The conundrum of the SPLM-IO advance team to Juba

By Steve Paterno

Thus far, the implementation of the compromised South Sudan’s peace deal is at standstill. Most benchmarks for the implementation are not met or rather simply ignored. Many hurdles stand on the way, and among which, problems associated with the coming of SPLM-io advance team to Juba. Rumors of arrival of this team are running amok over the last few weeks as proposed dates for their coming keep shifting. Disagreement among the parties involved and logistical hindrance seem to be real issues behind this saga.

The government continues to stress that for the process to move smoothly, only specified figure of individuals who are assigned designated task from the io need to be sent to Juba in order. This is so as to ease the management of their logistic as well as their security and wellbeing. The whole point behind this insistence is that there are still outstanding issues, which are required to be thrashed out to pave way for the formation of a transitional government. The members of io in their parts are fiercely fighting each other over as to who should not be left out from the list of those to be repatriated to Juba. Meanwhile, the mediators are coerced to comply with the demands of members of io who keep steeping up and insist that their names are included among the list of those to be repatriated. That is why their number keeps on increasing by the day.

Nevertheless, what are really happening in io camp is saddening to say the least. And those are actually the much more contributing factors in the implementation process.

First of all, the io is virtually disorganized, without any semblance of structures or command center. Their members are scattered all over, with some juggling from one hotel to another, and moving from different to another. Others are shouting their guts out from the comfort of their living rooms in Diaspora. And also there are those wandering in the bushes of South Sudan. In order for them to assemble in one point is a logistical nightmare.

Secondly, it is reported that those who are residing in Pagak compare their livelihood to” hell on earth.” Pagak, a mere village is completely devoid of any basic amenities that can make life suitable. Those individuals who once thrived on living on hotels paid by government are now sharing their tiny tents with encroaching snakes, deadly scorpions, and uninvited insects. To think of a shower is to imagine of a luxury. Food is so scarce that they ought to be stolen from relief agencies. The suffering is real. For these individuals, coming to Juba and with the prospect of getting accommodated in hotels is a real bailout and a means of rehabilitation of livelihood, not an opportunity to implement the peace agreement. This is actually the real reason behind the huge number of the team. This could also explain the infighting among the io as all want the bailout and rehabilitation from enduring what they describe as “hell on earth.”
Thirdly, the so-called io advance team is predominantly composed of civilians, mostly from the Diaspora. In another words, the Diaspora civilians hijack the show, since, the fighting commanders are sidelined. Such deliberate exclusion of fighting commanders from participation will further down the road implicate the implementation process and can even have a repercussion of a national scope.

These, compounded with other factors are real impediment for the implementation of the peace process. The repatriation of io members must be a gradual process that takes a life of its own. The process must take place in accordance to the agreements the parties agree on.

Steve Paterno is the author of The Rev. Fr. Saturnino Lohure, A Romain Catholic Priest Turned Rebel. He can be reached at [email protected]