South Sudanese civil society organizations as well as members of the student league of the now divided ruling party SPLM made a peaceful march through Juba today demanding the fighting parties to stop war at once and make peace.
Heading toward the national parliament the marchers shouted, “No no no for war, yes yes yes for peace.” A couple of hundred people participated, according to a correspondent on the scene.
The chairman of the South Sudan Civil Society Alliance Deng Athuai said the purpose of the march was to call on both parties who are currently fighting to stop war and make peace: “We reject the continuity of war. We need peace to prevail. And we need dialogue, peace, and returning home of the displaced to take place without preconditions.”
The civil society alliance submitted at two-page petition to the national parliament, which was received by Deputy Speaker Jasmine Samuel and other parliamentarians.
For her part, the deputy speaker said she welcomed the petition and reiterated that the people’s democratic government should not be taken by force but through elections.
Many of the marchers held posters or banners calling for peace, but there were other angry protesters who were not sanctioned by the Civil Society Alliance who expressed frustrations and directed anger at the UN Special Representative in South Sudan Hilde Johnson.
“Hilde Johnson you are destroyer of our country leave the country for our security,” read one poster. “Hilde Johnson leave our country!!!” read another.
Deng Athuai, organizer of the march, told Radio Tamazuj that the protesters came because the general public was invited to the march but noted that their banners do not bear the title of the South Sudan Civil Society Alliance.