South Sudan major militia group reinventing the wheels on peace agreement
By Steve Paterno
When members of South Sudanese militia groups who violently oppose to the government decided to return to Juba in a measure to implement the peace agreement, the hopes for all are raised that the peace, which was once in the corner has just arrived in South Sudan. The delegation of these militia groups were mainly those led by infamous warlord Riek Machar that include the formerly corrupt government officials came to be known as the G-10 plus, as well as the delegation of another notorious tribal warlord led by Peter Gatdet. They all came to Juba with olive branches. All were happy, or so to say.
These groups were warmly welcome into the capital in style of South Sudanese hospitality. With exception of their real communities, the members of these group paraded themselves into the national television, met with church groups, international community representatives, and all the relevant government and non-governmental officials. They pledged nothing else but peace. The government in its part, provided the groups with utmost security, accommodations and financial assistance so as they rejoin the society once they brutalized. All the positions in a coalition government were amicably agreed upon and so were other outstanding issues.
Nevertheless, Riek Machar, the principle architect of militias was a no show in all these positive development. The formation of the would be coalition government had to be put into rest, due to Riek Machar skipping the momentous moment. In their own desperation, the international community, consisted of the so-called Trioka, namely USA, UK, and Norway, screamed out loud into a hollow air. Machar never even heard them and many doubted for their crying out loud.
It is here that, once again, Riek Machar has defied the sheer will of international community desire for peace, betrayed the people of South Sudan and stalled the peace process. Instead, Machar rendezvoused his delegated militia group to leave Juba and travel into Pagak, a synonym for Ethiopia. In cooperation with the government in Juba, Riek Machar group travelled into the so-called Pagak. (It is a government in Juba good gesture for peace went acknowledged as those militias come in and go out at will).
However, on the return of this opposition team into Juba, they begin to speak into multiple and contradictory tongues. All the agreements, either in principle or in kind are tossed and put aside. Accordingly, Reik Machar set some outrageous agendas so as he gains his former position of the Vice President of South Sudan. At the moment, without a breakthrough on those agendas, the group vowed otherwise.
In conclusions, agendas, unlike conditions are subject for discussions or event rejections. Previously, when Riek Machar held guns over the heads of innocent South Sudanese, he demanded for conditions, many conditions and violent ones. However, the fact that he now gives agendas, and has no monopoly to hold the lives of civilians for ransom, the hope for peace is there, with or without Riek Machar. May the people of South Sudan have everlasting peace without imposition of any kind, for the people of South Sudan endured so much.
Steve Paterno is the author of The Rev. Fr. Saturnino Lohure, A Romain Catholic Priest Turned Rebel. He can be reached at [email protected]