Who are going to participate in a declared National Dialogue?
By Hon. Isaac Tut Machar, Juba, South Sudan
March 4, 2017 (SSB) — Dialogue is always done in a secure and peaceful environment where every citizen can participate freely, without fail or fear. But who is going to participate in that unilateral and one-sided dialogue being circulated in the media by Juba rogue regime of Taban Deng, Salva Kiir Mayardit? Who can buy such a false idea? This dialogue has nowhere to go. Except between Taban’s SPLM-IG Crown Hotel faction and Salva’s SPLM-IG Amarat faction.
The dialogue won’t involve any single refugee from abroad, the people in Kajokeji, the people in Raja/Bagari of Wau, and the people in Pagak. It will not either involve the IDPs in Juba’s PoCs, Bentiu, Bor and Malakal’s PoCs or the grassroots’ areas within the country. The people’s resistant movement, the SPLM-IO under the wise Leadership of Dr. Riek Machar, is not going to participate in that partial Dialogue which will not grant needed peace for South Sudanese people.
Who are the targeted participants of so-called National Dialogue? I would, therefore, want to assure the region and international community that the Regime in Juba (Taban-and Salva wedlock agreement) is not representing the interest of the South Sudanese people but only its own interest. Peace needs to be attain first in South Sudan so that all should go for real inclusive National dialogue which will bring on board all people from the grassroots, refugees camps, IDPs in UN camps inside the country and from abroad as well.
The public is already aware, that Juba regime tribal leaders beginning from Salva Kiir, Ateny Wek, and information minister Michael Makuei plus the so-called Jieng Council of Elders are already not for peace. And that they will never give peace a chance in South Sudan. This fact is known to every truth teller in South Sudan. So, if there are people who can still believe in what Salva or Taban are saying, I think should be among those most confused foreign actors.
Logically speaking, how can you talk of holding a genuine National peace dialogue in areas (e.g. in Equatoria) where the rampant raping of women/girls is ongoing, killings of innocent civilians is ongoing, displacements of people from their homes in all regions of South Sudan are also ongoing. The above so-called leaders are always known for their blanket national calls and of feeding the world with untrue information.
They are confusing the region, the AU and UN that there is peace in South Sudan. Where is peace now? Peace was only about to come when the SPLM-IO went to Juba in April 2016. But Salva started the fighting again in July 2016 which in turn resulted to resumption of war in South Sudan, no peace in the Country. Civilians cannot ran away or abandon their homes if there is peace in the Country.
As the SPM/A-IO staunch member, I would like to assure the regime in Juba that this current conflict is not like the conflict of 1991, where there were confusions over objectives. The tricks done by those of Taban, James Kok, Thomas Duoth Guet and others SPLA generals in 2001 will not repeat themselves, we have now the Country of our own. The South Sudanese people diligently fought not to become and are again fighting now not to become the third class citizens in their own Country.
The peace accord signed in August 2015 was very good accord that could pave the way to a comprehensive road to real National dialogue, but unfortunately Salva Kiir spoiled it with the intention to eliminate our leader Dr Riek Machar. So, if the actors who brokered that peace accord really want it revived, then they can resuscitate it by bringing back on board the true signatories of the agreement so that the proposed National dialogue can get it path to solution.
Salva Kiir, Taban Deng, Duoth Guet, Wani Igga …name them, cannot bring peace. They are all in Juba in the same government with one thing in common. Act to confuse the environment including the foreign actors that the agreement—peace is still there. They deploy to kill whoever opposes their policies, of divide and rule for life.
Therefore, in our view the involvement of the true signatories to the agreement, grassroots, refugees, IDPs, South Sudanese intellectuals and all stakeholders is so crucial if indeed the international community need to see genuine inclusive peace conference and National Dialogue in South Sudan.
The author is the SPLM/A-IO member and Fangak South County’s Commissioner, Phow State, South Sudan. He is reachable at isaactutmachar@gamil.com
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