BY MOGGA LOYO JUNIOR
South Sudan was pronounced as a young nation since its independence on 9 July 2011. It is from this that the South Sudanese felt that they were liberated from the North (Sudan). South Sudanese were aggravated to fight for their freedom because they felt that they were treated as second-class citizens as pronounced by the renowned leader the late Dr. John Garang. It is from that, that the South Sudanese took up arms and joined the liberation struggle to fight for the rights and freedom of their people.
It is unfortunate that after the liberation of South Sudan, a lot of vices popped up that led to failures of structures of governance within the country. Just to mention, for South Sudan to become independent, a lot of commitments were put in place by the international community and the regional blocs to ensure that the country is free and independent. As many of these countries came together to advocate and lobby for the independence of South Sudan, they had already strategized how they might get paid after the emergence of the new country. It is important to mention that as these actors came close to influencing processes of peace, they have an agenda to which South Sudan claims to be committed which does not make sense to the population. As a highlight, there were so many actors involved in the peace accords starting from Abuja, Machakos, and Niavasha as well as the local peace processes that were done just by the South Sudanese before independence, which did not even manifest a sense of unity.
What is the actual problem of conflict within South Sudan? So many have answered, so many have given opinions but do they know the actual cause of conflict in South Sudan? If they know, why are they organizing only talks with interest groups? For me, it is just one of the attributes of exploiting resources within South Sudan and from South Sudan. If we think thrice, and if we have common sense, who will actually be the source of peace for the people of South Sudan? South Sudanese already know what the causes of their conflicts are and why they have persisted for generations. Has conflict ended in DRC? Why? Because of resources! South Sudan has been blessed with lots of resources that have led to curses leading to the formation of initiatives such as Tumaini. Will the Tumani Initiative mediated by the Government of Kenya provide tangible steps toward reconciliation of the members of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement/Army (SPLM/A)?
It is worth mentioning that South Sudan does not need initiatives but action from the leaders at the top. The Tumaini Initiative seems attractive because it wants to reconcile the previous corrupt leaders and those within the current government in South Sudan who have continued to groom themselves by amassing the wealth and resources of the people with the support of their economic allies in the regional and international communities. It is from this that the Tumaini Initiative seems like an agenda and not a process to unite the South Sudanese people. If the Tumaini Initiative was a true agenda to unite the people, it should not be longing for defectors but first focus on the situation of the country rather than interest groups who live abroad and have access to electricity, good medical services, fat accounts with money robbed from South Sudan and children who have even never seen their country. That is one of the things that most of the South Sudanese have noted therefore Tumaini is just being used as Judas Iscariot who sold Jesus and led to his sacrifice as the Lamb of God. However, it seems the Tumaini Initiative has already sacrificed South Sudanese.
The Tumaini Initiative could be truly influencing most of the South Sudanese leaders to defect so that they can be included in the talks because it is focusing on people who caused disaster to the people in South Sudan. How will South Sudanese acknowledge Tumaini when it aims to return those who have caused damage in the country without reconciling them with ordinary citizens? It is from these that the Tumaini Initiative is promoting a puppet role in returning those who have wounded innocent souls in the country. I would say it is appropriate that the feedback from these initiatives should inform the country, especially the local population, on the basis on which those who had defected should return. I just need to mention that it is so sad to say that those who destroyed the livelihoods of the citizens, their future, and freedoms and abused their rights will return home and still be appointed as leaders of the country. What will be the opinion of the population? That means we have no say in the country, we do not even have a voice to say something in the country.
So, let us unite for great hope, trust, and change and whoever has defaulted against the country and the people should not be reinstated in the government by the authorities. This is my appeal and no one might have voiced it but I am amplifying and transmitting it on behalf of all the citizens in the country so that it reaches the global actors. We can only change this country if we voice out what we expect from the government.
The cry to the Tumaini Initiative is as follows:
- The Tumaini initiative should not only focus on interest groups.
- It should give feedback to the citizens on every step it is taking during the negotiations.
- It should be understood that the people they are trying to understand are tribalistic in mind and even in blood.
- The mediators should know that the people who are negotiating are all former SPLM/A, so, it does not make sense of reconciliation because up to now they have eaten on the same plate. They have not even fought amongst themselves but are divided due to tribal influence.
- It should be understood that after reconciliation, these groups will need positions in the government after destroying the livelihoods of the population who are still refugees and internally displaced.
- The Tumaini Initiative mediators should know they will be held accountable and responsible for any disastrous events within the country caused by their agenda.
This was just a glance but what is the reality about the peace that is needed by South Sudanese for the country? The South Sudanese are indeed Godly people and even the pope had to take time out just to come and share a word of prayer with them.
Let us be critical on issues to deal with initiatives because I believe South Sudan is going to face what is called denial before God because of the deeds of those who feel they fought and liberated the country. No one should claim the liberation of the country, even a tribe should not claim it. However, if one mentions that South Sudanese liberated the country, I will accept it because there was no barrel of a gun during the referendum, it was a silent fight with every South Sudanese globally casting their vote for separation and that is why there was the secession of Southern Sudan, making it the youngest nation in the world.
Let us believe that the Tumaini Initiative can transcend this recommendation to action and usher peace at this critical moment when the people of South Sudan are yarning for permanent peace, development, and transformation in their country.
The writer, Mogga Loyo Junior, can be reached via mogtomloyo@yahoo.co.uk
The views expressed in ‘opinion’ articles published by Radio Tamazuj are solely those of the writer. The veracity of any claims made is the responsibility of the author, not Radio Tamazuj.