Dinka elder says foreign mediation is not substitute for homegrown solution
January 3, 2018 (JUBA)- A prominent elder of the Jieng (Dinka) Council of elders said Wednesday foreign mediation with foreign interest will not be a substitute for the homegrown solution.
Joshua Dau Diu said foreign interventions have allowed south Sudanese to undermine the role of traditional institutions and have now resorted to taking simple issues to outside world due to mistrust.
“Hatred, suspicions and fear of each other have grown to an extent South Sudanese no longer listen to themselves. They fail to talk and listen to themselves. That is whenever there is any issue, they rush to call for foreign interventions and what they do not know is that foreign bodies which they think they are experts of our matters, go and come back to us and they let us know our problem then they come back to us with a proposal to resolve our issues,” explained Dau.
“What our people don’t know these foreign bodies do not know our background and the way we use to solving differences. Our way of solving these differences is the great assets we have and this is why I always say there can never a substitute to a homegrown solution because the solution will be found within traditional and cultural system,” he said
South Sudan, according to Dau, does not need intervention or foreign troops, who are bent on toppling the government but it rather needs the international community to support the Transitional Government of National Unity to consolidate peace in order to restore decent livelihoods to people.
South Sudanese President Salva kiir and the members of his government used to affirm their rejection of regional and international pressures saying they do not accept any new negotiation or attempt to amend the signed peace agreement.
They say the national dialogue process initiated by President Kiir should pave the way for national reconciliation among South Sudanese without any foreign intervention.
The Jieng is seen as an advisory tribal mechanism for President Kiir but also a mediation body to settle inter Dinka disputes. Recently they mediated a reconciliation between Kiir and his former army chief of staff Paul Malong Awan.
(ST)