Fault lines in South Sudan rebel movement offers peace a chance

Growing cracks within the South Sudan rebel movement coupled with international pressure on the government side seem to provide a ray of hope to the end of the conflict in the war-torn country.

Several rebel factions within the country are now expressing willingness to negotiate peace with the government, according to some top military officers and government officials.

A faction of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement – In Opposition ‘SPLM-IO’ based in Yei River State on Sunday signed a peace agreement with the military in which they announced a permanent ceasefire starting Monday.

The agreement was signed here by Hillary Edson Yakani on behalf SPLA-IO in the Yei River State and Marshal Babanen who was the lead negotiator on the government.

Yakani, the head of this faction, told reporters that his over 16,000 fighters are now matching to the agreed assembly points from where, after sometime, will be integrated into the national army.

He said he will persuade some of his colleagues still in rebellion to abandon the activity in a bid to re-build the country.

Asked whether concluding a peace deal with the government was a betrayal to SPLM-IO leadership, Yakani argued that every part of the country went to war for different reasons.

Yakani argued that theirs was indiscipline of some top military officers in the state, tribalism and unfair sharing of national resources.

According to the peace agreement, the South Sudanese government has promised to work on these issues.

Babanen said the government is now moving to other states to conclude talks with rebel factions who are willing to lay down their guns.

Babanen argued that they have gotten contacts from a rebel faction in Imatong State.

As the government negotiates with the different rebel factions, there are allegations of factions being paid off by the government to betray the cause of the rebellion. For instance the SPLM-IO leadership accused the Yei River State group of being self-centered.

Bishop Elias Taban Parangi, a church leader and the lead mediator, argued that the South Sudanese should not be swayed by such propaganda from negative elements who do not want to see peace in the country.

“We have not been bribed by the government. It is a divine calling in our lives to see that peace prevails. I trust that people around us will be able to believe,” Taban said.

Stephen Roese, a relief worker who has been in South Sudan for over a decade, argued that there is a feeling from both the rebels and the government that they are engaged in a senseless war.

He argued that unlike previous efforts, this time all the warring parties especially in Yei River State have expressed humility, honesty in helping to end the suffering of the local people.

SENSELESS WAR

Fighting was sparked off in December 2013 by a row between troops loyal to President Salva Kiir and his then vice president Riek Machar. Since then, tens of thousands of of South Sudanese have been killed and millions others displaced.

Many refugees have fled to Uganda and settled in refugee camps where they entirely depend on relief food. According to the UN refugee agency, Uganda now hosts 931,142 South Sudanese refugees

Elia Lomuro, minister for Cabinet affairs, argued that the fighting was started by self-seeking individuals who did not want to gain power through the democratic process.

The minister advised all those in rebellion not to follow their self-centered leaders and renounce rebellion, noting that it is now time to focus on the development of the country.

INTERNATIONAL CONCERN

There is increasing concern over the raising number of South Sudanese fleeing the country. Uganda which hosts the majority of the refugees now argues that it is overwhelmed by the large numbers.

Uganda together with the UN will this month hold the Refugee Solidarity conference aimed at mobilizing resources for the thousands of refugees hosted in the country.

There has been international pressure on both warring parties in South Sudan to end the fighting. Regional efforts have not yet yielded the required results.

Samuel Luate, South Sudanese Ambassador to Uganda, argued that while all peace efforts by the international community are welcome, for peace to last in the country it must be internally negotiated starting from the citizens.

He cited the peace agreement reached in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, noting that it did not achieve anything as it was not owned by the locals.

South Sudan last month started a National Dialogue aimed at discussing how to overcome problems affecting the people.

“Declaring national dialogue was based on our belief that solutions to the internal conflict in South Sudan are within our reach and that we are ultimately responsible for resolving our internal matters,” President Kiir said at the launch of the dialogue.

“We have witnessed that imposed solutions can divide and sow seeds of hate and fear among us. It is imperative that we, as south Sudanese, take responsibility for brining lasting peace to our beloved nation,” he added. Enditem

Source: Xinhua/NewsGhana.com.gh

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