The demands by warring parties can’t help South Sudan achieves political stability
By David Matiop Gai, Juba, South Sudan
Saturday, 23 June 2018 (PW) — I had been a campaigning agent for peace and political stability in South Sudan for two years and half on my own capacity because peace is a medicine for treating our inner disease of hatred, bitterness, and jealousy within oneself. But different impossible demands and pressures from within the region, among South Sudanese themselves and international community confused the process of peace.
Reading from Paanluelwel, the IO leadership preferred Dr. Riek Machar proposing “CPA Model” the Sudan peace contents under President Omar Bashir and Dr. John Garang and the current South Sudan peace process to match together but they are quite different.
The CPA Model proposed by Dr. John Garang de Mabior with two armies in the Sudan was the intention to safeguarded referendum, and session of South Sudan from Sudan, because the SPLA army was an army from the Southern Sudan to protect essences of peace and separation. In other words, Southern Sudan for decades had been deceived for many years and with this deception they learnt from the Sudan where the army from the Southern region was absorbed in the Sudan army and dishonest of some agreements surfaced the history.
Therefore, Garang and his comrades proposed CPA Model to have an independence state which is now – South Sudan. This CPA model was tried to copy and paste by South Sudan rebels with some contents and contexts in the 2015 peace agreement which collapsed and finally dead in July J1 2016 conflict. The cause of J1 conflict was impossible presentation of two armies in one country under different direction of commands.
For sure CPA model cannot work and it may not be apply by all means if we want peace to prevail in our country. I hope rebels are aware of it and if there is any hidden agenda of dividing South Sudan into family countries, then CPA model with its contents can work effectively without any objection, but if rebels want peace in South Sudan without agenda of division, then let them propose different peace model which will afford peace to achieve their objectives and true political stability.
Still on rebel side, in various workshops, rebels are refusing IGAD proposal for peace in South Sudan as” informative, unrealistic and lack technical experts”, while everybody in South Sudan including rebels are very yearning for peace to safe lives of innocent people, but rebels don’t search for peace, they agitated the ongoing peace process with their different agendas that, “there is no shortcut for peace”, and I quote,
“It is the contention of the SPLM/SPLA (IO) that there is no shortcut to peace. The best way to achieve lasting peace is to address the deep seated root causes to the conflict in the country and the Movement has requested for more time, as any honest approach to resolving this, apart from good will, requires time. The imposition of an agreement on the parties will not work and all the opposition groups have rejected”
On the government arguments, the government spokesperson Hon. Michael Makuei Lueth Surprise the public with shocking news that president Salva Kiir is not ready again to work with Dr. Riek Machar, and I quoted, ““One outstanding point that needs to be clarified to the people of South Sudan is that President Salva Kiir is not ready—he is not ready in anyway—to work with Riek Machar in the next transitional period. This is simply because we have had enough of him since 91, 2013, 2016. All these are problems caused by Dr Riek Machar to the people of South Sudan”
Other possibilities of Dr. Riek Machar to come back to South Sudan are like to retire from politics, go back to South Africa or seek asylum from another country which is not neighbouring South Sudan. In this remark, lots of questions are amount on government Spokesperson statement here. What was the specific reason of allowing Dr. Riek Machar from the house arrest in South Africa to Ethiopia?
Two, if Machar agree to retire from politics, then why government allow him to come back to South Sudan than South Africa where he was? Three, what will face to face Kiir-Riek helps South Sudanese from current suffering? Four, why statements made are confusing and conflicting join ideas? Five, what is the cause of bringing Dr. Riek again in any election or to wait for election while he is retired from politics?
In my own analysis on both the government and rebels, they have all representing problem, but reality is behind. Peace is a compromise agenda between the two or more parties. You cannot achieve all what you want without giving in or out; and that is win-lose and loose–win. I suggest that at least for the sake of peace and stability, why the government can’t try Dr. Riek for the fourth time to prove him wrong on the eye of South Sudanese, region, and international community because Dr. Riek Machar destruction only thundered high in Bor community than other parts of South Sudan since his forces only heading to Bor several times when he differs with government?
Again, why can’t rebels drop that crazy idea of two armies in South Sudan and complain to address the deep seated root causes to the conflict in the country? Why don’t South Sudan rebels learn how to achieve peace from other institutions of conflict before than stick on poor directions? The repeating songs of the root cause of conflict in the country, democracy, reforms, and whatsoever may not end conflict in our country.
The better idea in resolving conflict is to accept ourselves as South Sudanese. Borrow ideas of nationalism from other countries who were daring for their national agendas in the past. Build trust and embrace one another as people of one nation and develop our nation. Forgive and forget damages some brothers and sisters cause for us in pain and suffering during the war. Ignore mistakes and welcome good ideas of national benefits from individuals, experts, analysts, researchers, regional blocs, and good will ambassadors of peace to help us restore back our country to where we want it to be among the nations.
The author is a Co-founder of Mental Health Care Organization- South Sudan, (MHCOSS), Deputy Secretary of Bor Area Board, (2007-2012), Area Board Director of Evangelism, and Founder of Churches and Christian Relations, (CCR 2007) in collaboration with Inter- Church committee, Jonglei State, He holds Advance Diploma in Bible and theology, Koboko Bible Training Centre, Uganda, Diploma in Social Work and Social Administration, Bachelor degree in Social Work and Social Administration from SSCUST, Bachelor Degree in Theology from CLT, Bungoma, Kenya/Kalispell, USA, and he is Pursuing his Master’s degree in divinity from CLT. He is the author of “Polataka Face Foundation: Dr. John Garang’s Predictable Seeds for New Sudan (Vol. 1-9), “The Importance of Peace and Political Stability in South Sudan (Vol. 1-10), “Dinka Community: The MTN of South Sudan?” And many other articles and he is a fellow researcher. He can be reach at david.matiopgai@gmail.com
The opinion expressed here is solely the view of the writer. The veracity of any claim made is the responsibility of the author, not PaanLuel Wël Media (PW) website. If you want to submit an opinion article, commentary or news analysis, please email it to paanluel2011@gmail.com. PaanLuel Wël Media (PW) website do reserve the right to edit or reject material before publication. Please include your full name, a short biography, email address, city and the country you are writing from.
About Post Author
