IGAD-PLUS and UN’s unnecessary language “We condemn & call on both sides”

IGAD-PLUS and UN’s unnecessary language “We condemn & call on both sides” is the prime cause of the Latest Flaring War in Juba

By Bol Khan, Kampala, Uganda

July 13, 2016 (SSB) — Unsurprisingly, the 8th Friday foiled assassination attempt turned Sunday 10th July, 2016 to be all out-war on innocent South Sudanese People. South Sudan is set ablaze yet again by the same leaders of 15 December 2013! In short, whether we term it intentional or unintentional the IGAD-PLUS imposed Compromise Peace Agreement (the ARCISS) offered a window of great opportunity for South Sudan’s destroyers to continue the war on innocent South Sudanese innocent people. Why?

Firstly, because that agreement has permitted the same people who planned, instigated, conspired, committed, abetted, participated and executed 15 December 2013 deadly incident in the heart of national capital, Juba, to rule the country again in this deadly defunct Transitional period.

Palpably, Justice was delayed and nobody knew as to when it would have taken place. Secondly, all the national or regional blocs including the JMCC, CTSMM, JMEC, IGAD-PLUS, the International Community and the UN were not doing enough to end the sufferings in this country.

Instead they have been all along resorting to this verbal language of “We/I condemn in the strongest term possible & urge the two parties to the agreement to respect this and that” without naming exactly the responsible person (s) for December 15 2013 war or who was really violating the later imposed compromise peace agreement.

These two things encouraged and gave criminals/peace violators strengths to kill, violate the agreement in broad day light and go away untouched in the presence the above national, regional and international institutions. That was before and after the so-called Agreement on Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan (ARCISS).

In fact, legalizing the lifespan of the same leader (s) in power, through an agreement, so that he remains seated in the Presidential Palace was entirely against the majorities’ wills of South Sudanese people.

It was only good news for those devils in details that are standing out there. For the agreement awarded them bachelors and masters degrees for successful killings they carried out in Juba in 2013, later on in Greater Upper Nile, Greater Equatoria, recently in Wau….and now all over South Sudan. Unluckily, the gunmen with their recent legalized and intrigue—now sinking political leadership have had high hope that they would continue carrying out their deadly games for next dysfunctional transitional period of thirty (30) months up to 2018/9.

This will not happen; since they have set the national capital on fire again yesterday Sunday 10th July, 2016.

The IGAD-PLUS before imposing peace on South Sudanese people needed to recall that, on the outset of that 21 months senseless war the press Officials in the Palace could vow that all culprits who physically involved in massacring the pure innocent civilians in various parts of the country had been identified, apprehended and arrested.

And that very soon would appear or be taken to military court of justice. Did that happen? A big NO must be the answer! We haven’t seen them being taken to court for trails. That was palpable impunity in action!!

And that was the main reason why all, during the peace talks in Addis Ababa, South Sudanese civil society organizations, faith based groups and grassroots were appealing to peace mediators that bringing back the same person (s) who ordered 15 December 2013 mass killings, on top of the government, would be tantamount to carrying on the war.

In this, the IGAD member’ states, other regional and International partners could not listen to those concerning voices. Instead, they intentionally ignored the calls from the people of South Sudan who knew very well that the SPLM ruling party leaders had miserably failed the country.

With a total failure beyond repair! Now here are the people being flared again, what will they do to safeguard the lives of those innocent people?

Equally or sadly, the UN’s unnecessary impartial language of “WE/I CONDEMN IN THE STRONGEST TERM POSSIBLE AND URGE TWO PARTIES TO THE AGREEMENT TO RESPECT THE AGRREMENT” without naming the exact obstructers plus its soft stance towards South Sudan’s obvious perpetrators was the second reason which indirectly encouraged the perpetrators in South Sudan.

This very language was allowing the leaders to hide their subordinates—the culprits or perpetrators in the pockets. Now that the South Sudan is set ablaze again by those so-called legitimate and democratically elected people in the Presidency; will JMEC, IGAD-PLUS and the UN continue acting even-handed towards South Sudan’s peace violators and civilians serial killers?

As stipulated in Chapter VII 2.7 of ARCISS, JMEC was supposed to:

(a). Monitor and oversee all aspects of the implementation of the Agreement;

(b). Monitor and oversee the mandate and tasks of the Transitional Government of National Unity, including the adherence of the Parties to the agreed timelines and implementation schedule;

(c). Oversee all work of Pre-Transitional and Transitional institutions and mechanisms created by the Agreement;

(d) Break deadlocks within the TGoNU, as per the provisions of Chapter VII, Article 6 of the Agreement;

(e). Publicize its work, conduct public outreach to the people of South Sudan, and ensure that the progress of implementation of the Agreement is widely disseminated;

(f). Report regularly to…., the Chairperson of the IGAD Council of Ministers, the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, the Peace and Security Council of the African Union, and to the Secretary- General and Security Council of the United Nations on the status of implementation of this Agreement, as provided for in the Agreement;

(g). In the event of any non-implementation of the mandate and tasks of the TGoNU or any of the Pre-Transitional and Transitional institutions and mechanisms created by the Agreement, or any other serious deficiencies, recommend appropriate corrective action to the TGoNU, and/or remedial action to the national and international institutions named above and in Chapter VII, Article 5 of the Agreement;

(h) In the event the TGoNU fails to take such remedial actions, the Chairperson shall report such matters with recommendations to the other bodies as stated in the “1 (h and i)” of this TOR.

Despite all these international back-up responsibilities bestowed on JMEC by the agreement, the JMEC was unable to break the fierce stalemate between the two main warring parties. And it was unable too, to follow the process as stipulates in Chapter VII Article 2.7.5 of ARCISS.

Even the substantial key issues which should have been implemented earlier had to hang up all behind scheduled. This substantial keys issues include but not limited to determination of number of States; reinstatement of Civil Servants, identification of cantonment areas in Equatoria and Bahr el Ghazel regions, the expansion of Transitional National Legislative Assembly, the security arrangement in cities like Juba, Malakal, Bentiu, Bor, establishment of Hybrid court…etc.

Contrary, without interruption the peace violators were so busy arresting peace observers, killings innocent civilians in Wau, targeting individuals in Central, Western and Eastern Equatoria States and all over the country. With high impunity, the certain individuals in TGoNU have been obstructing and impeding peace process yet the JMEC, IGAD-PLUS & the UN could not be able to point even a single figure at that obstructive group.

The devils were continue organizing themselves and start shooting civilians in front of JMEC, IGAD-PLUS, UNMISS and other International Community without punishment. And once these regional blocs, international community and the UN saw killings happened to civilians all of them would run to their computers and write condemnation Press releases always carry titles:

“I/we condemn……in the strongest term possible…..I am/we deeply alarmed……I/we call upon the parties involve….I am/we’re very concerned….I/we urge the both warring parties to refrain…..immediately stop hostilities or stop targeting civilians…….etc. Should these press releases help the subjugated innocent South Sudanese civilians from the hands of perpetrators? If the press releases can save lives as we speak, then let them save the lives of South Sudanese innocent people!!

Nowadays, the truth of the matter is that. Juba gunmen are now targeting everybody including the international members from the family of “WE CONDEMN IN STRONGEST TERM POSSIBLE”. Thousands of South Sudanese are now displaced some into UNMISS camps in Juba with other more displaced into the bushes, other stranded indoors all without basic services.

The December 15 2013 and this latest war’s starters are not sparing this time all 63 tribes’ members including those who have been in allies with them.

Does pointing figures at Peace violators become partiality?

“If an elephant has it foot on mouse tail and you said that you are neutral then the mouse will not recognized your neutrality” Desmond Tutu.

Conclusion

Sadly, South Sudan’s peace failed because, all regional and international bodies namely; the JMEC, IGAD-PLUS, AU and the UN who supposed to tell directly Mr. X, Y, Mrs. Z (Peace Violators) that you have violated the Agreement or you are wrong here or there had been just keeping quite.

They could not tell exactly who was obstructing the peace agreement in Juba. They all would just resort to an unnecessary impartial—obliging language of “We/ I condemn in the strongest term possible or urge all parties to refrain from this and that.

To me, that tragedy happening in South Sudan was beyond impartiality! Acting even-handed in a situation where the perpetrators in one way or another are slaughtering the innocent citizens can be considered as choosing the side of the oppressors.

What had happened in 2013 should not repeat itself yet again in front of the International Community and the UN. The leaders’ power to protect their citizens is no longer with them. If the leaders had political will to protect and save the South Sudan’s ordinary citizens’ lives, then they would have done that since, in 2013, in Wau and last week in Juba.

In conclusion, for the world to help correct the past mistakes, the IGAD regional bloc should urgently form neutral forces from the IGAD neutral member states and send them as Deterrent forces to separate the fight or protect Civilians.

The killings are now concentrating in Juba and escalating as well to other areas as it happened in 2013. African Civilians Defend Forces (ACDF) should have been in place earlier as ready deterrent force. These forces must be mix now with UNMISS forces to help protect the civilians that are being slaughtered by that sinking dying horse in Juba.

Because in today South Sudan’s situations; people are no longer talking of how many thousands of innocent civilians have been displaced into the bushes or died in the past hour (s) or so, rather people are now talking of how many have remain alive & sound waiting the death. Everybody is waiting for his her turn to arrive.

And more importantly, the world must be , therefore, informed that what is happening in South Sudan is not far from terrorism activities being executed by Boko Harram in Nigeria, Al Shabab in Somalia, IS in Syria..Etc. For that reason, the IGAD-PLUS, AU, EU, the UN and the whole of the International Community should immediately expedite a very quick multiple responses to mitigate the South Sudan second genocide, in making, otherwise South Sudan would be a country with less than half of its civil population.

The author is a concerned South Sudanese. He can be reached at bolkhan39@yahoo.com

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