Do we need to import peace from Addis Ababa or we better make our own at home?
5 min readBy Ariik Atekdit
April 27, 2015 (SSB) —- One is quite astonishing to see that our people so much depend and solely believe in importing peace from Addis Ababa to South Sudan. Why can’t we make peace here at our desire? So that we will live in peaceful co-existence among ourselves and stop declaring new war fronts that would likely emerge as a result of that IGAD made peace accord. Or else stop the ongoing confrontation in Malakal.
I know the common citizens who are suffering in different angles of South Sudan won’t benefit from peace agreement that focuses on position restructures just being imposed by the IGAD-mediators onto the conflict rival parties in South Sudan. And at times the actors of wars among our people are within the territory of South Sudan, the white army and SPLA with their commanders are all South Sudanese. Dr. Riek Machar and President Kiir are South Sudanese leaders.
If for instance, we don’t accept to bring peace to South Sudan using our own mechanism the IGAD will craft for us their junked type of peace accord; at the time we try to implement that agreement you will find that dozens of new generals will jump to the nearest bushes in their villages fighting against the implementation of that peace deal. Will that mean any peace to South Sudanese?
I thought it was only necessary to build up peace from within. Whereby everyone tells the truth, accepts the blame and announces innocence to those who deserve it with government taking the role of protecting all South Sudanese regardless of their ethnic lines or regionalism.
To what everybody knows peace cannot be transported from a foreign region as if it was material goods when in reality the hearts of those who are supposed to keep peace are full with hatred and anger to commit atrocities. South Sudanese need to make their peace initiative from churches, mosques and within our traditional, youth and political leaderships.
In the name of importing peace to S. Sudan from the Regional leaders you have just embarrassed our country and its citizens. Out of you whether in Juba, in the bush or among G10: Are there democrats to claim democratic ideology? Citizens have tried on you many times, since 2005 it is only you who have been ruling us.
Whether you are in the government, rebel groups or SPLMG10 it is better for all of you to create new personalities within yourselves.
Did you construct permanent offices or is it true that gov’t ministries are still in containers, prefabs and makeshifts in states or occupying schools? Ten years since 2005 are over! Is it true that S. Sudanese cannot rule themselves? Or still a young nation? Is the president young or are Riek and Pagan Amum young? Is the Nile River young or is it Sudd region which is young? Most of the time I can’t understand the evidences being argued about the 21 years of struggle with the intention of doing wrong and malpractices and people claim to be forgiven because they were part of the long war of struggle.
You fought for 21 years to establish a system in the name of New Sudan or a new Republic. Is this the one you have struggled for? Over 2.5 million lives were lost for a cause. But those people are now forgotten and people are trying to create more orphans, widows and disabled.
Are you happy to see us dying every day in the name of revenge or protection of legitimacy? Can white army die for no cause just because they are sons of illiterate Nuer? Or do SPLA soldiers die because their parents have not known “the right to live of their beloved boys?”
So you have signed Arusha declaration to re-unite offices and leave us still mourning for beloved ones? Are you still calling for step-down as some of you aim to step-up and continue trade with our blood and call it peace talks?
Anyway it is not the first time that this area that has now become South Sudan begs for regional leaders to formulate for them how to live in harmony. Our leaders continue to verbalize the need for peace but not making it happen because of the tribal hate-character in people’s hearts.
Now that the peace-talks in Addis Ababa have come to stalemate people are left speechless but our people continue to suffer. Nevertheless, both sides believe to be fighting for a senseless war. And for that reason they leaders whether in Juba, Nairobi based G10 or Pagak group have continued to bring us senseless peace every time.
Did you our G10, our rebel and our government show us your love for the nation apart from love for positions and our oil money? After winning the war and political understanding from Khartoum what was to be the next agenda for you? Struggle for power? Did you build roads, health centers or schools in our villages and in Juba? We just want peace now!
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