The IGAD Peace: Regime change in Juba or a rescue package for South Sudan?
7 min readBy Atuany M. Nathaniel, Juba, South Sudan
May 11, 2016 (SSB) — The imposed IGAD Plus peace seems to aim at Juba’s regime change but on other hand is a chance for lasting peace in the new nation. The International community may be at some points has different agenda for the government and may be about the SPLM-IO. However, in most case, it must be appreciated because there are high chances for us to turn this peace into a reality which I am always advocating for. It is very clear that there is no other option other than peace to get this country stable. There is a mind who views this peace in different angle and on one hand can be a real peace.
Nevertheless, it is big a task to all South Sudanese leaders and especially the current formed government of national unity for them to question their mandate about what exactly they plan for this nation? Should they start time and again to work in the same manner contemptuousness, then they may be absolutely wrong. Mindn’t you, dear country’s men and women, this peace is at least 70% of it will bring the lasting peace if we are all serious about it and may be 30% of it will not be good.
And it is collective responsibility of all South Sudanese including leaders to be mindful about nation building. My message to both leaders today and the entire citizens is to give this peace a chance now but not later in order to open the new page and leave out the memories of the past on whether who has done what or who is who? Hence, let’s just avoid grudges and we look at each other with equal spirit of optimism for better South Sudan. We therefore need to focus our minds on how to utilize this peace and the development of our nation as the say says,” The bird in hand is worth too than in the bush”.
Moreover, as the new government is formed which is highly welcome by both politicians and the entire citizens, then, there is a belief from the common citizens that something good will happened and there will be no more opposition instead there will be one government in place. There will be no used of aggressive words such look at this stupid Dinka, Nuer or Equatoria or are from Kiir’s fails government? Since peace brings all on board.
Subsequently, there should be a caution about our attitudes towards the way we take things. We eventually believe much in negative perceptions that are hardly bringing change. And I give my Special thanks to Hon Akol Pual Kordit for his flexible politics. I quote him when he came back from Arusha’s SPM reunification dialogue while addressing national TV on his own words, “politics is not rigid or skeptical as you think, instead it’s always flexible as there in politics no permanent friend nor enemy.
Thus, we are all expected to behave like exactly the way he put it. Hon Akol is absolutely correct in his politics and of course, he deserves to be a best politician.
Other groups that I wanted to caution are those in uniforms. I really don’t understand what kind of military training that those guys attend? They are directly involved in politics but they not supposed to take part in any politics. Let’s tell you clear that if you are interested in politics then leave the Uniform and join the politics and nobody will prevent you from doing so.
Another group is civil servants. They are expected to gossip only in a manner that will not implicate them after which they look side by side but not direct in case they may be caught red handed in politics.so; let’s just have scope of operation in our systems. And even the low ranks officers, leave alone what is considered to a political ranks starting from Col. And above but Lt. Col and below are supposed not to comment on politics in any way because it is out of their scope. You are the one who exaggerate the problems. This nation will remain forever but any individuals will go.
In this regard, I thank President Kiir, First vice President. Dr. Riek Machar and Former Detainees and all the stallholders in the peace process including all oppositions group for coming together and form the Transitional Government of National Unity (TGoNU.) I wanted to remind our leaders about the say said by Americans’ president John Kennedy who says, “Think about what to do for your country instead of what your country will do for you”.
Now, think twice about what you can do for this country but not what this country can do for you. This is your second chance to demonstrate your leadership ability. However, the only thing we expect is for you to do everything with consensus and compromise. It is through consensus and compromise this is where even the inter-government formed called JEMEC will has less influence in our domestic affairs.
So far, I see, it is too awkward to have been push through our own things unless the interest is only main for you alone but not for the sack of benefits of common citizens, there is no need not to understand yourselves. So, peace is the prime factor for all of us and for case of destruction that took place should be left behind and we first focus on how to heal the wounds of the war. We rehabilitate and reconcile ourselves because God has put all of us on this land no excuse for not to live together. Let’s stop reminding ourselves about things which are less importance.
Let’s all stop hit speeches, tribalism, nepotism, and negative perceptions for we have no option not be South Sudanese. Let’s not be dwelling so much on events.
The president Museveni told to Kenyans then during their peace that “ if you are suffering from the deadly disease and you go to see the Doctor who will diagnose your sickness, and that Doctor prescribes the medicines for you, the only thing you do is to take the medicines as per the prescriptions by Doctor, Otherwise, should you violate the prescriptions, then you automatically die for good ” So, dear South Sudanese, these is our chance and let’s work hard in order to turn this imposed peace into the meaningful peace otherwise, this is the last chance for our country to survive.
In conclusion, you need to prove to the world that you are leaders of the people but not for yourselves. By doing that then you will be the no one to claim to be wise if you really learn through your mistakes.
- I say mistakes because you even yourselves acknowledge where you fell short and I don’t target any individual other than all of you since you were the same leaders before and today. Dear leaders, we common citizens hate you so much before but now you are still our leaders. Hence, you work hard now but not later for the nation benefits since you already deserved what you deserved, whether be it good or bad and we the common citizens are the one suffering in your hands.
We need peace in order to achieve the following:
- Food security
- Political development and stability
- millennium development goals
- Improvement at the general level of living standards for all citizens
- Utilizations of natural resources
- Piece of mind for politicians who are always worried about how to solve the problems here and there
- There will no more fear for war crimes committed
- There will be no accusations of bad government system
- There will be no hatred among individuals
- There will be no night robberies, and the list is very long to mention.
May God Blesses this nation
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