South Sudanese Crisis and the Alternative Solutions for Peace
By Adit Abit, Vancouver, Canada
July 20, 2016 (SSB) — We all know the struggle and the bitterness it took to achieve the independence of South Sudan four years ago. It took us more than two decades to achieve our independence from Sudan. I think South Sudanese people might have forgotten the enormous sacrifice communities and leaders made while liberating South Sudan.
Today, we all need to ask ourselves what is the solution to the current national crisis in South Sudan? Do you agree that the IGAD/UN should impose peace through a UN Peacekeeping Force or do you think the best solution lies within the South Sudanese people themselves?
Personally, I disagree with the IGAD/UN imposed peace; it never worked in Somalia, Afghanistan, Iraq and Libya. To my South Sudanese brothers and sisters, we are the cause and the solution to all these problems. We are the ones to bring peace not the international community. Whether you believe me or not, I am sure that imposed peace will never work.
We should look at ourselves and do some soul searching. Why do we accept the language of division? Do you think it is helping? We have turned against each other instead of taking courage and holding our leaders accountable for preaching the language of division. Do you know the problem is neither Dinka nor Nuer? Come on, my South Sudanese sisters and brothers, we are better than this and we can do better.
As we all know, President Kiir and Dr. Riek Machar no longer trust each other. They led South Sudan into a big mess. However, I would like to give credit to President Kiir. He has done his best for South Sudan, but the conflict is heavy for any leadership because of the tribal divisions and the language used by Dr. Riek to gain Nuer support.
I understand that every leadership has its failures, but Dr. Riek always used Nuer against Dinka, and this will never help anything. Prior to 1991, the Bor Massacre was led by Dr. Riek’s army supporters (White army), even though Dr. Riek was not the only one accused of leadership problems in the SPLM movement.
For example, Arok Thon Arok was among those men accused. Arok took it as a leadership problem not a community problem, but Dr. Riek, on the other hand, escaped to his home village and mobilized the Nuer to attack and destroy Bor, the birthplace of the late Dr. Garang.
Dr. Riek hoped to overthrow Dr. Garang and take over the SPLM movement. Unfortunately, his revolution was a genocide, not liberation, because his army wiped out all Bor communities, killing thousands of people and abducting and raping women.
Up to now, the Bor community has not recovered from this tragedy. Some of us are the survivors of this war and I am one of those who survived the massacre. I have seen the worst of such a leadership failure. It took survivors more than five years moving from place to place to find a safe and secure refuge, not to mention the days we spent without food, sleeping under trees.
Dr. Riek was welcomed back to the SPLM movement by Dr. Garang in 2002 and later appointed by Salva Kiir as his Vice President after Dr. Garang’s death in 2005. Can you believe Dr. Riek repeated the same dark history in 2013? He used the same language to turn the Nuer against the Dinka. The Nuer White army took revenge by killing Dinka civilians who were residing in Bentiu, Malakal, Akoba, and Bortown.
Personally, I think Riek is power hungry, as prophesied by Ngundeng, but we have lost so much, experienced so much suffering. South Sudanese lives do matter regardless of tribe. I don’t understand why we support such criminal leaders who have misled us. Don’t you know our lives should come first, not our desire for power?
South Sudanese people, are you still alive? Why are you so silent? Why do you accept divisions and preach hatred among yourselves? You can fear, but the reality is you are the problem because you allow yourself to be divided and remain silent. Our lives matter and now hunger and guns are feeding on us again. Come on, we are better than this. I believe in you, and I know we can do better.
This is my personal suggestion. Kiir and Riek must go! I know Kiir is not the problem but he should step down to save South Sudan from predators and more lives lost in the coming days and months. I know President Kiir has done his best for South Sudan. I can’t imagine how much you have sacrificed for South Sudan since liberation. We achieved Independence because of your tireless sacrifice.
I understand that it is hard to give in over the country you love so much. But you will save South Sudan if you and Riek step down and advise the government to appoint non-Dinka and non-Nuer leaders. Personally, I think the Nuer and Dinka need a break from leadership, and appointing a non-Dinka and non-Nuer will reduce the mentality of Dinka vs. Nuer in the nation.
Your government should act now to save this nation. Step down with Dr. Riek and advise your government to appoint an interim President who is not from either the Dinka or Nuer tribe. This time, you should involve minority groups so that the international community will realize that the enemies of peace are not you or Dinka, but a group of terrorists who are after power.
I think some non-Dinka and non-Nuer are patriots and capable of leadership positions, and Pagan Amum is one of them. Mr. President please give Dinka people a break from politics. We know the majority of Dinka have sacrificed for this country and many Dinka died during the liberation because of their selfless love for South Sudan.
Unfortunately, Dinka people are now dying on the frontlines because of their love for South Sudan and they are being targeted on a daily basis because they are Dinka. Because of being Dinka, they were killed in 1991 by Dr. Riek’s forces and in 2013.
I know Dinka people have a good heart for this country, but they need a break and this will happen if you give leadership to non-Dinka and non-Nuer people. Even if Dinka cry, no one will listen to them because the president is Dinka. I wonder who told some people that Dinkas are not human or are bullet proof. Imagine being targeted for who you are?
My South Sudanese people, let’s work on a solution and the solution is not to kill each other. Violence is not the solution at all. Let’s stop pointing fingers at each other. The best solution is realizing that fighting and killing each other not only is the worse solution but unethical and inhuman. Revenge is the worse solution. It makes no sense to resort to criminal acts of revenge, rather than holding criminals responsible under the law.
The solution is not to see the problem as tribal, but to hold our leaders accountable for the pain we all underwent. We should set an example and demand that our leaders step down when they fail us. Welcoming criminals back in the name of peace will not help us. Such leaders will still be the children of a snake and anytime they can, they will turn against us. We should look for leaders who care about us: leaders who listened to us, who heard our cry, who cried when we cried.
To President Kiir, please act now. It might not be too late. I know you refused the intervention of the international community, but do you know what happened in Libya? Do you want the predators to take over South Sudan?
Please share this message with the President and his government whenever possible. Please take it easy if this message hurts you. I am writing out of love for South Sudan. Not only do I have family members in South Sudan, but also my heart belongs to South Sudan.
I still call South Sudan home because I was born there and grew up there in the mess of crisis, and I am compelled to write this piece because of all the pain I underwent. I understand how painful violence and conflict is for my family and my fellow South Sudanese in South Sudan.
May the mercy and the love of God strengthen South Sudan!
All questions and inquires should be aditbit87@gmail.com
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