The Unyielding Hope for Peace in South Sudan: Will 2018 be different?
6 min readBy Longar Mathiec Wol, Juba, South Sudan
December 27, 2017 (SSB) — As we approach the end of 2017, let me take this opportunity to wish all the Christians in general and people of South Sudan, in particular, a merry Christmas and all the people across the globe a happy and prosperous new year 2018.
As the quest for the peace in the youngest nation has been a painful experience as the country goes through the rough route two years after it the independence declaration. Since the war broke out the efforts to stabilize the country has been on top gear but most proof futile.
But with all this uncertainty since the war broke out almost five years ago the people continue to keep the hope alive, that one day the scarce commodity call peace will one day avail itself. It has been a hope to every single South Sudanese that peace is attainable, though it’s taking longer then it is better late than never. Regardless of the exacerbating suffering the unyielding hope for peace South Sudan continue to ring in the ear of every South Sudanese.
When the war broke in 2013 and the negotiation commenced immediately, people war hoping that at the end of 2014 peace might return to the country but that hope never lived to see the light of the day. But what is important it continues to exist in subsequent years until this moment the end of 2017.
The attention has now shifted to 2018 as the high expectation mounted on the leaders to bring the highly anticipated hope for a peaceful nation to reality. People have seen enough and our plea and exhortation to the warring parties as the citizens of South Sudan is to cease hostilities and bring peace back to the people.
Though there is no guarantee that 2018 will not be the exception until the parties involved in conflict continue to engage in constructive dialogue or negotiate with good faith then chances of permanent peace coming in 2018 remain unpredictable. However, there are indicators and possibilities peace may come if we are determined and commit ourselves to the avenues of peaceful resolution of conflict.
Some indicators are the high-level revitalization forum initiated by IGAD and subsequent signing of the cessation of hostilities and humanitarian access. If that agreement is respected and the parties commit themselves to it then the peace is around the corner as Hon. Makuei Lueth has been saying.
Another sign that the parties might be serious at this time is the fact that both have ordered their commanders to cease the hostilities and remain in their location with the except that they can only act in self-depend. No matter that there is some case of violation days after signing of the truce still there is a hope that it’s not too late; peace is not the one-day event it’s a process that needs patience.
This spirit gives the people hope that through the road has been rough still there is a hope that this tragedy should be turned into the blessing through peace.
Any single day that passed without peace in our country is the extension of suffering in our nation. The citizens of South Sudan have suffered enough and its time that the warring parties should return to the table as soon as possible and look for all means of resolving the problem once and for all. The political difference should not be the source of people’s suffering, political differences are resolved politically not militarily.
It’s time we should consider that violence has never resolved any problem but complicate it. The nation call south Sudan is big for all of us if we work together guided by the institutions established by the constitution and make some of the reform that is deemed necessary or seems to be favouring individual and groups interest in the expenses of others in the country.
There is no need to continue with war, war has disadvantaged us for so long, some of us were born in the war grew up in the war and our children also born in self-imposed war is a big shame on us.
Let utilize the opportunity and the favour God has done to us to give us the independent nation. The nation we fought for decades and generations. Let educate our children, some of us are illiterate and we cannot afford to grow the illiterate generation based on our own miscalculation.
South Sudan has the highest illiteracy rate in Africa and in the world, it’s time we should concentrate on building the strong educational institutions, health facilities and many other essential facilities that our country need. It time we establish the strong army that will protect south Sudan from external aggression and modern-day threats instead of using it for self-destruction.
We have seen the level our economy. That’s what the war does, millions of South Sudanese are not celebrating the Christmas Eve and I assumed the New Year eve respectively due to the fact that they don’t afford anything in the market. Things have extremely become too expensive, our currencies continue to depreciate beyond the reasonable doubt because of unnecessary war.
There’s time for everything under the purpose of heaven as the Holy Scripture teaches us, so the time for war has come and passed. Let 2018 be a year of peace.
People of South Sudan need to be in peace, there is no need people and generation subjected themselves to war as John Garang said. We should take this golden opportunity of cessation of hostilities to educate our people about the disadvantages of war and advantages of peace to bring back peace.
Let reflect back and think of how far we have come and the recent atrocities we have committed against ourselves and have the sense of brotherhood and all of us should say enough for this senseless war. So the question lingering in the minds of many South Sudanese is whether 2018 will be an answer to unyielding hope for peace in South Sudan.
Therefore, to conclude from me and the rest of South Sudanese peace lovers outside there, we say enough is enough. Let the year 2018 be the year of peace and blessing.
The author, Longar Mathiec Wol, is a South Sudanese concern citizen. He can be reached through email address: longarmaxiech@gmail.com
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