S. Sudan tribes declare support for federalism, call for end to conflict
February 22, 2015 (JUBA) – A two-day consultative conference which drew together all the 64 ethnic groups in South Sudan for the first time passed a resolution declaring support to federalism in the country and urged the warring parties to incorporate it in a final peace agreement for immediate implementation during the would-be transitional period.
Representatives of the South Sudanese ethnic groups converged on 17 and 18 February at Nyakuron Culture Center in the capital, Juba, to deliberate on the ongoing war and how the conflict could be brought to an end.
In their resolutions extended to Sudan Tribune, the inter-tribal conference under the theme: ‘Peace Now! South Sudan Tribes United Against War’ said the aim of the gathering was to unite all tribes and engage them towards promoting peace in the country.
Resolution 2 (c) called on the negotiating parties to ensure that federalism should be the system of governance in the country.
“A federal system should be the system of governance in South Sudan and it should be part of the peace dialogue,” partly reads the resolution.
The tribal representatives, participating in the government organised meeting; decried what they said were impacts of bad politics in the country, enumerating causes and the impact.
“Loss of the spirit of nationalism, patriotism and common citizenship; lack of political will; lack of regional and international trust; motivated tribal politics; disunity and lack of trust among the tribes; power struggle; tribal intolerance, arrogance and hegemony; and marginalisation of tribes,” they said have become a phenomenon in the country.
The tribal leaders called for constitutional and institutional “overhaul” including the judiciary in the country in order to undo the status quo and stop the war.
They also discussed other social and economic impacts brought about the political instability, further calling for equitable distribution of the country’s wealth.
They listed “Intensified and motivated corruption; economic stagnation; destruction of physical infrastructure; high cost of living; rampant illegal exploitation of resources; environmental degradation; inflation pressure on South Sudan currency; increased poverty; excessive military expenditure; increased unemployment; and decreased reserves and increased national debt” as among the worrying signs that characterise the rapidly deteriorating situation in the country.
The leaders also proposed that membership of the council of states, which is the upper chamber of the national legislature, should be representative of the various tribes in the country.
They called on the warring parties to respect the cessation of hostilities agreement signed since 23 January 2014 and further called on the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), African Union (AU), Troika countries and the United Nations (UN) to lead targeted sanctions against those against peace in ending the 14-month long war in the young nation.
(ST)