Governor Bakasoro: South Sudanese in Tears
October 13, 2016 (SSB) — Fellow South Sudanese, let us all condemned the atrocities that is taking place in our country in the presence of the Government of the day. On behave of the voiceless and the families who lost their dear ones in the constant targeting of civilians by Government and other armed groups, I strongly condemned the killings of innocent civilians along Juba Nimule roads, Juba Yei roads and other locations in the country. I am appealing to the Government and the warring parties to spare and respect civilians.
No killing of civilian is justified under any type of and International law. They are not combatants and such indiscriminate killings should at any cost be stopped. In a civilized world no civilian should be targeted by organized or unorganized forces. I strongly believe that our struggle to liberation was not based on hateful tribal sentiment. No single tribe or tribes should be targeted by any armed forces. That is inhuman and should not be condoned by any light minded persons or groups. God bless and rest their souls in internal peace.
But why is that happening?
Brake down of law and order. The new terminology of UNKNOWN GUNMEN has created this situation.
In 2013, thousands of innocent Nuers were killed in Juba and in other towns and no single individual condemned it. In the same year thousands of Shilluk were killed in Malakal, chased away from their ancestors’ land and nobody condemned it. In Wau Thousands of Fertit were killed by Government soldiers, thousands displaced and nobody condemned it. Between August to October 2015, Government transferred war to Western Equatoria and hundreds of civilians were killed in cool blood, thousands displaced and nobody condemned it.
The same year in Wonduruba the home village of the so-called Cabinet minister, hundreds of civilians were killed by government soldiers, thousands were displaced and nobody condemned it. Mundri was burnt into ashes and hundreds of civilians killed by government soldiers and nobody condemned it. Rumbek has been experiencing mass killings by armed groups and nobody condemned it. Yei is in total destruction and thousands of civilians are killed by government soldiers, thousands are displaced and nobody condemned it.
The whole Nimule corridor is now deserted and hundreds civilians are killed by government soldiers, thousands are displaced to Uganda and nobody condemned it. Chukudum, Torit and other areas had been burnt into ashes, hundreds of civilians are killed, thousands are displaced and nobody condemned it. The Murle civilians had been targeted and killed by government soldiers, thousands are displaced and nobody condemned it.
Within Juba, there is daily killings of innocent civilians by government forces and nobody has been brought to justice. The only message we hear is unknown gunmen.
In 2016 July, Government forces attacked FVP Machar and his forces, hundreds were killed, thousands were forced to scape for their life, thousands had been camped in UNMISS, and I never heard any condemnation.
A single tribal force called Mathiang Anyor had been recruited and mobilized by the government to target and kill innocent civilians in Equatoria, displaced thousands and nobody has condemned that act.
The killings since 2012 in Wau and subsequently continued through 2013 up to date by one single tribal force under the order of the tribal government is only targeting civilian population in Upper Nile, Western Bahr El Ghazal and Equatoria, I have not heard any condemnation.
What do these incidents indicate?
There is no law and order in the country. It means that there is no effective leadership who hold perpetrators accountable. When there is no law and order in a country, no accountability, and no justice, then that is a failed state. From the above mentioned incidents, is there anybody who had been brought to justice?
Big NO!
Therefore, it should be brought to light that there is no accountable, effective leadership in the country hence South Sudan is a state without leader. It is a fact that only blind or ignorant person can deny. The Churches which were the only Institutions that could intervene in such a situation is now voiceless because they have done all what they are supposed to do but found resistance from their own Government.
Most Church leaders are already warned by Government and some are targeted. South Sudan Leaders have failed the country. Period!
What Next?
Due to the above facts, certain individuals or armed groups have decided to take law into their hands and began to terrorize and kill innocent civilians. Because they know that they will not be brought to justice by any one since there is no leadership. As I cannot again appeal to a Government which does not exist, I am appealing to the International community, IGAD, Troika, US to critically study South Sudan Situation and help.
I am informing the International body that South Sudan situation may or is already more than Kosovo, Somalia, and is leading to Rwanda 1994 genocide. Why? Because the silent killings are greater than the one you hear and see. There are thousands being slathered in cool blood every day that nobody is aware of. When the Government is condemning killings of innocent Dinkas, the same government is killing innocent non Dinkas but without condemnation.
It means that the government is not objective. Thousands civilians in Bahr El Ghazal, Upper Nile, and Equatoria are undergoing the most terrible sufferings in silence and yet the government goes on to deceive the world and International communities that everything is fine. Is that the government of the people, by the people and for the people?
Before 1994 genocide in Rwanda, there was an early warning about Rwanda security threats but the International Community did not act quickly, and as a result the world witnessed the worse killings in modern history.
I am giving an early warning that the security situation in South Sudan under the current leadership of Salva Kiir and his cliques might grow worse than the superficial current outlook, and should be handled with care before the worse happen.
CURE EARLY CANCER BEFORE IT BECOMES CHRONIC. Let us all stand up to save life than to destroy it.
Singed:_____
Bangasi Joseph Bakosoro, Former Governor, WES
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