A MONTH ON AND THE PEOPLE ARE YET TO FEEL AT PEACE.

By Gatgong Koang Thany,

October 24, 2015 (Nyamilepedia)—To the common man and woman, to those who are hiding in the thickets of the bushes and the deepest of the deplorable swamps, the coming of peace is not represented merely by the appending of signatures by the Principals to the warring parties rather the silence of the Killing guns, stoppage of raping and abduction of innocents girls and women, but most important the abandoning of the Mosquitoes, snakes-infested swamps and bushes and return into the now empty plots which once were a happy home but that were harshly set-ablaze!

It’s now over a month since the Principal to the warring Parties put their signatures on to the IGAD-Plus’s Proposal dubbed Compromise peace agreement to end the conflict in South Sudan amidst celebrations among the war-tired Population of the Nation from all work of live across the globe and bitter complaints among Politicians who see their political opportunities threaten by the proposed new set-of-reality ,the very politicians who engineered and executed this unforgivable mayhems, are shamelessly resisting processes that would bring it to an end, rather they heartedly wish for the war to continue as they continue to squander the meager resources of the Country at the expense of the suffering Citizens of the Country.

Evaluations since the commitment by the main warring parties to end the conflict had sadly indicated that other than verbal rhetoric, the war has not stopped despite declaration of cease-fire and repeated promises to stop the fight by the Leaders of SPLMs Factions, so far since the signing of the Addis-Ababa Document in Addis and Juba respectively fighting raged on nonstop in many locations and all the warring parties did best is blame and contra-blame, therefore the people’s hopes and expectations are put to serious yet reasonable doubt.

As with any peace agreement, the CPASS is not exceptional , South Sudanese who are severely tortured by the almost two years of bloody civil war are harboring such a huge bundles of expectations from it, top of such expectations are but not limited to; An immediate end to the war upon the signing; the ordinary Citizens who bore the most painful brunt of the conflict strongly believe that upon the appending of signatures, insecurity shall come to an immediate end throughout the land, they thought that gun shall fall silent and death as results of war shall come to an instant end, however it’s over a month now yet the guns are still barking and many lives are continuously being lost unnecessarily throughout the country,
Quick return home; with gun silenced, the affected population thought they could bit fare-well to their hiding swamps, bushes and the filthy overcrowded camps and return to what they once call home and from scratch attempt to rebuild their destroyed lives, and having lost their entire source of livelihood, the Citizens expects immediate assistants especially from the humanitarians aids, unfortunately it’s over a month since the agreement was reached by the warring SPLMs faction to end the war and the suffering of the People once and for all, yet the people are still hiding in the swamps since they are still hunted and killed like wild animals, their daughters targeted for rape or abduction while elderly slaughtered.

The conducive environment required for humanitarians agencies to deliver critical humanitarian assistance including medicines to vulnerable Children and women is intentionally denied as the government Forces and their allied Militias continues with aggression, carrying out unnecessary offensives against mostly civilians targets for instant, in Leer and Mayiendit Counties in Unity State, in Wau-Shilluk in Uppernile State, Wundruba payam in Central Equotoria and in Maridi County of Western Equotoria State respectively, these evils acts do not only contravene the spirit of the later and deem the people’s hopes for return to normalcy but also a serious manifestation of the government’s unwillingness to end the war.

Accountability, responsibility and explanation; once the guns is silent and survivors of this man-made catastrophe settled back in their destroyed homes, they will expect to know whether the disease responsible for the mass destruction and extermination of their innocent loved ones is discovered, once that is explained, then, to seal the huge Pot of impunity in South Sudan and Africa as large and allow for voluntary reconciliation to take root in the Land , those responsible for this crisis must be held to account for their heinous crimes against humanity.

Finally; reservation asides, the warring parties, especially the government need to own up to its responsibility as partner to peace in South by showing goodwill to peace implementation process hence acts accordingly; the common citizens particularly those in the war affected areas urgently need a break from the war as well, therefore the government should do the following as sign of good will to peace; Instructs its allied Militias to cease any further offensives, including stopping raids, rape and abduction of innocent civilians immediately, withdraw its forces and allied militias from villages so that people could come out from the bushes and swamps and go back to their homes , allow free movement of people so that they could reach to assistance but most important allow free and unhindered humanitarians access to enable humanitarians actors reach the most vulnerable population that are gravely in need of assistant. It’s already one month and there is no sign of peace especially in the war affected villages.