By William Madouk
Refugees have appealed to South Sudan’s leaders to draw lessons from war wrenched Sudan, as they prepare for upcoming 2024 elections.
Having fled homeland due to the conflict, the Sudanese refugees are now sheltered in Wadwiel Settlement, Aweil West County, Northern Bahr el Ghazal State.
Mahmoud Mohammed, Chairperson of the refugees at the settlement urges South Sudan leaders to prevent the country from descending into war, like in Sudan.
“We call on the government and people of South Sudan to never return to square one like that of 2013,” said Mahmoud.
He implores South Sudan leaders to reflect on the devastating consequences of war and work tirelessly to maintain peace within the borders.
“Let them (the South Sudanese leaders) see the war in Sudan! We in Sudan and South Sudan are truly brothers, but we are affected by unknown cancer,” he continued.
He further called for free, fair, and credible elections that would be accepted by all South Sudanese.
“Let them (South Sudanese leaders) take the example of Sudan. What I would advise my brothers in South Sudan is to let elections be free, fair, and credible,” he advised.
Mr. Mahmoud urged the political parties to always reach a consensus for the sake of peace and stability.
“All the political parties must learn to compromise; now I cannot tighten so much on any political party, but there must be compromises because people from the two ‘Sudans’ are now living here,” he explained.
Jaber Salah-Adin Abdallah, another refugee, echoed Mahmoud’s sentiments, emphasizing the importance of avoiding election violations.
He passionately urged all South Sudanese citizens to ensure that the elections are conducted with integrity, fairness, and broad acceptance to prevent potential conflicts.
“The elections must be free and fair and accepted by all the citizens of this country so that there will be no conflict like what happened to Sudan, inshallah!” he said.
Meanwhile, Bosina Adam, a female Sudanese refugee expressed her hope for peaceful elections in South Sudan.
“We hope that the election will take place peacefully with no violence or conflict and to never repeat the history of conflict once again,” she expressed.
Bosina underscored the need for mature and inclusive politics to guide the youngest East African nation toward democratic exercises.
“Refugees Urge South Sudanese Government to Learn from Sudan’s Devastation ahead of 2024 Elections”