July 9th 2019 (Nyamilepedia) – A United Nations agency on Tuesday urged South Sudan’s rival parties turned peace partners to end the ongoing civil and achieve last peace in the country as the world’s youngest nation which gained its independence turns 9.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugee (UNHCR) in a statement on Tuesday urged the South Sudan’s leaders to forget egos and work to achieve last peace in the country which has been at war since December 2013.
“Exactly eight years ago South Sudan gained independence and became the world’s youngest nation. Since then, the country has tragically seen more war than peace. Today UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency is appealing to its leaders to speed efforts to end what has become Africa’s largest displacement crisis,” said the statement released on Tuesday by the agency’s spokesman, Charlie Yaxley.
“UNHCR believes is essential that representatives from the refugee and internally displaced communities are active and meaningful participants in the peace process. Any convincing agreement must include clear and transparent provisions for reconciliation. Mechanisms for seeking justice must be clear and they must be trusted. Many South Sudanese have been displaced repeatedly. Their faith in these processes are vital to their success,” the statement added.
Charlie further added that in order to achieve a concrete peace agreement in the country, special attention must be given to young people deprived of education stressing that the ongoing crisis affected mostly the young generation.
“Provisions must also be made for young people. The crisis has disproportionately impacted children, who make up nearly two-thirds of the refugee population. Ensuring that young South Sudanese – including refugees – have access to a proper education and opportunities to fulfil their potential is essential if South Sudan is to become a prosperous and peaceful nation,” he said.
South Sudan gained independence on 9th July 2011 from neighboring Sudan but two years later after independence descended into a bloody civil war between forces loyal to President Salva Kiir and those loyal to his former deputy, Dr. Riek Machar.
