By Bosco Bush Taban
People living in the Protection of Civilian Sites (PoCs) in Juba staged a peaceful protest to denounce the current 32 States in South Sudan.
On Wednesday 12th February 2020, thousands of the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) carrying placards and singing songs said that they are “demanding for the country’s return to 10 States and implementation of security arrangements on the upcoming Intergovernmental Authority and Development IGAD’s Extra-ordinary Summit on the 15th February 2020″.
In their open letter to the United Nations’ Special representative to the Secretary General David Shearer. The IDPs stated that 10 States are viable for peaceful coexistence between South Sudanese communities.
“Your Excellency, allow us to convey our message demanding 10 States and implementation of security arrangements for other foundations of resolution to the conflict in South Sudan” the letter read.
“Further, we are demanding 10 States because they unite us in our diversity whereby different tribes lives peacefully within one State, and their geographical boundaries are clear since the independence of Sudan in 1956. And they are the only option when South Sudan seceeded from the north” the letter added.
The letter further stated that the creation of 32 States was one of the the route causes that jeopardized the 2015 peace deal.
“We equally understand that 32 States were unilaterally decreed by the President, a decree that was the route cause that jeopardized the 2015 peace deal.
The letter stated that the 32 States was not a genuine call from the civil population, but were unilaterally imposed on them.