South Sudanese musicians in Juba are calling on the Government of South Sudan and the forces loyal to former vice president Riek Machar to stop the killing of the innocent people.
Speaking to Radio Tamazuj on Tuesday, veteran reggae musician Emmanuel Kembe said, “As a South Sudanese musician, I have experienced a lot during the period of struggle when we are fighting for our rights: We composed songs of peace, unity and reconciliation as models for pursuing peace.”
He noted that many South Sudanese grew up during war and did not experience any sort of peace within their hearts. He urged both leaders in the conflict to immediately reconcile for sake of peace. Kembe further stressed that this is time to heal the wounds which were inflicted since years ago.
For his part, Paulino Wani, a South Sudanese Musician better known by the nickname General Paulino said that the war is making victims mostly of innocent people, saying politicians are using them for their own benefit.
“The mistake has happened – what next for us is to cover that mistake by reconciling among ourselves. God has blessed us with a country, let us be honest of whatever we are doing should be for the sake of peace of our country,” Paulino added.
For his part, Agel Ring Machar, chairperson of South Sudan Political Parties Youth Forum, contended that nobody can win the ongoing war in South Sudan by force, urging the two parties to sit down and make compromises for the sake of peace.
Speaking to Radio Tamazuj, Ring said the government should be ready to make a painful decision –compromise – with the rebels for the sake of peace. He added that by making compromise he does not mean rebels win the war but just stopping the violence.
“We are the political parties of South Sudan, we do not have contact with the rebels, and all we can do is to give pressure for the government to bring peace in South Sudan, because all people that are used for destruction of this country are our brothers,” Ring noted.
Photo 1: Emmanuel Kembe
Photo 2: Paulino
Photo 3: Agel Ring Machar