March 4th 2019 (Nyamilepedia) – A South Sudanese activist has urged South Sudan prominent peace partners, President Salva Kiir, and opposition leader Dr. Riek Machar, to organize a referendum over the fate of the 32 states created October 2016.
According to the peace agreement signed last year by Kiir and Machar, the regional bloc, the Intergovernmental Authority on development (IGAD), which mediated the peace process, is supposed to form two border bodies to handle and solve the border and the states issue before the end of the pre-transitional period.
So far, the state issue is yet to be solved and question whether the transitional government would be established in May remains answered.
In a letter addressed to President Salva Kiir and opposition leader Dr. Riek Machar and extended to the Nyamilepedia, Gisma Mou Mou, leader of the Voice of South Sudanese Diaspora urged President Kiir and his designated first deputy to hold referendum next year over the state issue.
Mou said for peace to hold in South Sudan, leaders from the government and the opposition should “Call for a referendum next year 2020 on whether or not the 32 states should be reduced.”
50% representation for womenÂ
Mou further urged the leaders to consider the equal representation of women in governance saying the 35% which already exist is not enough for women in this country.
“The 35% given by the peace agreement to women is OK, but not enough,” she said adding: “Through the peace implementation, go for total equality, 50% for women to be represented at all levels [of governments].”
She further argued that “Men alone can’t do that, only equal shared responsibility between men and women can.”
