We need a divine intervention in South Sudan to save the IGAD Peace Agreement
By Pal Chol, Juba, South Sudan
January 18, 2016 (SSB) — According to an insider within the IO advance team, some members of the Leadership council will travel on Tuesday to Pagak for consultation over the outstanding issues. There is now a bitter disagreement over the number of states. If not handled well, it is most likely to derail the agreement and the situation may turn volatile (God forbids).Besides, the redeployment of the security forces remains a thorny issue.
Michael Makwei who speaks for the government says it is impossible to revisit our position on the 28 states. This was decided in the periodic cabinet meeting chaired by Zol Kabiir himself, the creator of the states. The other issue of deep concern is that the IO team has been given an ultimatum to check out of the hotels by 21st instant. This is a serious development.
It is reportedly a pressure from certain corners on the slow pace of the implementation of the deal especially on the formation of TGONU partially blamed on the IO.JMEC is in an awkward position to deal with these Machiavellian schemes of the warring parties. With the going of some IO members to their base, what is expected out of their meeting? What will the international community say, once the IO chief is adamant that the government revokes his states which is a red line here?
It goes without saying that the IO Principal will never relinquish his stand on the issues of States. The warring parties should pity the dire situation facing the people of South Sudan. I urge them to drop some of their intransigent positions for the sake of the ordinary citizens. Another fear of the unknown is created. The vulnerable will again be forced to live in fear or run for their dear lives. The relatives of those who fell in the jaws of their angry cousins will be reminded inevitably of the 2013 December unimaginable carnage.
The hopes and morale of those who yearn for peace will start to wither away with panic. The pessimists, I am not excluded, are saying this conflict will never end only by a divine intervention. All the capacities of the human mind are exhausted. The artificial intelligence employed in the resolution of the conflict is no more. The political avenues explored to end this strife at the level of the whole world proved futile. The international community efforts to bring about a peaceful settlement to the conflict in this country have been frustrated.
The analysts say the young nation heads towards political anarchy. In their words, we have put our interests first before the welfare of our innocent and vulnerable people. I begin to shiver and afraid that the country may disintegrate into three states or more given the way things are unfolding. UN trusteeship is on the table as one of the options. The only thing which can harmoniously unite us and salvage the people of South Sudan is the implementation of this agreement in good faith.
It is too early and premature to talk of election. I may have hurt and angered the potential candidates. Forgive me my trespasses. Amusingly, the members of the election commission are appointees of the President just like the members of PPC. The Heads of these two institutions are bona fide and die hard SPLM members. They bow to give their souls for the SPLM during their oath taking.
We should not expect them to be neutral. They cannot betray their own candidates whatsoever in the upcoming election. Last week, the SPLM members including the chairman were in red T-shirts when they were marching to be registered. This red colour, my SPLM friend told me, signals a resistance should anybody intercept them on their way to the Party Headquarters or tamper with their 100 year-rule program.
My message to the two chiefs is that, please, relent and save this generation from more deaths and any possible apocalypse. What took place was enough and now it is time to give peace a chance. South Sudanese will always remain as brothers and sisters until thy kingdom come.
You can reach the author via his email address: palcholnyan@yahoo.com
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