Reflecting on 2015: Historic or chaotic? (Part 1)
By Daniel Majack Kuany, Juba, South Sudan
January 06, 2016 (SSB) The arrival of the New Year, was received by many South Sudanese with ululations and jubilations. As you or I set mind to evoke the past year, you will consider questioning yourself whether the year 2015 was either historic or chaotic to the citizens and the government compared to 2014 and 2013. Finding definite answers to the question above will be a bit complex and confusing in sense that people fail to distinguish between bad and good achievements they do ascertain in life as individuals and as a nation.
So far as my answer to the question is concern, I will here try to point out some of the scenarios that I think made the 2015, historic or chaotic either to the people or the Government. 2015 was the year that most of the people in the country rejuvenated themselves to think and reflect on how to reunite their ranks after the 2013 crisis that dragged the country into deadly fighting throughout the whole 2014 between the rebels forces led by Former Vice President Dr. Riek currently a designated First Vice President in the yet to come Transitional Government of National Unity [TGNOU] to be formed according to the August peace accord, 2015. As renaissance continuous from both government and citizens during the year, the signing of Arusha Agreement on the reunification of SPLM factions added a vital impact as a starter of the year. The Arusha agreement was meant for injecting new blood into the veins of and revitalization of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement’s 21 years of struggle and acted as a milestone for achieving peace in the country after it [SPLM] got completely fragmented in 2013. It is worth noting that 2015 can be termed both as a historic and chaotic year not because of man-made catastrophes it carried along, but also due to natural disasters that had befallen some parts of the country. The year witnessed exacerbated circumstances, among them the tragic incident of Maridi fuel tanker that killed 200 of innocent citizens that were siphoning leaking fuel from the ill-fated tanker leaving other hundreds severely wounded. While the nation was busy nursing the victims of the September fuel tanker incident, another tragic incident followed suit in the form of a plane crash that led to loss of lives of dozens of passengers. The plane, which was leaving Juba to Palouch in the former Upper Nile State crashed shortly after taking off, leaving only a 13 month old girl and a full grown male adult as survivors.
It is a year where local population in the former Western Equatoria State experienced multiple aggravating attacks on innocent civilians as a result of clashes between the Arrows Boys and the army, causing massive displacement and cold blooded killings. Many will sternly agree with me that 2015 was seriously characterized by many communal violence in the country, especially in former Lakes State, former Warrap State, and Former Eastern Equatoria State as well as Jonglei state; either because of cattle raiding or inter-tribal revenge attacks. However, the August peace agreement brought some hope and smoothened the year. The people received the signing of the agreement with joy and jubilations in hope of returning the situation to normalcy. But despite that, the conflict continued with some minor cases still being reported in some parts of the country. In a step to disseminate the agreement, President Salva Kiir took a courageous decision to openly address the nation through the reopening of the National Legislatively Assembly in a vivid speech in which he urged all the public to welcome their brothers and sisters in opposition back home with open hands and minds.
Personally that was the year in which I have ever seen the populace taking into the streets all over the country in protest to the draft agreement which was entitled: “Compromise Peace Agreement” now called the Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan [ACRISS]. Similar coming together of the people of this country was demonstrated during the referendum voting exercise in 2011. Now any question that a reasonable citizen can ask is, was 2015 a year for peace or a year to be termed as of chaotic as many things happened drastically leading to the suffering of the citizens in the country? Umm, it is something you have to swallow as you conclude your judgment.
Daniel Majack Kuany lives in Juba and can be reached at kuanyalier@gmail.com
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