Some worshippers in Emmanuel Jieng Parish are hypocrites
By Wilson Mading Koch, Juba, South Sudan
May 26, 2016 (SSB) — Last Sunday the 22/05/2016 Dr Riek Machar, the first Vice President of the Republic of South Sudan went to Emmanuel Jieng and Prayed there. The Pastor in charge later gave him a moment to greet the church which is a routine, every time a high ranking government official visited EJP; he/she is invited to make few remarks before the congregation.
Last year an Agreement on the Resolution of Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan (ARCSS) was signed by the main warring parties SPLA/IG and SPLA/IO. The core objective of the peace agreement was to bring to an end continuation of death and destruction of properties. Due to political and economic constraints, which are largely man-made it took long to be implemented, but a government of National Unity was eventually ushered in on the 28th April, 2016. The common man who is usually on the receiving ends was sighed and applauded the move, because then politicians could divide their cabinet portfolios while regular citizens retreat to the farms, fishing, hunting and the cattle camps.
Hardworking South Sudanese would engage in trade and commerce as long as conducive grounds have been provided for by the restoration of peace. The general assumption is that when peace is embraced, it means returning into normalcy, it means leaders and supporters of the opposing parties can traverse the country without hindrance. It means you can reside anywhere, anyhow in the country and you cannot be discriminated against because you belonged to ethnic community x or y, it means children can go back to schools and a nation hopes is the future of its children, it means you can worship in the church of your choice and nobody should dictate terms and conditions of entry into the house of the Lord..
When Dr Riek walked to Emmanuel Jieng last Sunday, he did it within the provisions of the peace agreement /ARCISS. That within the framework of peace agreement, hostilities are ceased, civility is restored, no further mudslinging, and so he is expected not to have sought permission from anyone, regarding where he would pray that Sunday.
If the claimed statistics is true that EJP is predominately Dinka Bor, then Dr. Riek had done the right thing, to have come and pray with his war victims. The logic here folks peace is not between friends, but rather between enemies. This imagination that only people who are friendly to us should interact with us is naive and does not reflect the prevailing reality.
Bor as a community is encircled by tribes that are mostly hostile to them, and last time I checked every body in Bor is either working in Juba, doing business, or have sent their kids to East Africa for schools or safety. This means majority of the youth that would execute the war in the fashion and style of the white army, or Cobra faction do not reside in the Bor area, but in distant places.
It means the lifestyle being led by Bor People is rather advance compared to its neighbours and beyond where youth are illiterate and idle, and the only jobs they know is looting and cattle rustling. People of Bor should wake up to the occasion and be the first to embrace peace, because they are not ready for armed confrontation, in fact war is left with savages and destitute, if you look at regions where majority of fighters are drawn from whether Mathaing Anyoor or White army, the communities there are starving and they will always loose nothing in the event of war, hence, this continued whining on social media is not helpful to the long term interest of the people of Bor. This peace is not about recovering the dead, but saving the living and properties, and if provocation goes ahead untamed, there still more lives to be lost.
The argument that, Dr Riek, needed to have apologised first before entering the church is a fallacy and only serve the interest of few who perceive 2013-2016 civil war as an avenue for investment and profit making, ARCISS does not have such provisions. ARCISS stipulates though, there shall be Justice and Reconciliation and to that extend anyone involved as per the African Union Reports or UN reports will not only apologise, but will be prosecuted. So far few have already been mentioned publicly, with Dr Riek included, and he will enjoy a ride to Arusha with some people around Al –Amarat area when the time comes. Therefore if, Dr Riek, is guilty as charged, he will surely face the Hybrid Court for South Sudan to be set up in Arusha, Tanzania, very soon.
It’s incumbent upon the TGoNU leaders of the opposing camps to disseminate peace and you cannot make peace awareness while seated at the comfort of your sitting rooms in J1 or Jebel Kunjur.
In 2002 Dr Garang made peace with Riek Machar, and because he was cognizant of his responsibilities he took him along on the tour of the SPLA’s liberated areas as a way of building confidence among his people, that they were then working together for the greater good of the people. Garang did not stop there he continued and took Riek on international tours as a way to tell his friends that peaces was restored and the two of them were working hand in hand. Barely one week after Garang was sworn in as FVP on 9th July, 2005, he went to Paloach with Bashir and addressed a gathering there, emphasised on the importance of peace, and why people had to read and own it.
A week earlier, before Riek’s Church fiasco, a group of people led by Vice President Wani, went to Nairobi for what was duped as joint rally. The bankruptcy of ideas of the Juba regime is telling. Why on earth would a first rally of the TGONU be conducted in foreign land? And they cannot lie of accessibility to media outlets because media can be invited after all they came and covered the referendum and declaration of independence in Juba and South Sudan in general.
The good thing is South Sudanese are aware of the mentality of their leaders and under a given nima tree in Juba you hear people say, it was just a Perdiem project, nothing less nothing more. Common sense would dictate the first rally to have been held in Juba, Bor, Malakal, Bentiu, Wau or POC, these are cities and places with most affected people by war, but for lack of reasoning and intelligence Nairobi was chosen as prime destination for a joint rally, how pathetic!
Compassion in the church
Back to the church fracas and hysteria, I commend the pastor in charge of EJP for showing compassion to Dr. Riek Machar and his wife, as a man of God he had done his work perfectly well. It is not the work of the church to divide and judge people based on their ethnicities or political affiliation. The church has remarkably done a lot for this country, during the war of liberation and even in the 2013-2016 skirmishes. Church has fasted and prayed for our country and our God listened to their genuine honest voices. Now some Pharisees in EJP want to reverse those gains for their selfish interest and they will surely not succeed in returning the country to war. Riek is obviously blameable for the crisis in 91’ and 2013, but there are set of mechanisms in place right now to bring to book those who caused the pain of 2013-2016.
Therefore to those few irritants among the congregation of Emmanuel Jieng, they now have a choice, to initiate their own rebellion and face Dr. Riek head on or join the rest of peace loving South Sudanese and move the country forward. The truth is folks the country is broke and can no longer sustain informants or war profiteers one more day.
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