By Chol Peter Majoh
Reports after reports of violence have been coming and attacks in Unity State and that seems a threat to the peace implementation. Desperately and urgently, the country desires peace and that’s why our leaders are devoted and committed to the implementation process as of recent the unified command structure has been announced by the President.
That sounds good and is a sign of progress, but we must acknowledge that this peace undergoing implementation isn’t a peace that belongs to individuals but entirely for the people of South Sudan including the people of Unity state, for they are part of South Sudan.
According to Commissioner of Mayiandit county of Unity state, Gatluak Nyang, around 4,000 people are displaced due to the ongoing conflicts and are in a dire humanitarian situation, facing lack of food, shelters and clean water. In addition to that, there are also reports of human rights violations such as raping of girls and women as attacks continue. In this same fighting at its start, houses were burned, properties were lost, and destruction was massive as many were displaced.
Recently, that’s last week, following the signing of the unified command structure and the unification of the forces by the two principal signatories to R-ARCSS, the clashes intensified which is increasing the suffering and violence in the State and shows there’s something in the conflict taking place in Unity state that’s connected to the implementation taking place in Juba.
Therefore, the Unity State’s problem shouldn’t be left to them alone as people continue matching toward the implementation of the revitalized peace agreement. That, Unity State’s conflict, has to be first addressed. Without that, there’s no need to pretend implementing the agreement.
That will seem as a joke. If we mean peace, then it must be made available to all the citizens wherever they are.
The people of Unity state are South Sudanese and they deserve peace as all other South Sudanese do. Let our government not forget or leave them to deal with their own issue alone. It would sound like they are being neglected and that people are not concern about what’s happening in their State if the government be focusing on the implementation without their problem seen.
The president and his Vice should look into these matter with a deep sympathy so that this peace will be welcomed by all South Sudanese equally, leaving no one in pain.
Many suggestions by the people of Unity state themselves have been put across and they need to be put into consideration. On the ground, there are those who suggest governor’s resignation and those who oppose to that, and all these views need to be seen critically. If there’s a sense in any of the two that will bring peace, let that be done.
Let the fighting and violation taking place there be put to an end and that the displaced persons experiencing hardship as they lack water, food and shelter, return to their homes. That matters. This time is the right time to prepare for cultivation as rain season is at the corner and that’s why Unity State’s problem need a swift and urgent solution to allow the displaced persons returned back to start preparing their gardens for cultivation.
The author is reachable via email: cholpetermajo@gmail.com,
Cell: 0922295373