Three Moral Wrongs that will make war continues for 50 years in South Sudan
By David Aoloch Bion
There are three moral wrongs that will escalate the war in South Sudan for 50 years now if they are not handled wisely . One wrong is already committed and two are yet to be committed. These three moral wrongs are 1 . Killing or the so – called Juba Massacre 2. Accountability or so – called trial of the war criminals 3 . Responsibility to protect or so-called UN military intervention.
The Juba Massacre was administered by President Salva Kiir on December 15 2013 , this is moral wrong number QNE , that started the war .
The civil society, NGOs , human rights groups , activists and politicians are calling for accountability , or the trial of war criminals , the war criminals are the one who carried out Juba massacre or the killing in other places like Bentiu and Bor ,
it is said the African Union Commission of Inquiry led by former Nigerian President has identified three categories of war criminals , The first category will be tried by ICC in the Hague , the second category will be tried by the African Union Tribunal in Arusha ,Tanzania , and third category will be tried in Juba , these include the soldiers who executed the orders . This is moral wrong number TWO, that will escalate the war for 50 years.
The civil society, NGOs and politicians are lobbying for South Sudan to be placed under United Nation protectorate to establish the Government of Trusteeship . This is moral wrong number THREE that will escalate the war for 50 years .
It is true war crimes are committed in South Sudan but the questions are , How are you going to try these crimes ? Are you going to try the suspects when President Kiir is in power or after he leaves power ? if President is still in power he will not surrender himself to the court to answer charges relate to his quarrel with Dr. Riek . On the other hand , President Kiir do not and will not arrest Maj .Gen Marial , the Commander of Tiger and hand him over to the court , because Maj. Gen was either defending the Constitution or defending President Kiir , there was no power to be taken from Marial therefore , why should Marial go on trail before Prsident Kiir . Should the so-called pressure from international community mounted on Prsident Kiir and he succumb and cooperate.
Then , this is how the event will unfold , Maj .Gen Marial will go to Yirol , his hometown and says , my people am being scapegoated by President Kiir , Am I not your son? Why am my being humiliated like this ? Look , People of Bentiu fought because Dr . Riek was removed from the Government, cant you fight because am being taken to be hanged or imprisoned for life . my people, every dog on the street has the owner , if you beat it , the owner will question therefore am your dog , am being hanged . When he is about to be arrested , Maj. Gen . Marial will run to the bush for his own life as Dr . Riek ran for his life on December 15 . From there , the accountability has created another war instead of preventing it .
Now , it is Mr . Kiir , from Bare el gazal , who is the President of South Sudan. It is Mr . Riek , from Upper Nile , who is the leader of the rebellion . If UN intervene, Kiir will be removed unconstitutionally, people from Bare el gazal will be angered like people from Upper Nile were angered when Dr Riek was unconstitutionally removed from the office. . People will fight because Kiir is removed unconstitutionally , and if Kiir supporters can’t manage to fight UN because UN has sophisticated weapon , they will wait until the UN leave South Sudan ,from there they start the fight as a revenge for the defeat they got at the hand of UN . because people from Upper Nile will celebrate the fall of Kiir , it will be interpret as defeat to people from Bare gazal . UN intervention will anger Bare gazal as Riek removal angered Upper Nile .
What is the durable solution to political crisis? . First , South Sudanese and international community agree to restore peace . From there what next? The international community says accountability, South Sudanese say forgiveness , healing and reconciliation.
Another issue is, if there should be accountability, it should be whole SPLM leadership that will go on trial not individuals. President Kiir with his group must go on trial for Juba killing including Aguel Chot because she sang provocative songs. . Riek Machar with his whole group must go on trial for rebellion , including his wife Angelina Teny because Angelina is civilian but she was in military uniform , that means , she is leader of the civilian White Army .Pagan Amum and his SPLM G10 must go on trial because they call for the war in country , on December 6 , 2013 , and indeed on December 15 , the war came as they predicted ,the trial will include Mama Rebecca Nyandeng de Mabior because she was in December 6 meeting though she was not detained, and if no accountability no accountability for all SPLM members whether Juba faction or bush faction or G10 faction , all must go unquestioned.
In 1991 , Dr Riek administered Bor Massacre , he was not tried but forgiven . In 2013 , President Kiir administered Juba Massacre therefore he should be forgiven too in the same spirit Riek was forgiven then . It is as Dr Majak Agot put it that past is past and no one should revisit it , it was 1991 but it is 2013 therefore it was 2013 but now it is 2014 . we should not talk of crimes of 2013 when we are in 2014 or 2015 . 1991 is past therefore 2013 is past too because we are in 2014 , let open new page and write new law that will punish anyone who shall commit a crime after that law is passed because you cant try old crimes by the new law. The law must precede the crime
South Sudanese people
Let forget 2013 as we forgot 1991 and open new page with new law., which is presidential term limit that will allow the peaceful transfer of power from one president to another .
Let stop call for accountability because it will worsen the situation.
Let stop call for United Nation intervene but find a solution within South Sudan.
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