The Frantic Search for a Long Lasting Peace in the Republic of South Sudan
By Peter Wek Mabiordit, Juba, South Sudan
Tuesday, March 19, 2019 (PW) —- Peace is an important thing in human life. It is demonstrated by our daily actions toward others. The noble choice of doing right things depends on individual’s attitude and behaviors. When we behave in the right manner, our behaviors immediately translate into peace. For the last 3 years there had been a search for a lasting peace in South Sudan. Many agreements had been signed but dishonored.
The Khartoum peace agreement signed in 2018 is another step towards lasting peace. Although critics argue that it will not hold because it does not address the root causes of conflict, I’m optimistic that there are chances of achieving peace because our leaders have expressed their full commitment to implement it.
But how do we achieve lasting peace in South Sudan? Well, in my opinion, real peace starts from within ourselves and extends to others. For us to achieve happiness in life, we must allow the strings of love and unity to bind us together. When we understand the meaning of life, we learn to appreciate the very reason of our existence. True freedom and the right to life are only exercised when we own the spirit of nation building and avoid illegal activities like corruption, gambling, robbery, rebellion and revenge killings.
As the old adage puts it, an eye for an eye makes us all blind. We must stop the culture of revenge through forgiveness and reconciliation. Yes we had a bitter past but should we allow it to weigh down our hearts and prevent us from rightfully shaping the future of our children? Why is it so hard to forgive ourselves while Jesus Christ himself forgave our sins and died for our sake?
For peace to exist in our country, we must be busy with constructive activities and avoid laziness. Every day should be an opportunity to learn something new and beneficial to our lives. As the youth of this great nation, our contribution towards lasting peace is crucial. All of our thinking should be work-oriented. Putting blames on innocent people who brave the scorching sun trying to earn their living is not only a sin but also a limitation on our potential to contribute in national economic growth. Peace will never exist in our country if we allow our daily lives to be controlled by tribalism and hatred.
As South Sudanese, our cultural diversity should be a source of joy and pride but not senseless wars and baseless hatred. Indeed when we honestly look at ourselves we find that we’re one people created in the image and likeness of God. Whether rich or poor, Christian or Muslim, black or brown, short or tall, thin or fat; we are all sons and daughters of South Sudan and there is no reason for division. When tempted by the forces of darkness, we should stand strong and repel all temptations.
Standing firm in the face of all evils means that we should be ready to speak and defend the truth always. As I said at the beginning of this piece, our actions determine our peaceful coexistence and we must therefore analyze their impacts first so that we don’t break the relationship we have with others. Negligent actions breed division and violence while well-thought ones lead to a rigid bond of love and intimacy.
For peace to exist in South Sudan we should open the doors of education and fight corruption tirelessly. Since the signing of the CPA in 2005, a lot of resources have been misused by powerful individuals. And as they lavished, the poor languished in abject poverty. This lead to discouragement and loss of hope. Majority of the citizens felt that they had been betrayed by their countrymen whom they once believed to be their saviors.
The situation was further worsened by youth unemployment which forced them into illegal activities like rebellion and prostitution just to support their familes.The good news however is that there is renewed hope in the hearts of many South Sudanese after the signing of Khartoum peace agreement and for peace to reign, the forthcoming transitional government should prioritize equal distribution of resources and create employment opportunities for the jobless youth. There is also a need to develop roads so that goods and services reach their destinations at the specified time.
Finally, for peace to exist in the country we must embrace the healing power of prayers. Prayers provide timely direction, eliminate fret, prevent us from wrong doings, erase worry and anxiety, invite God into our daily lives and give us the energy and confidence to act truthfully and beneficially toward others. The church should continue with its noble work of uniting God’s people through prayers and spreading messages of peace.
Although each and every one of us have a busy work schedule to attend to, time should be saved for spiritual healing and all glory given back to God through prayers. Let’s remember that disagreements can only be solved through dialogue but not violence. Peace does not come alone but through collective sacrifice of our time, financial resources and the commitment to bring a positive change.
Let our daily lives be filled with love, unity and endurance for peaceful coexistence in our nation. May God bless South Sudan!
The author is a South Sudanese poet and researcher. His areas of interest include business administration, women empowerment, poverty alleviation, public health, cultural diversity and peaceful coexistence in the society. For comments, reach him via his email:wekmabior@gmail.com
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