tool for personal power. When people join the military for wrong reasons, both the institution and society suffer.
Writer Esther Aurelio Agira can be reach at Telephone no 0921492857 or email: esteraurelio91@gmail.com