Peace envoy urges IGAD to push peace for South Sudan
By Tesfa-Alem Tekle
December 25, 2014 (ADDIS ABABA) – A South Sudan peace ambassador, Gatwech Koak Nyuon, on Thursday urged IGAD and the international community to put maximum pressure on the two South Sudan’s warring factions to immediately reach a lasting peace agreement.
In a Christmas message he convoyed today at St. Paul Church, in Addis Ababa, where over 1,000 congregations were in attendance, Nyuon called on the leaders of the rival parties to demonstrate firm commitment to end war and bring peaceful settlement to the political crisis.
“I’m so alarmed to see this conflict continuing while our leaders (president Salva Kiir and former vice-president Riek Machar) reach no conclusion to strike the deal, but I believe time shall come for them to strike it,” he said.
Conflict in South Sudan broke out in mid December last year after dispute within the ruling SPLM party leading to confrontation between Kiir’s troops and fighters loyal to Machar.
The newly emerged east African nation as a result did not celebrate the Christmas and the New Year in 2013-2014; instead the country witnessed heavy loss of lives and gunshot throughout the year of 2014.
The UN says at least 10,000 people have been killed since the conflict broke out although the International Crisis Group says the figure could be as high as 50,000.
The former South Sudanese child soldier, who in July was named by Kale Hiywot Church of Ethiopia as Peace Ambassador condemned the gross human right abuses committed by both sides against women and children.
“Thousands of women had been raped, beaten to death and privately persecuted during the conflict,” said Nyuon.
“We have to respect them and treat them in due respect. If we kill or rape them, we better recognize that we are killing and raping our mothers,” he added.
Nyuon further urged the warring parties to allow Humanitarians access to the affected civilians and stop violating the cessation of hostilities as well as to halt the destruction of humanitarian facilities.
He commended the government of the neighbouring Ethiopia, Kenya, Sudan and Uganda for hosting South Sudanese refugees in their territories.
He also appealed to the United Nations, African Union, IGAD, and European Union as well as Troika countries to design a strategy that would immediately curb the conflict and address the root causes of the over a year old conflict.
IGAD, the regional bloc mediating negotiations between South Sudan government and SPLM in Opposition on Sunday adjourned the peace talks for Christmas and New Year holidays.
IGAD will announce a new timetable for resumption of talks after a summit of IGAD leaders, which aims to design a new way approach as the one-year old peace process has failed to bring durable peaceful settlement.
Mediators have repeatedly expressed dismay on the continued violation to the cessation of hostilities signed in January 2014.
IGAD chief mediator, Seyoum Mesfin on Sunday warned actions will be taken against any of the two sides’ that violate the truce.
(ST)