Opinion: War Impedes Economic Development in The Republic of South Sudan

By Daniel Kaitudel,

Sweden,

Jan 26, 2018(Nyamilepedia) —– This is a fact no one can deny. Peace is needed ever in every corner of South Sudan right now to safe lives. It is therefore important  for South Sudan leaders to make rational choices to safe the country from total collapse. The rational choice I meant here is to choose between peace and war however I do believe that war is not a good option. Instead the leaders should prioritize political settlement over a senseless war that has been killing or displacing our people since December, 2013. So, they have to choose peace which is an important instrument in resolving internal conflict.

Peace & security are vital instruments for promoting economic development in a country. As such, South Sudan leaders or SPLM politicians should know that they got no more time to waste on war because since the civil war broke out in South Sudan in 2013, we haven,t seen something positive, the only thing we have experienced during the last four years is death and systematic displacement of civilians.

Million of people have been deprived and displaced from their homes, thousands of people have been killed, our women and children have become victims of rape, torture, abductions and brutality from their own fellow South Sudanese men in uniform. More than 2 millions people were sent to refugees camps in neighboring countries such as Uganda, Kenya, Ethiopia and Sudan. Approximately 2000 000 people are internally displaced, kept and protected under the auspice of the United Nations. Furthermore, the overall population is made vulnerable to civil war and exposed to mass disease. Half of the population of  South Sudan are dependent of foreign Aid or food support.  All these calamities and hardships facing  people of South Sudan are man-made crisis. The civil war has turned our coutry into poorest one in terms of economic collapse  and the living codition is  deteriorated. The domestic security is also collapsed. The civil war exacerbates further intercommunal conflict in many parts of South Sudan and you can’t imagine a single weak passes without hearing the news of fighting  and killing of civilians some were in the lakes States, Greater uppernile and the Eqautoria region.

Thus, Cill war increases enmity between tribes of South Sudan and everyone thinks to kill his fellow country man or woman. The current war made millions of South Sudanese poor and vulnerable than the previous wars fought between 1955 and 1983 in Sudan. It leads South Sudan to fail state and reversed the greater hope of people  for freedom in which they all once anticipated prior the independent. Why do I have to narrate all these events and not going direct to the point? Yes, it is because I want to remind all of us about importance of peace agreement and also to bring into your attention the suffering of our people because whenever there is a peace and security in South Sudan, our people will not flee South Sudan and seek safety in other countries. They have to remain, live and work and developing South Sudan. Because it is their right to live in South Sudan to enjoy their hard won independent.

Remember, without the collective effect of both living and the dead during the national struggle for independent, I’m sure there will be no South Sudan on world map today. But because of the definable population of South Sudan who voted for separation from old Sudan and that’s why we have a country of our own. In this case, the interest of the people of South Sudan should come in the first place. 

In this respect, it is high time for you South Sudanese leaders especially parties in conflict to rethink about how to bring peace back to the people of  South Sudan. All the stakeholders and civil society organizations in South Sudan have also a role to play in bringing peace to our nation. If South sudanese leaders, military generals and politicians are not willing to allow peace to rule, there will be no accountability, reconcialtion and the national healing for all the atrocities being commited in the war. And this would result in a setback of social justice and also undermine the judiciary system in our country. It is thefore important to implement the peace a greement in good faith so that people of South Sudan be united and focus on nation-building.  

The coming round of peacetalk which was scheduled for February  in Ethiopia would be a perfect accasion for (both sides) to demonstrate political will and  to make a compromise for peace to return to South Sudan.

Millions South Sudanese citzens worldwide are anticipated the outcome of next peac negotiation because it is the only hope  that will relief the  suffering of our people.

The second issue I want to raise in this article: is the responsibility of South Sudan government inconnection to delibering  services to the people. The government of South Sudan is full responsible for providing public goods to the population of South Sudan. So, no need for government dreaming of mobilizing violence or dispatching soldier to Lou-Nuer or Ayod to destroy the civilian population there. This is nonsensical strategy because you cannot claim that I’m a people ‘s leader and at the same time you dispatch soldier and give them order to displace civilians from their homes. What kind of leader are you? You are expect to do good things to the people of South Sudan instead to torture them as if you are not their leaders. I’m not judging anyone here but to express my criticism against government of South Sudan the way it governs the nation. If you behalf in this way what will be your legacy to leave behind to the people of South Sudan? And from where the young South Sudanese get inspiration of good leaderships if you who are the leaders do not show a good example of how to lead our nation? For get about practices of tribal politics!   

The third point is about the role of the International community: International community  wouldn’t keep supporting our people in term of providing food Aid and security forever. Imagine one day, the donors become tire of aiding so they decide that to cut the foreign Aid to South Sudan and leave the responsibility to the government of South Sudan to take care of its own people. In this regards, it is important to be prepared and  implement the peace agreement so that our country return to normalicy and people would return homes from neighboring countries so they be able to rebuild their lives and then we all can live in peace enjoying the fruit of our country. As you know our country is blessed with a great abundance of natural resourses and it should be a good idea to use these resources to feed our people so that foreign powers not feed them.  

Final remark, please forget about hating and forging negative accusations against Dr. Riek Machar: he is one of the prominent politicians who contributed very much for the Self-determination that led to South Sudan independent. In this case, you should be proud of his unwavering contribution to the nation. Hence,I don’t see any legitimate reason to confine him in South Africa that wouln’t allow him to participate in the revitalization of peace process. In this article, we are calling for his release and he should be part of conflict resolution in the Republic of South Sudan.

” Bless are those who make peace because they will be called the children of God”

The author of this article can be reached at kaitudel@hotmail.com