WHAT THE PEOPLE WANT

What South Sudanese want more than anything else at the moment is peace. We don’t want more deaths in our beautiful land - be that among our armed forces (on both sides) or our beleaguered civilians.

This does not mean that the two warring sides are morally equivalent, but it means that seeking pure justice will not necessarily improve the situation.  Some degree of pragmatism or compromise is needed from all sides.

By raising arms against the government of South Sudan, Dr. Riek Machar has done more than anyone else to uphold the charge laid on him of attempting to overthrow the government.

 

WHAT DR. RIEK MACHAR CAN DO

The upcoming [and ongoing] peace talks suggested by IGAD could be Riek Machar’s golden chance to advocate for more freedom, transparency and accountability in our nascent democracy.  Continued violence will only do further damage to the cause of democracy that Riek Machar wants to champion.  It is absolutely crucial that Riek Machar emulates President Kiir’s offer of unconditional cease fire.

 

THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD TALK TO THE WORLD

The government for its part has failed to capitalise on Riek Machar’s weaknesses, particularity his decision to organise an army and wage war against his own government.

Why are our embassies so silent?  Why haven’t they been briefed and ordered to pro-actively, strongly and persuasively convey the message of the government of South Sudan to the world’s media and governments? This culture of silence has led South Sudan down for many years.

 

THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD TALK TO SOUTH SUDANESE  

A wide and far reaching media campaign should be put in place to reach our people in their own languages all over South Sudan and beyond to deliver the unequivocal message that the people should stand together and should not allow differences amongst their leaders to divide them and set brother against brother and neighbour against neighbour.

A special campaign should be aimed at our Nuer kin in their own language and if need be the President himself should go on the radio and speak to all Nuers and push the message that there is no way in which the government will fight against its own people.  Why should Nuer youth in the ‘white army’ and elsewhere die in the hands of their own national army?  These youth are our future and the backbone of our real economy.

It should be made as clear as possible that the problem is with an individual, who happened to be a Nuer, who has declared war against his own country; that any country in the world would do what his government is doing to protect the citizens of the country.

The President should put his case through and be ready to answer their questions - and we all know how difficult those questions are going to be!

We should end the days when our leaders live as isolated islands or skyscrapers amongst the people. President Kiir should make it clear to the people that he is the leader today but that his time will  pass and another South Sudanese from anywhere in our country will take his place and continue the difficult mission of pushing the country forward.

 

JUSTICE MUST REIGN

The government must apprehend and prosecute those who are known to have committed atrocities against our citizens. Such arrests must be widely broadcast so that people know that justice is being done.  When the dust has settled, efforts should be made to identify and document all who have lost their lives because of their ethnicity. Everything should be done to ensure that lessons are learned and that this shameful episode is never allowed to happen again.  The guilt will never go away but addressing this might make it a little lighter.

South Sudan is a God loving and fearing land.  We worshipped him long before Christianity or Islam entered our land.  The last two came to augment and solidify what already existed.

Oh GOD, have mercy and let your servants Kiir Mayardit and Riek Machar be guided by your wisdom.