Open Letter to AU and IGAD: Festus Mogae be relieved and JMEC disbanded
By Dak Buoth
It is an opportune time for President Festus Mogae, the Chair of the Joint Monitoring and Evaluation commission (JMEC) to pack and go back where he came from. And if he so wishes to remain in Juba, then he should be considered as an ex-JMEC Chairperson.
Festus’ persistent silence in the face of deteriorating situation breeds confusion, complications, and hence makes the world stand aloof. And as Will Rodgers says ‘‘Chaotic action is preferable to orderly inaction’’ Without much ado, he ought to be excommunicated for he did not communicate what keep transpiring on the ground for reasons best known to him and company.
As matter of fact, I’m not happy with the way he is dancing on victims’ graves together with those belligerents. To add insult to injury, I’m now seeing him dining and winning with the same peace violators whom he is supposed to offer wise counsel.
He was hired on conditions that he will be monitoring, overseeing the smooth implementation of peace accord only in the ‘pre-transitional’ and ‘during the transitional period’.
However, he is not supposed to continue occupying the same office in the ‘post’ transitional period.
I’m convinced beyond reasonable doubt that the peace accord has collapsed and dead, and there is nothing being implemented.
Festus’ continues to stay in office send the wrong impression that the peace agreement still exists when in fact there is none. In other words, his continued stay in the office covers the window for peace. To make matter worse, he is squandering resources that can be used to fast track desirable peace in our country.
I solidly hold that he should be relieved and JMEC disbanded respectively. By doing so, the world will see that the same peace agreement is dead or on a comma. And thus, they can either initiate a fresh political process and or reinvigorate the same peace accord as soon as possible. In my conscious analysis I believe:
1. That he failed to oversee and monitor the implementation of Peace Agreement
2. That he failed to finger-point at the peace violators, instead he is giving blanket-blames
3. That he failed to suggest alternative solutions and so he is ideas bankrupt.
I hereby challenge the appointing authorities, the African Union (AU) and IGAD to act accordingly because his legitimacy has been overtaken by events.
Three years of inaction are enough. Let’s devise decisive ways. ‘‘Throughout history, it has been the inaction of those who could have acted; the indifference of those who should have known better, the silence of the voice of justice when it mattered most; that has made it possible for evil to triumph,’’ Haile Selassie.
The writer is the Chairman of the Congress of South Sudanese Patriots; he can be reached for comments via [email protected]