South Sudanese church leaders have hailed the signing of a reconciliation agreement between community representatives and an SPLA unit in Wonduruba in Central Equatoria State.
The agreement signed just days ago has been little publicized because of the absence of media at talks in Wonduruba, which were brokered by church leaders and witnessed by the Lainya County Commissioner Augustino Kiri Gwolo, SPLA Major General Johnson Juma Akot, and bishops of Wonduruba and Mundri.
“It was signed three days ago on 3rd December. People were very happy, they were jubilating, they were dancing – both army and civilians – we have witnessed dancing, we have seen smiles once again in the faces of the people and people are very happy with this initiative,” explained Episcopal Bishop Paul Yogusuk.
Yogusuk, who identified himself as “the lead mediator mediating between the army and the civil population,” said that God had sent the church leaders to Wonduruba on a “ministry of reconciliation.” He was speaking at a community briefing yesterday in Juba.
“Today we are disseminating the Wonduruba Peace Agreement, so the Wonduruba population in Juba have gathered together so we are sharing with them the content of the agreement,” he said. “What is important in the agreement is that the Wonduruba community and the SPLA have ended the conflict. They have forgiven [each other] and there are administrative matters, there are also security matters.”
The agreement comes after allegations that the SPLA unit in Wonduba ‘terrorized‘ citizens and looted and burnt homes in the village and surrounding areas. The civilian population subsequently fled Wonduruba leaving only a unit of SPLA soldiers remaining in the area.
“The conflict is between the army and the community. So they have also to make understanding, you know conflcts are there so they have to agree,” said Yogosuk, adding that the SPLA should investigate soldiers who allegedly committed crimes. He asked the community to pray for good things to emerge from the agreement.
According to a copy of the agreement itself, the deal is between only the SPLA Commando Unit based in Wonduruba, represented by Colonel Juma Sanango Kher Alla – not with the SPLA generally.
Juma Stephen, Wonduruba community representative, explained that the agreement has been endorsed by Central Equatoria State. “The people are happy about this because they need stability and need to go back to their places. So actually as of Friday the document was handed over to the governor of Central Equatoria State His Excellency Juma Ali Malou and he said this committee has helped him and has eased his work.”
“He will now start to mobilize the administration to go back to Wonduruba and police and organized forces to go there so that they put law and order in place. So this peace initiative it is a breakthrough because the people of Wonduruba are suffering and displaced in several areas – Yei, Lainya, Ganji, Koda and some here in Juba,” said Juma.
“According to the guarantee from the commander in the area, they want to be in peace with the citizens.”
Bishop Yogosuk echoed these concerns, calling for immediate resumption of the civil administration in Wonduruba. He said the governor of the state would send “local administration and organized forces” to Wonduruba, after which displaced people would start to resettle.
“We need the immediate resumption of civil administration,” he said.
Photo: Signing of peace agreement in Wonduruba, 3 December (above); Bishop Paul Yogosuk at a community brieifing in Juba, 7 December (below); community members listen to bishops and mediators at the briefing in Juba.
Notice of correction: An earlier version of this story identified Juma Stephen as one of the mediators; he is in fact the Wonduruba community representative who signed the peace agreement.