By Dr. Wesley Bokati Natana Abraham
A South Sudanese elder and former UN Diplomat
Nairobi, Kenya
Your Excellency,
Sept 2, 2016(Nyamilepedia) —– I greet all of you in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
First of all, I would like to express my thanks and appreciation to Almighty God for protecting, guiding and keeping you safe till today. I also would like to thank God for your quick recovery, healing and successful medical treatment in Khartoum.
Your Excellency, the situation you have one through indicates that God is with you and has a purpose for keeping you alive till today. Please put God first and always seek His guidance in all that you do.
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Your excellency, as you know very well, the 2013 crises which started in Juba resulted to loss of many lives and destruction of properties in Greater Equatoria, Greater Upper Nile ad some parts of Bahr-El- Ghazal. However, the recent crises which occurred in Juba for the second time, beginning from July 7,2016 and continuous till today, is largely concentrated in Greater Equatoria, with intention of killing you and all your followers, resulting to loss of many lives, destruction of lives and properties.
Your Excellency, People in Juba and other parts of South Sudan are still living in fear of their lives since you were forced out of Juba till today as the war is still going on in Western, Central and Eastern Equatoria, with particular focus on Greater Mundri, Yei, Lanya, Nimule and Juba-Nimule road among other areas. War is also going on in Upper Nile and some parts of Bahr-el-Ghazal.
As a result, the humanitarian situation in many parts of Greater Equatoria and Upper Nile is getting worse every day. As I am writing to you today, many people in Greater Equatoria and Upper Nile have been displaced and many more are being displaced every day. Women, children and elderly persons are sleeping in the bushes without food, shelter, clothing and medicine. There is urgent need for humanitarian assistance to save the lives of our people but as usual, government denies quick access to these needy areas for humanitarian workers. More South Sudanese have been forced to take refuge in the neighboring countries of Kenya, Uganda, Ethiopia, DRC and Sudan unwillingly.
Your Excellency, as you recover and complete your medical treatment, I would like to make the following recommendations for you for your quick action to resolve the current crises in South Sudan:-
Recommendations for urgent action
- Call for urgent meeting of SPLA/M IO Leadership to reunify and restructure the party
- Call for a press conference to pass a message to all South Sudanese and international community, who are eagerly waiting to hear from you.
- Encourage SPLA/M IG, SPLM Leaders and other parties who are signatories to the peace agreement to recommit themselves to immediate ceasefire and speedy implementation of the signed Peace Agreement, as soon as the regional force is deployed in Juba, beginning with:-
- Total demilitarization of Juba
- Deployment of Joint Integrated police to Juba town as per the signed peace agreement.
- Stopping operationalization of the twenty eight States and forming a committee to look into this matter as per the IGAD Communiqué as a matter of urgency.
- Establishment of cantonment sites for all IO forces in Equatoria and other parts of South Sudan and provision of all needed logistics for them as quickly as possible.
- Reconstitution of the parliament with full participation of all parties who are signatories to the peace agreement and allowing the Equatorians to exercise their democratic rights to choose a new Speaker of their choice without fear, manipulation and intimidation as stipulated in the signed peace agreement.
- Reconstitution/establishment all institutions of governance as stipulated in the signed Peace Agreement
- Immediate starting of all reform process in all institutions of governance with new implementation deadlines
- Removal of all military from all roadblocks and check points in the Country and replacing them with police, so as to allow speedy and timely delivery of humanitarian serves to our need suffering people, facilitate free movement of goods and people in and out of the country.
- Lifting of the state of emergency and allowing people who are leaving the country to go without unnecessary security investigation and clearance.
- Releasing of all individuals who are now arrested, detained and accused of having connections with SPLA/M IO and order the security forces to stop further arrest, detention, intimidation, torture and killing of civilians or looting their properties.
- All those who have lost their properties be compensated as soon as possible, so that they can rebuild themselves and start new lives as stipulated in the signed peace agreement.
- Support and work together with United Nations Mission in South Sudan, so as to effectively implement the Mission mandate and Security Council Resolutions intended to bring lasting peace in the Republic of South Sudan.
- Stick to the full implementation of the signed peace agreement to the letter, as it is the only solution to end the current conflict in our Country.
- Organise a meeting with IGAD Plus, JMEC, and all partners to come up with a new program of action with clear road map, timelines and deadlines. This meeting will also enable you to revisit certain sections of the agreement, as deadline for some activities have passed without implementation.
- Reconstitution of the new Cabinet of the Transitional Government of National Unity based on the signed peace agreement.
I hope, these recommendations will contribute positively to effectively implement the signed peace agreement upon your return to Juba as the Legitimate First Vice President for the Republic of South Sudan
Best regards
You can reach Dr. Wesley Bokati Natana Abraham for further conversation and comments at bnatana@yahoo.com
1 comment
Excellent brief
South Sudan is like a seesaw, balancing the new nation.
On one hand the 10 year old stale and stinking administration of Kiir (recently expanded with Taban, Ezekiel and other “deadwood” fortune seekers). Remotely supported by “pay-for’praise” deluded parrots driven by Lueth and Ateny, to spread disinformation in the US (Gordon Buay with his amputation stories) as well as in Kenya (by Weston Wahjoi who if payed enough would write a glowing admiration story of Kiirs excrements).
Now, on the other side of the seesaw, IO under leadership of Machar is needed to create a balance. Supported by Bari, Mundari, Madi, Fertit, Kuku, Kakva, Shilluck, Nuer, Azande, Acholi and the many other tribes so visibly disadvantaged by the current state of affairs. Only with this grouping pushing the Kiir mob back to a state where they have to perform as per the current constitution, pushing the Ministers to do their job (advising the Parliament), can peace come.
Supported by JMEC, who frankly need to start doing its job, publishing weekly for all to read, any transgressions and violations of the peace agreements.
Number of troops from each side in the capital, number of police on each side and so forth.
UNMISS needs the additional troops, and naturally also equipment allowing it to shoot down rogue helicopters attacking civilians, surveillance equipment to “keep the bastards honest”, and ensuring humanitarian access anywhere in the country at will, completely ignoring the protestations of the government currently very busy to exterminate its own citizens.
The UN mandate is very clear, Chapter 7, using force including lethal force to protect civilians – anywhere in the country. Equipping these forces with recording equipment to publish engagements and activities to the world. Open and Transparent reporting.
UN should also establish broadcasting capability to ensure free media access to all South Sudanese, again balancing the propaganda published by Kiir and his self serving side of the equation.
Establish the processes whereby the National Security apparatus rapidly is dismantled in favor of the joint police forces, this would probably cause a lot of Kiir’s “unknown gunmen” to become unemployed.
Create an implementation plan whereby a staged return to security happens. First Juba, then the other capital cities in the ten (10) states, create pockets of safety, enforce security around the cities in an ever expanding circle. People will feel safe and return, and as they do, the circle can be expanded with addition of newly trained police forces.
Backing this all with the independent court system outlined in the peace agreement.
But most importantly, Push Kiir and his mob to the wall, force them (kicking and screaming) to implement the agreement or leave their cushy seats.
The people need peace, they definitely do not need another 10 year of Kiir and his inaction and genocidal behavior. Kiir will only stop if a sufficiently strong force is there to watch his every step.
The machinations behind the scene by the JCE apparatus thus rendered useless and ineffective