By: Gatgong Kaong Thach,
July 02, 2015 (Nyamilpedia)—Hurriedly and contrary to popular opinion, South Sudan Government submitted application, seeking admission in to the murky, tricky, Politically, Economically and technically advanced East African Community (EAC) immediately after independence, an East Africa Regional block which is dominated by Kenya and Uganda to greater extend, though the EAC only accorded the young Nation only an observatory status; many believe it’s just a matter of time before the block could eventually-eagerly make it a full member .
Historically, true, South Sudanese people are associated with the East African people due to many known factors, it is worth recalling that the Nations of East Africa notably Kenya and Uganda in addition to the Nation of Ethiopia stood behind and strongly-supported our struggles, indeed they have such a-huge-hand in our freedom and therefore deserve all appreciation. That historical, strong-bond was built, sustained throughout the struggle and carried forward following the attainment of independence, through commerce, Diplomatic links and unrestricted social interactions.
However following the explosive and destructive eruption of the bloody South Sudan’s Civil War, sparked by inter-party Political differences, marked by outrageous Genocide targeted against specified Nationalities carried-out by the state security apparatus and its Militias with directives from the Presidency, the Nations of East Africa, our trusted Brothers failed to fit-in-their own shoes, they collectively failed to take-up their brotherly mandate of separating their feuding brothers, blinded by whatever selfish reason, instead they hid-behind ‘elected government pretext’ and ganged up with the Genocide perpetrators hence they betrayed our long-hold-trust.
Therefore east African Nations, Our brothers’ intervention in this conflict has since been characterised by destruction and obstructions as illustrated bellow. Military intervention; East African Nations lead by Uganda had their boots on the ground mysteriously almost hours after the sudden and saddening eruption of the crisis making everyone to question whether they were really not a part of pre-planned Operation, so far its believed that Forces from various E.A. Countries including but not limited to; Uganda, Rwanda, Congo (M23-Rebels), Burundi and Kenya are either directly involved in active-combats, makes-up the greatest-portion of mercenaries that are fighting alongside Government Forces and their allied Militias or are in charge of Juba’s Military Logistics-Procurements, these forces are either directly responsible for some of worst atrocities, including Hunan rights violations, Global treaties-violation i.e. use of cluster bombs and other banned weaponries and other crimes witnessed throughout the conflict so far or are aiding the doers in one way or the another, it is worth noting also that its such unwarranted, illegitimate territorial violation and invasion that sustained the war for this long, the unfortunate refusal of the withdrawal of the assorted troops fighting under the Ugandan banner, despite that being a vital-component and prerequisite for cease-fire agreement is but just one of the many example of the region’s obstructive and destructive manoeuvres against peaceful resolution to the conflict in South Sudan.
Politically/Diplomatically; Despites her open-partisan-stance in the conflict, the World stubbornly went on and entrusted the East African Region via Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) with the delicate task of securing peaceful resolution to the ferocious and bloody conflict in the Country, though the-host-Ethiopia hold the mediator’s chair, Kenya and Uganda possibly pulls the hardest strings, with malicious-desire for predetermined outcome and biased mindset the block could not secure a peace deal, as a results all its attempts hit-a-dead rock, since it couldn’t simply play its required role of a moderator/facilitator whose purpose is only the provision of a conducive, unbiased forum for the warring parties to dialogue on fundamental issues of the conflicts and seek valid, realistic and mutually-accepted resolutions. More than once IGAD, under the influence of the East African Leaders shifted goal-post as it attempted to enforced, biased, undesirable resolutions that either favours one side to the Conflict or fall short of the parties’ expectations and the results has been a disheartening failure.
Having failed to blackmail, intimidate and coax the warring parties especially the rebels into signing a bad peace; East African Community are resorting to obstructive and sabotage manoeuvres, which undermine the Internationally-backed-IGAD-lead peace Processes, with the number of death tripling by each-passing-minute, atrocities and heart-breaking human-rights violations reports flooding the World webs, East African Leaders and beyond are turning the South Sudan blood-letting destruction into a lucrative, strategic-National, Political-parties and self promotional opportunity, its seem every-Nation want to have a touch in South Sudan’s affair one wonders whether it’s all for sincere and good-will reasons ;
As such the ruling party in the United Republic of Tanzania, Chama-Cha-Mapinduzi embarked on Arusha SPLM-factions-reunification initiative with view to re-unite the party and hopefully silent the guns, however what eludes H:E. Jakaya Kikwete and his party is that mere rejoining of the Bloody SPLMs group alone is just but a very minor step in as far securing normalcy to South Sudan is concern, majority of thousands innocentvictims that were brutally killed, are being killed and that might yet meet the same fatal fate tomorrow don’t even subscribes to the Party, many don’t even know its very existence and meaning, true, it was SPLMs Leadership’s greed which lead to this mess however its reunification would never bear similar effects, so far the Arusha ventures, regardless of the inked-agreements remain as good as a paper work.
Motivated by his latest success in reconciling, reuniting and returning the group of ten (G10) back with the SPLM-IG, Jubilee Government of President Uhuru Kenyatta of the Republic of Kenya lately convened a meeting between the warring parties, including an highly publicized meeting of the Principals to the conflict in his Capital Nairobi with an aim of pushing for Nairobi-brokered resolution to the Conflict perhaps, however even before the Nairobi meeting could close guns were busy at work, the Former President of Republic of Kenya, H:E Daniel Arap Moi summoned Tribal Elders representing Nuer and the Dinka to make efforts toward peace, the ANC of South Africa under Jacob Zuma also had their own attempt whose results are yet to surface;
Generally, at least verbally, it seem all want peace for South Sudan but Sadly East African Nations, particularly, Uganda and Kenya are using their huge influence in IGAD to obstruct and thwarts regional and global efforts to secure negotiated, mutually-acceptable peaceful settlement to the crisis in the World’s youngest Nation, besides their destructive Military interferences, at Diplomatic level, the East African Nations are known to have firmly and persistently stood for resolutions that favours the Government position, that undermine justice, accountability and addressing of the root-causes of to the Conflict, preferring predetermined, forced resolutions, hence hindering achievement of peace.
As members of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) that is directly tasked with guiding the peace processes, Kenya and the rest of East African Nations don’t really need to run their own parallel initiatives instead they should use the same energy to sincerely lead and supplement the existing processes ,IGAD’S efforts to achieve peace; otherwise I have great feeling that these numerous side-ways crusades namely; the Arusha, Nairobi initiatives are nothing but just mere obstructive and sabotage strategies aimed at diverting the Global attention from the peace initiative in Addis Ababa Ethiopia which seem to present the only possible, viable route to return South Sudan Back to Normalcy.
As matter of fact , until the region and the World at large heeds to the genuine voices of the people of South Sudan and muster the courage to incorporate them in to the framework of the conflict resolution, the night might still remain for longer, neither the petty party reunification nor political-posts distribution among the elites could secure lasting peace but sincere answers to the questions making up the underlying basic, fundamental issues; the question of Governance System, the Nation is overwhelming crying for Federalism, Accountability ; someone must take responsibility for all these destruction of life and properties, the root causes to this crisis must be honestly explained to the innocent victims an addressed amicably, survivors must be handsomely compensated and repatriated and justice must be served so that voluntary reconciliation begin.
Finally, with more stakes in stability of South Sudan, East African Nations should lead the park in sincerely searching for peaceful resolution to the current turmoil since that’s the only viable grantable means to end the war in the young nation instead of spending their energies on destructive and Obstructive interventions that only push the country further into deep-hole of reign and further destruction.
