90% of South Sudan Youth are Alcoholic Apr. 09More Views <http://www.southsudannation.com/category/more-views/>, Uncategorized <http://www.southsudannation.com/category/uncategorized/>3 comments<http://www.southsudannation.com/90-of-south-sudan-youth-are-alcoholic/#comments>
BY: Mangar Agok Marial, JUBA, APR/09/2013, SSN; You cannot believe your eyes given the above astonishing percentage of South Sudan’s youth immersed in alcoholism. It’s undeniable and unquestionable that the country’s future remains ambiguous and undecided as long as the youth continue to remain loyal and faithful to Mr. ALCOHOL. The war that was fought for 22 years with the Arab north has been won but not long after that, another serious one which could prove more tedious to deal with is threatening in youth sector, the war of ALCOHOLISM among the youth of this nascent nation. The above figure (90%) is not a assumption nor presumption but a well-researched number. This percentage includes both literate and illiterate males and females between the age of 15-45. However, before the author talks about the WHYs of drinking, it is more important to know about the brief history of alcohol globally. Alcohol was made from fermented grain, fruit juice and honey (ethyl or ethanol) for thousand years. In Africa, alcohol has been historically regarded as a conduit for religious and political expression mainly for male elders. Over the past one century, the graph of alcohol production and consumption kept on climbing high. Uganda tops the list of African nations with its per capita of alcohol consumption at 19 liters per year compared to the average of 4 liters in other African countries. This report was filed by ALLAFRICA, one of the media houses dealing with Africa affairs entirely. As per our beloved country South Sudan, historically, alcohol was seen as an elderly food. The young and the women were not allowed to drink and perhaps a taboo for them. We used to have locally distilled alcoholic drink namely SIKO, ARAGI and MAWHER. However, due to economic liberalism, alcohol production and consumption is marketable here in South Sudan with all classes of persons becoming stakeholders be it young or old, rich or poor man or woman. However, both educated and uneducated are crucial to the future development of this nation. The author managed to uncover the stimulating factors that have led to the exploding drinking rate among the youth and here are some of the push-factors:- (a) Some of these young men have attributed drinking to what some of them called the state of joblessness. ‘I am a graduate with bachelors of economics from Makerere University while jobless, so drinking helps me feel less stressed given my situation of being redundant,’ said a young man clad in navy-blue suit. (b) Others drink because of peer pressure. They said they are being influenced by their social groups be it friends, workmates or age mates. (c) Stress relief: alcohol provides temporary illusion of a situation hence the youth drink to escape in a short time their stresses. (d) They drink to lose their inhibitions. Some have said that when drunk, they can be able to fearlessly and shamelessly act in anything they do and in any situation anywhere. Nevertheless, having excavated why the youth are accelerating their drinking rate, we also need to know how alcohol would affect their lives as human beings, more likely in a negative manner. These effects can be seen more socially and medically. The effects of alcohol however, depends on the following factors: age, sex, specific health problems and even family history. More so, the magnitude at which alcohol harms you medically or socially depends on the rate at which one consumes alcohol. For instance the more you drink, the more you risk your health and morality. Some of the health problems stems from BINGE DRINK or drinking beyond the recommended level includes: high blood pressure, increased risks of various cancers like throat cancer, mouth cancer and the list is long, liver problems, reduced fertility and heart attack are some of the health complications encountered by all classes of drinkers be it low-risk-drinkers, increasing-risk-drinkers and high-risk-drinkers. However, alcohol also affects our social behavior and cohesion they can be seen in the following forms: (a) family problems like increase in family tension, increase in level of quarreling and violence, destabilizes relationships, partners may become anxious, depressed and socially withdrawn. Detrimental effects on the children leading to behavioral problems and under-performance at school, increased rates of divorce. (b) Work difficulties notably poor performance at work, conflict with colleagues and poor attendance record which may result in repeated dismal and ultimately lead to long-term unemployment. (c) Crimes like theft, fraud, driving offences, sexual offences and crimes of violence are being committed under the influence of alcohol. However, the purpose of this article is to send a wake-up call to the youth of this new nation that they have been yellow-carded in this deciding match with Mr. Alcohol leaving their side venerable to red cards at any zero hour. Nevertheless, this article doesn’t target the youth only but also South Sudanese who are seriously involved in too much drinking of alcohol to deep-six if they can’t denounce alcohol. Conclusively, it’s is incumbent upon the youth to refrain from being the profligate consumers of alcohol to less or non-consumers. Youth are for future use, so stop playing around with the country’s future. By Mangar Agok Marial, the author is a student of journalism at South Sudan Christian University of Science and Technology, Juba, South Sudan. Reach me at [email protected] or call 0955726597 for comments. << Older<http://www.southsudannation.com/the-jebel-boma-declaration-federalism-for-south-sudan/> Newer >><http://www.southsudannation.com/why-i-think-pres-kiir-should-reshuffle-his-cabinet-to-coincide-with-resumption-of-oil-production/> 3 Comments 1. De Riak <http://www.borglobe.com/> says: April 9, 2013 at 10:52 pm<http://www.southsudannation.com/90-of-south-sudan-youth-are-alcoholic/#comment-18879> Comes on, Mangar! This is not true. Stop unfair characterization of our youth. Many of them know what they’re doing. And they’re not who you think they are. No one denies some drink heavily, but not ninety percent as you claimed. Apology, please! Reply<http://www.southsudannation.com/90-of-south-sudan-youth-are-alcoholic/?replytocom=18879#respond> 2. Yuot Bol says: April 11, 2013 at 8:53 am<http://www.southsudannation.com/90-of-south-sudan-youth-are-alcoholic/#comment-19033> Now that figure you give concerning south Sudanese youths as alcoholic, is it including those abroad or what? How reliable are your findings? In your opinion do you blame them or the government for not employing them? What is your take on, as in what can we do about it? Alcohol or drinking it is not bad as such but rather over doing it and also lack of responsibility, because even in the western countries people drink and they still perform their duties. So please don’t be fallacious and also scrutinize your statements for further examination. Reply<http://www.southsudannation.com/90-of-south-sudan-youth-are-alcoholic/?replytocom=19033#respond> 3. KW Ngor says: April 11, 2013 at 7:15 pm<http://www.southsudannation.com/90-of-south-sudan-youth-are-alcoholic/#comment-19067> I stand firm with Mangar on this issue. I was in South Sudan and Uganda last 3 months and I heard over Ugandan Radio and the same statement was echoed by Miraya Radio, that the quantity of Alcohol which Uganda consumes in six years, was consumed in South Sudan in only six months. If the research was done as Mangar claimed, then why don’t we discuss it constructively? This is a concern for all of us and it will affect all of us in the future, if we don’t debate it now and find a solution, otherwise more will happen. These are the kinds of situations that you favor the sharia law if we were Muslims. What I suggest since this is a spiritual warfare, I encourage you to go to Sudan and receive Jesus Christ as their Lord and savior, that way, the battle will not be theirs, but God. Let us tell Mangar and those in the media how they can educate the youth and the parents, to eradicate this demon. <http://www.southsudannation.com/90-of-south-sudan-youth-are-alcoholic/?replytocom=19067#respond> -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "South Sudan Info - The Kob" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out.
