The 31st October Peace Celebration Day: Will the Smell of Peace Last?
8 min readBy Longar Mathiec Wol, Juba, South Sudan
Wednesday, October 31, 18 (PW) — As the country opens the new chapter, the chapter of hope, freedom and unity, the people hope for the change of the attitude as two parties work together to forge the new way for South Sudan in an attempt to bring people together during this hard time. When the warring parties signed the revitalized peace 12 of September last month it brought hope to the suffering masses.
The celebration schedule to take place on 31st October is a turning point to the people of South Sudan and gives a hope that the gaps between the warring parties are being pushed closer. As they move closer the citizens who are they victims of this senseless war remains adamant wondering to whether the peace will works or the same mistakes will not repeat themselves again.
In all these processes the shareholders of revitalized agreement on the resolution of the conflict in South Sudan continue to monitor the situation closely with dilemma in their minds. These groups may include: SPLM IO leaders and supporters, the government and supporters and the suffering masses; the citizens of South Sudan.
Each group must have its own expectations, let take for instance, the SPLM IO leadership and its supporters. Their hope has almost been achieved politically because their leader is back to his position. The first vice president designate of the republic that will take over in the seven months to come. They also had their dream come true in the cabinet since they had secured their cabinet positions in the next government. Since it has come true it will be high time for them to turn up and attend the celebration in masses and that is crystal clear.
Though some members of the leadership might be hesitant since some sworn false oath that they are not interested in sharing power with the incumbent president H. E Salva Kiir Mayardit. But that one is out of question now, with Dr. Riek Machar decision to attend celebration in Juba these disgruntles will be left without option but to follow the leadership footsteps, meaning chances of them attending peace celebration is likely to happens.
Therefore, on the SPLM IO side they will attend they celebration unless something unthinkable happens again. But with the current expectation it will be horrible disappointment to the public. But God forbid.
When it comes to the government side, government is seen to be serious to implement this peace and we hope that spirit will continue. The situation in the country is making the government uncomfortable and it has to work toward lasting peace so that this situation is brought under control. The economic situation has become unbearable and if there is something to salvage the situation though there is no hope that this peace might bring changes in economic sector.
On the government side it is ready to do anything necessary to make sure this situation is mitigated one and for all. Though some government supporters may still be skeptical on what comes next due to the dilemmatic situation that the peace may bring.
This unpredictable situation may include the facts that some of the cabinet members are set to lose their jobs and that might not go well with some of them. But the interest of the nation comes first then individual interest followed though it is vice versa on the ground.
However, the masses, that is suffering citizens who remains spectators wondering whether the situation will turn to another J1 dog fight again or not is what keep each everyone awake at night, as we continue to pray that it may not happens again. What many citizens want to see is no the colorful celebration schedule for 31st October alone but the lasting peace that will restore their lost dignity.
Some of the important things these masses wish to see is not the share of power in term of positions and some other goodies that come with these positions. Their hope is that the freedom they fought for has been restore, the resumption of the quick delivery of the service by the government. Freedom of the movement from one point to the next without fear of being targeted because of their tribes and how the look like. That is the prayers they have in their minds.
The expectation is how the political sanity in the country is restored, the function independence judiciary, and the independence legislature that is capable of questioning the executive is the hope. That is the South Sudan people of South Sudan want. They want to see the nation without inclination toward particular ethnicity, the nation where they people are not judge base on their ethnicity but based on their characters.
There is no nation that has ever been built base on ethnicity and there won’t be one in the future. Our tribes are our pride and they should not be source of our problems. No matter which tribe we belong we all pledge allegiance to the Republic of South Sudan. We have seen how devastating the tribalism and racism have/had contributed toward instability in the world and its consequence and South Sudan is not exceptional.
The ethnicity never comes without the people who played a role in spreading the vice on the people of South Sudan. Thank to our self-proclaim intellectuals and public perceived pseudo-intellectuals who have contributed immensely toward our mess of today. Their misguided policies and negative rhetoric has oriented millions of South Sudanese against themselves, many of their followers and supporters went wild and they begin to follow their footsteps, the policies of our tribes or our communities first.
Hence, with the hope that the peace is coming it is time to revisit the values that held us together all these years or during liberation struggle, they seemed to have worn out and there is a need for renew spirit and new policies that would guide us after post-colonial era. We should be abiding by the rules of law and principles of democracy. Changing government by force is outdated style.
We have seen how many countries in Africa that messed the same way we are doing today, the system of overthrowing the government through barrel of gun is a disgrace and it shouldn’t be encourage by all means. Any country that uses military coup to address it governance weaknesses will never prosper. So the steps taken by the two warring parties to celebrate peace in Juba is a sign of hope and is welcome by the masses and suffering citizens of South Sudan.
Let all come out that day to support this peace. We all have seen how ugly our attitude toward peace have become, therefore we need to change our minds work toward normalizing the situation that we created ourselves not expecting solution from someone else, there is no way you can create a problem and you expect other person to resolve it. It is you who know the genesis of the problem who is in a right place to correct your mistakes. You should take the center stage and this goes to all the leaders.
People of South Sudan whether armed oppositions, non-arm oppositions and citizens have contributed toward our bad image whether directly or indirectly. You can’t tell me the collapse of the economy; the hatred that we created among ourselves; rampant corruption, nepotism and so many other attributes we are known for should all together be blamed on government. It doesn’t make sense.
The only where the government takes a blame is when it didn’t put in place the policies to guide the process and curb some misconduct in the public sector is the only area the government takes blame, but when it comes to the rest we all share the blame.
Therefore, we either rises up together work for each another welfare, whether from your tribe or not or we parish together as fool as mentioned by Martin Luther King Jr. Continuing with this enmity among ourselves isn’t helping us. We need one another; we are strong together as people of South Sudan not as tribe. Let be each other brothers’ keepers in sense that your brother or sister welfare should be your concern. Hate will never do anything for us. The schism among ourselves has cost us economy, development and importantly the precious lives of our people.
For every nation to be great, it greatness lies or comes from the unity of its people, the lack of that will denies our beautiful nation a respect it deserves among the nation-states. Let embrace peace as we are about to celebrate the peace 31st of October 2018. To many confused masses, the peace belong to us; let embrace it let work to make it a reality.
As many of you might be confused having in mind many questions to whether what is going to happen on 31st of October is smell of peace and how long it will last. To whether is real peace or another madness in making or another J1. All these questions can only be answer if we own peace and make it ours that is only way we can build confidence each day.
Final with all these remarks it brought me to a conclusion with quote from icon of non-violence Martin Luther King Jr and I quote ” returning violence for violence multiplies violence, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars… darkness can’t drive out darkness; only light can do that.
Hate can’t drive out hate, only love can do that” therefore, it is up to us let take our time to meditate and we should know that what we have done to ourselves, the atrocities we committing against ourselves had taken us nowhere only peace will rebuild ourselves.
Think of your brothers or sisters today; we belong together. Long lives South Sudan!! Long lives the people of South Sudan!! Welcome peace!!!!
The author, Longar Mathiec Wol, is a concern South Sudanese national can be reach through his email address: longarmaxiech@gmaail.com
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