As a network of parents, sons, daughters, intellectuals, and descendants of Nasir County/Kuanylual Thoan, Upper Nile State who are representing thousands of communities, we condemn in the strongest terms possible the barbaric and unprovoked attacks on our peaceful city of Nasir County by the South Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF) on 16 October 2024 as well as previous uncountable skirmishes.
Mr. President, as a patriotic, selfless, serving, and one of the founding fathers like yourself, we believe our community’s well-being depends on decisions you would make today as our sitting president. As concerned citizens of South Sudan, we are sharing our concerns and grievances with your office regarding the unprofessional acts and sufferings of our people at the hands of the SSPDF. The city of Nasir has created the best leaders and fighters, many of whom served under your command and the majority have perished at the front lines during the struggle of what is known today as the adorable independence of South Sudan.
The recurrence of fighting between the SSPDF and the civilian population has been an ongoing struggle since 2013 and as a result, more lives have been lost and thousands have been left displaced with inadequate food, water, and shelter. Even children have lost track of building on basic education as they have been constantly running away for their lives. The facts on the grounds reveal that most of the untrained soldiers’ unethical behaviors in Nasir have been causing gross human rights abuses against local inhabitants.
Everyone in South Sudan has been aware of all these devastations including your office. Yet, as a Commander in Chief, your office seems to be intentionally turning a blind eye to the suffering of our innocent people. We believe that such unacceptable acts would not stop in Nasir County only as they may be widely spread throughout the entire country if the national government does not immediately act to address the situation. Our community is being devastated and we are urging your office to intervene and stop the escalation of this situation between SSPDF and youths in Nasir County.
As citizens of this country, we believe that the reconciliation and peacebuilding between SSPDF and youths across South Sudan should have been everyone’s priority to bring the country back to normalcy. However, it appears that some elements of the military still do not understand the functions of the military in South Sudan and prefer to disrupt calm living standards in our communities. Mr. President, we believe that the main task of a military should be the defense of the state and its interests against external armed forces. Yet, SSPDF holds different beliefs and assumptions as forces view our vulnerable population as their external threats, as well as antagonize our people. It is with a sense of urgency that we call upon you, Mr. President, to address the pressing issue of killing innocent civilians and mass displacement in Nasir County by the SSPDF. The current situation demands immediate attention and effective measures to ensure the welfare of our community members.
Mr. President, as a peacemaker, visionary leader, and dedicated public servant like yourself, we believe that you are the only one who has been championing peace and that you will consider our appeal and start working on ending this endless and senseless suffering in Nasir County, Upper Nile State.
We urge you to consider the following actions:
- The relocation of the South Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF) in the Greater Nasir area. The relocation of the SSPDF out of the Greater Nasir area will bring a sense of relief from the civilian populations that have been traumatized, brutally tortured, and intimidated by the presence of the SSPDF.
- Replacement of the SSPDF with the UNIFIED FORCES under the command of one of the well-known sons of Nasir who can be respected by the affected community and SSPDF. Bringing or appointing such a high-ranking command officer will not only rebuild a desiring trust that has been lost between the government forces and the community, but it will also ensure the safety of those soldiers and the community they intended to protect from harm. We believe that the functions of law in any society are to maintain stability in the social, political, and economic system through dispute resolution, protection of property, and the preservation of the state, while simultaneously permitting ordered change.
We hope you will make an informed decision by replacing SSPDF with the UNIFIED FORCES to improve the relationship between our community and military, so that peace facilitates economic activities, leading to greater financial resources available for investment in health care, education and the social welfare of our people. We thank you for your service to our country and consideration of this matter. We look forward to hearing from you and the people you serve about the positive changes taken by your office.
Sincerely,
Descendants of Nasir County
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