Rebecca Garang, the widow of SPLM founder John Garang, signed the revitalized peace deal in Juba on Thursday as an eminent personality in the presence of the regional bloc’s (IGAD) special envoy to South Sudan Ismail Wais.
Rebecca was one of the country’s key opposition politicians who did not get a chance to sign the peace accord brokered by IGAD. She has been loosely associated with the SPLM “Former Detainees,” high-level SPLM politicians who were arrested by the government in December 2013.
“If my signature is not there, the people of South Sudan will say the agreement is incomplete. Why is Mama’s name not there? I wholeheartedly support the agreement. If my people, the people of South Sudan wanted this agreement, who am I to say no? I am an individual and peace is always for the people, not for individuals and I support this agreement,” said Rebecca.
She added, “I have been there, I want to see the light at the end of the tunnel”.
Rebecca, a former presidential advisor, said many things were lacking in 2015, but this time, people are fully committed to peace.
“As leaders of South Sudan, I have fears because we do not accept ourselves. We need to get into presidency to do our job as leaders for the people. We have to serve the people of South Sudan. Leaders come and go, but the country remains. Nobody knew the late Dr. Garang will one day go. I will also leave this world too and so no one owns a nation or its people,” she further stressed.
Meanwhile, the IGAD special envoy for South Sudan applauded Rebecca for her commitment to sign the revitalized peace accord.
“The mother of the nation has contributed a lot to the success of this agreement. With our commitment, peace will prevail in Juba. We are all tired of fighting and conflict,” said Wais.
He urged the people of South Sudan to help in achieving peace.
On his part, the information minister, Michael Makuei said Rebecca Garang did the best thing to sign the revitalized peace accord.
“It is very good if Mama Rebecca has signed the agreement. This is real commitment, I appreciate her and she is most welcome in the peace process,” said Makuei.
In September 2018, South Sudanese President Salva Kiir and several opposition leaders, including main opposition leader Riek Machar signed a peace deal to end the conflict that killed tens of thousands of people and displaced millions.
A new transitional government is expected to assume power in May 2019 before elections three years later.