fbpx

December Crisis: DIASPORA-AUSTRALIA

.

SOUTH SUDANESE INITIATIVE FOR PEACE AND UNITY- DIASPORA-AUSTRALIA

Summary of events leading to current crisis in South Sudan

President Salva Kiir dissolved the entire GOSS in June 2013. In the same month, Pagan Amum, the Secretary-General, was placed under home arrest.

President Kiir dissolved the SPLM in October 2013.

In November, the President attempted to instigate measures within the military to ascertain loyalty within the ranks to his clique. Nuers were targeted.

National Liberal Council of SPLM held a meeting on 14/12.2013.

On 15/12/2013 the President ordered Security to arrest the former Vice-President and first VP of the SPLM, Dr Riek Machar, and senior SPLM members of the Political Bureau.

Fighting broke out when the Presidential Guard Commander, Mariel Cinoung, attempted to disarm Nuer soldiers who were under suspicion and those soldiers refused to be disarmed.

The Government concocted and disseminated a fiction about a coup attempt by Nuer soldiers based on their refusal to hand over their weapons.

Fighting then escalated and spread around the SPLA garrisons in Ten States.

Attacks have been made on Nuer civilians in the last two days in Juba and spread to all ten states of South Sudan. The UN estimates a death toll of more than 500 people in Juba alone. Displaced people have fled to the UN compound. Shops are closed and Juba is in shutdown. Returned Southern Sudanese diaspora are particularly exposed to danger and harassment, even en route to South Sudan.

On Tuesday, 17/12/2013, ten senior SPLM leaders of Riek Machar’s group were arrested and taken into custody and their current situation is unclear: it is believed that some may have been killed.

The house of Riek Machar was destroyed on the same day and all his bodyguards were killed immediately.

The house of the Police Inspector-General, Pieng Deng Kuol, was also attacked and destroyed.

Statement Condemning Tribal Conflict in Juba between the two bodies (Nuer and Dinka)

We are South Sudanese diaspora living in several countries in the world.  We join together to make this statement in solidarity with our home, the Republic of South Sudan, and its people.  Whether we remain outside the country or return to South Sudan, we wish to be a part of the new nation and to be proud of its achievements and developments.

We are concerned about continuing conflict in South Sudan.  Conflict robs time, energy and resources away from the people – from our families.  War and death have an impact on us even though we are far away because the people of South Sudan are our family, our friends, and our countrymen.

As refugees, we have been welcomed into other countries in the world where we can bring up our children in safety and provide them with an education to help secure their future.  As we build a future with our children here, we remain connected to our relatives and hope for a better future for them too.

The declaration of independence for South Sudan has been an enormous opportunity.  Instead, we see conflict continuing.  Every day brings word of more violent deaths.  Most children are still not able to go to school. War orphans are still neglected by the current regime and remain homeless.  People are still dying and suffering from diseases that can easily be treated.

Issues of Concern:

We, the people making this statement, see the following as the major issues of concern:

  1.  Political instability, especially the current power struggle.
  2. Tribal conflicts and potential civil war.
  3.  Management of state affairs (governance).
  4.  Lack of development and investment.
  5. Lack of provision of essential services to the needy.
  6. Economic and social instability and financial mismanagement (kleptocracy).
  7.  Unlawful killing and jailing of innocent people without trial.
  8.  Lack of freedom of speech and assembly.
  9.  Assassination of media and other persons critical of the Government.
  10. Corruption at the highest levels of Government, both of individuals and groups.
  11. The deliberate stalling of the democratic process which had been promised with the establishment of South Sudan as a separate nation and instead has underwritten a tyrannical style of governance.
  12. War veterans and their families, many of whom are disabled, are seriously neglected.

The Republic of South Sudan is a country rich with natural resources but not exploiting its potential due to inability to deal with the above issues.

These issues affect development of the new nation in many ways, particularly human development. The impact is serious and far-reaching for people in South Sudan, Africa and also the entire world.

Suggestions for Resolution of Problems

In order to solve the current political and tribal catastrophe, we see the following as rudimentary actions:

  1. Dissolve the current government and form an interim government whereby all political parties, civil society organisations and also the military are involved in order to lay down a democratic foundation fostering peace and unity among the people of South Sudan, particularly the warring parties (Nuer and Dinka).
  2. Establish strong government institutions that can provide essential services to all people regardless of their tribe and location.
  3. Encourage and hold conferences for peace and unity between the people of South Sudan, that they might see themselves as valued and contributing members of a nation.
  4. Hold accountable those parties who are responsible for current and former tribe-based  murder of children and other vulnerable people.
  5. Most importantly, amelioration of the current crisis and violence occurring with the displacement of the entire community to the UN compound and elsewhere.
  6. All of these recommendations will entail immediate or timely UN intervention.

Together, we declare our love for South Sudan and our intention to do everything in our power to stop the current tyranny which is preventing basic stability in the new nation.

CC:

 

Australian Government

American Embassy in Australia- Canberra

Representative of the European Union –Australia- Canberra

British Embassy in Australia Canberra

French Embassy in Australia- Canberra

Embassy for South African in Australia- Canberra

German Embassy in Australia Canberra

Chinese embassy  in Australian  -Canberra

Ethiopian Consulate general – Melbourne

All UN Human Rights Agencies

African Union

All  South Sudanese warring parties – Slava Kiir and Dr. Riek Machar

All South Sudanese political parties

All  South Sudanese civil society organizations

All South Sudanese community organizations

All South Sudanese army forces including police.

All Friends to South Sudanese

All humanitarian organization

All UN peace keeping force in South Sudan.

All South Sudanese citizen

All investors

All South Sudanese trade  and worker unions

All Local Governmental organization- IGAD

All Doctors, lawyers and engineers

All government officials

All students at various levels

All media

All  South Sudanese non-governmental and governmental organizations

All churches leaders

All  South Sudanese local chiefdoms

All South Sudanese spiritual leaders

All South Sudanese women organizations

All South Sudanese Youth organizations

All South Sudanese war veteran and war disable and orphans

All Nuer organizations and local community

All Dinka-Jieng organizations and local community

//ptaixout.net/4/4323504
%d bloggers like this: