By Hou Akot Hou
United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) held a one-day peace rally at Malek-alel’s headquarters for Aweil South County, Northern Bahr El Ghazal State to disseminate the revitalized agreement, on Monday.
The rally was meant to enlighten the public on the revitalized peace pact that was signed by the two principals, the SPLM-IO and the SPLM-IG, among other signatories.
Ms. Adut Bol Garang, a chiefs’ representative who was addressing the audience, said they are happy for the dissemination of the roadmap that has reached them at the grassroots.
She appeals to UNMISS and the state government to advance their efforts in disseminating the content of the peace agreement, as some are not sure what the peace entails.
“I want to appeal to the public here that we need to have more peace rallies carried out in this county, as many masses have not understood what the peace agreement talks about,” said Adut.
“I also want to appeal to our people, especially the elders and the mothers of the girls, to allow the school-going children to attend school and provide them with scholastic materials so that they are engaged in learning and hence have learned to live in a society where conflict-related issues can be minimized easily if people are educated,” she noted.
Meanwhile, the youth representative, Garang Bol Kiir, said one of the worrisome things that is causing chaos in the communities is the stealing or looting of the cattle by some unscrupulous people who take cows to the auctions on the spot.
The chairperson of the peace committee in the state legislative assembly, Hon. Santino Wol Aluk, urges the public during the rally to put their eyes down, listen to the candidates with their manifestos during the forthcoming election campaign, and then vote for the right leaders.
“I want to assure you that the election is going to be helpful, and your democratic role is to bring in the people of your choice. For example, I come from the Abiem Section in Aweil East, and you here in Aweil South County have your representatives. Vote them in again or out during the forthcoming elections,” he urged.
The rally was attended by an estimated 500 attendees who appealed to the UNMISS and government to carry on some events on peace implementation.
It remains to be seen how the elections will be held since other clauses like security or deployment of forces, constitution-making, and transitional justice mechanisms, among others, are still not implemented.