By Ephraim Modi Duku Sokiri
Executive Director for Community Empowerment for Progress Organization Edmond Yakani has welcomed the decision of Gen. Johnson Olony’s return to Juba.
The leader of the Agwelek forces General Johnson Olony along with about two hundred forces finally arrived Juba yesterday to implementation of the peace agreement.
He arrived to join the South Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF).
Speaking to No. 1 Citizen yesterday, activist Yakani hailed Olony’s decision and expressed that his return is a great move to condense cases of violence in the Upper Nile region.
“It is a good effort in consolidating proxy war which is causing harm to our community of Upper Nile region. We appreciate that the trends of violence are coming to an end after Johnson Olony has decided to join the government officially,” he said.
Yakani emphasized that defections should not be entertained as it leads to more violence in the country.
“At this particular time, I would like to bring to the attention of individuals and groups that entertain defections and that facilitate defections to understand that it is a violation of peace agreement but also an act of holding the country hostage to violence,” he added.
Yakani calls for collective responsibility to end conflict in the country by resisting defections and desisting from hostility.
“We must bring to an end this act of supporting and facilitating defections because it embraces nothing except gun clashes to cause more harms to the society as we have seen the proxy war in some parts of the country,” Yakani noted.
He said that defection breeds more destruction to the people of South Sudan who would have enjoyed freedom and peace.
“Defection is a greatest harm to peace sustainable and stability and it is making the citizens in some parts of the country to suffer as they are not South Sudanese, they need to enjoy peace and stability in the country,” he said.
Gen. Johnson Olony’s coming leaves Yakani with mixed feeling; of hope and skepticism.
“I hope we will not have other defections that will claim more lives of innocent civilians and destroy property. Defection needs to be understood by every actor supporting and facilitate it.” He stressed.
Yakani urged leaders who are supporting and facilitating the defections in the country to take into account the prospect of its carnages that it would cause.
“The leadership of this country should not reward people who caused harm and entertain defection as a strategy to renewal of political affiliations and trying to play tactics of seeking for rewards on return,” he said.