Opinion

What mechanism can stop violence and bring peaceful co-existence to South Sudan?

26 February 2014
In Opinion

By Peter Gai Manyuon

“Peace is the number one beautiful ornament you can wear, I really believe that. They say you should always wear a smile, but I don’t believe that you should “always” wear a smile; seriously, you’re going to look stupid! But peace, you should always carry peace within you, it’s the most beautifying thing you could ever have or do. Peace makes your heart beautiful and it makes you look beautiful, too. You want to have perfect physical posture when you stand, sit, and walk, and peace is the perfect posture of the soul, really. Try perfect posture outside as well as inside. Peace creates grace and grace gives peace.” ? C. Joy Bell C.

February 25, 2014 – The current crisis in Juba as well in the Greater Upper Nile region especially Unity State, Jonglei and Upper Nile state, has made many people to think on how the newest Country should prosper in nearer future; there has been a lots of killings, destructions of properties, raping of women, girls and looting of properties since last year December 2013 to date. Most of the people affected by the war, are traumatized and still taking refuge in the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) compounds in Juba, Malakal, Bentiu and Bor as well and the government is still targeting the people who are inside the compound under the protection of UNMISS. There is always surrounding going on, at UNMISS compound in Juba by the government soldiers due to the fact that, President is not happy with the lives of the people who are under United Nations protection.

Hence, everyone in the Republic of South Sudan has experienced the badness of the civil war; first was the longest civil war that has been between the Sudan People Liberation Movement (SPLM/A) and the National Congress Party (NCP) and thereafter; the war that has been there for decades eventually came to an end when the comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) was signed on the 9th of January 2005 in Naivasha Kenya.

Well; looking at the current crisis of the South Sudan as autonomous especially the ongoing war that has affected the oil producing region of the greater Upper Nile ; you can acknowledge the fact that, there is a need for political solution or interim government as stated by different bodies, regions and International level as well.

First of all, the issue of the Sudan People Liberation Movement (SPLM) that have taken the Country to square one; is an indication of South Sudan being among the failed states as the world said last year 2013 after evaluating the developing Countries from the way they are governing themselves, democratically, political and the way they are managing their resources.

The issue of tribalism and violence that is in the minds and hearts of the most South Sudanese is number one, problematic agenda that is taking the newest Country to darkness. Most of people divided themselves based on tribes, clans and families. Most of government works and projects are being divided base on individual interest’s not national interest. The ideology of nationalism is not in the minds of the most South Sudanese people.

Tribalism and hatred is another ambiguous agenda that is in the minds of all South Sudanese, every one want to favor his/her tribesmen and ladies in all the level of government in South Sudan. Who can deny the fact that; the current problem was caused by tribalism and hatred? If it was not tribalism and hatred about certain tribe in South Sudan; how come one tribe was targeted and killed good number of people door to door? In all the jobs market in South Sudan; people are being employ base on tribe and individual interests. When you go to most of the government public offices, you find that the National Ministry is being dominated by one tribe sometimes by one clan or family members. Most of directors Generals have put in their girls friends and conking bines; what a nation is South Sudan?

Secondly, corruption issue is another disease that has also caused the current violence in the Republic of South Sudan, every one want to have a good car, big stomach, and that is why there is war that escalated to most of the states of South Sudan specifically Unity State, Upper Nile state and Jonglei State. The seventy five (75) people that have involved in the corruption scandals are the one who have invited the current war in the Country. President failed to mention the names of the people who took a way 4.5 millions of dollars to the foreign Countries. Most of the citizens in South Sudan have got no roads, hospitals and schools. How can you claimed to be a good leader when you have failed to deliver social services to the entire citizens of South Sudan? The four millions dollars that was send to private accounts was suppose to be use for development issues.
The question now is; who is wrong to have complained on how the Country is being run in a volatile and shameful way? Corruption is one problematic that needs citizen’s attentions and rectification. People might ask; how citizen can rectify the current corruption that is taking place right now in Juba and other nine states in South Sudan?

Mind you; the role of citizen is to look for what is right by making recommendations to the government on how the Country is being lead; citizen are suppose to organize themselves to advocate for their rights through using a democratic way of doing thing internationally. One of it, is through writing petitions to the government, and makes a presentation to the National Assembly for example; we have the parliament which is being lead by the most criticized Hon Speaker who was chosen by the President of the Republic of South Sudan not elected last year in August 2013. The other best way is for the citizen to call for rallies and demonstrations that can give the pressure to the government and incase there is killing thereafter, then world can act immediately without failed. Furthermore in Arabs world, demonstrations and rallies have been the ways of changing the dictatorial regimes in governance. The question is; why not South Sudan?

Thirdly; the issue of bringing the foreign troops in the South Sudan territory is another problem that have provoked and annoyed most of the South Sudanese intellectuals globally and I think even those who might still in the worm might still feel it; that has shown that the newest nation is being governance by the ideology of divide and rule policy; that was introduced by some western world some decades back during the struggle of the most of the African Countries when they were looking for their recognitions. In South Sudan, President General Salva Kiir Mayardit has uses the ideology of divide and rule policy which is happening in the Country. President use divide and rule by creating regionalism conferences that took place in the year 2013, when Greater Bhar-elgazal and Greater Equotoria conducted their regional meetings accept people of greater Upper Nile did not organize or call for regional meeting. Can President Kiir claims that; he does not know what is the route cause for the current conflict in South Sudan? How can you allow regionalism meetings when you are the President of the nation? Is that not one way of promoting hatred among the people of South Sudan?

“We can never obtain peace in the outer world until we make peace with ourselves.” ? Dalai Lama

Recommendations

First of all there is need for the peace and reconciliation in the entire South Sudan; people need to be exposing to how they should stay peacefully with one another; in order to kick away primitive politics and chronic tribalism that had destroyed the whole South Sudan. Loving one another is the fundamental issue that need good attention from all citizens regardless of hatred.

There is needs for the people of South Sudan especially the government under Salva Kiir Mayardit to respect the outcome of the peace talk in the Ethiopians Capital, either formation for the interim government, power sharing in order to promote the peaceful co-existence among the South Sudanese.

South Sudanese need to be independent in whatever they are trying to do; by looking at the long way that they come through by reflecting the war that has taken many lives. There is need for allowing democratization processes to take place in the Republic of South Sudan because dictatorship will make the newest nation not to progress well due to the fact that; the ideology of primitiveness need good rectification from all the different stakeholders in the Country.

There is need for the commitment for all the different stakeholders to advocate for the abolition of tribalism, corruption and dictatorial tendencies in the Republic of South Sudan and therefore, unity is the most wanted initiative that needs all the citizen of South Sudan to adapt to it.

There is need for the promotion of transparency and accountability in all the sectors in South Sudan, both from states level, county level and National level as well. Because if there is accountability and transparency in the Country, then South Sudan can be the better nation among many Countries globally.

There is also need for the respect of rule of law and human rights in the Republic of South Sudan; using traditional way of governing people ,might not work at this critical and crucial moment. Constitution need to be respected by President of South Sudan and all his cabinets; should not use their wrong ideologies when addressing public gatherings.

Civil Society organizations in South Sudan need to form one umbrella organization to monitor corruption cases in South Sudan; the corruption in South Sudan need good mechanism and strategies to bring in to an end the rampant rubbery in the system of governance in Juba. A Country like South Sudan; should promote democracy, transparency and accountability that reflex our Integrity as South Sudanese.

“Inner peace can be reached only when we practice forgiveness. Forgiveness is letting go of the past, and is therefore the means for correcting our misperceptions.” ? Gerald G. Jampolsky

In conclusion; the ideology of eliminating one tribe out of the Republic of South Sudan cannot work, because God almighty has the purpose of creating that very tribe in the soil of black people. Every tribe is very importance in one way or the other. Without tribes in South Sudan, there could not have been human beings existence in the new Republic. Patriotism and the love of God the father, the Son and Holy Spirit should be the one in our hearts and minds in order to kick way the primitive politics and hatred among the South Sudanese.

Author is Independent Journalist who had written articles extensively as Columnist on the issues of Democratization and Human Rights in South Sudan. You can contact him through;[email protected]. He is writing a book on Tribalism and Corruption in South Sudan context.