The question many people in South Sudan, especially Nuer, would like to ask this time is if peace
Victims of war
grantors for South Sudan, IGADD, the African Union and the International Community would be able to stop the looming genocide from happening?
This is because the tribal Armed Militias under the leadership of the President of South Sudan, Salva Kiir Mayardit, are ready to finish off what they started in December 2013 in South Sudan’s Capital, Juba.
South Sudan’s President, Salva Kiir Mayardit’s tribal Armed Militias are on a mission to Nasir and Ulang counties, Upper Nile State to commit genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes—including murder, rape, torture and abduction among many other crimes.
This is not the first time for Salva Kiir Mayardit and his tribal armed militias to plan this ill-intentioned mission of exterminating the Nuer Politicians as well as the Nuer civilian population.
In December 2013, the President unleashed a killing spree on the Nuer in Juba following a confrontation in the SPLA party which was trying to hold a convention to nominate a leader for election. Knowing that he would not survive in the convention and as a party nominee, he started war on his political opponents which ultimately vanished the lives of more than 20,000 Nuer civilians in Juba most of whom had nothing to do with the SPLA party infighting.
His forces were all from ethnic Dinka tribe from Bar ElGhazel privately trained to advance political shortfall through violence.
This resulted in a massive loss of lives for the entire decade to date. They went door to door searching for the Nuer as if they were searching for prey to eat. These tribal armed militias killed over 20,000 civilians, in less than three days. The killing also reached other areas such as Bentiu, Malakal, Bor and the Equatoria Region.
The IGADD and other peace actors intervened helping the parties to solve their differences in peaceful means. It was the second time peace agreement mediated by IGADD and the African union (AU) was violated by Salva Kiir.
While South Sudan’s peace grantors, IGADD, the AU and the International Community’s gaze directed elsewhere, the spectre of genocide again looms over the civilians in Nasir and Ulang counties, Upper Nile State.
Salva Kiir is doing it all over again what he always does best recruiting and arming tribal militias under the guise of protecting his leadership but many believe that was to advance his ill intention of killing civilians to silence anyone with their quest for a democratic system in the country.
These armed militias have been laying siege to Nuer territories across South Sudan inflicting fear on any Nuer person. Raping women and young girls, killing and torturing elderly people, abducting children and taking residents’ livestock by force is a norm of the day in areas where militia barracks are situated.
Their presence causes an imminent threat as violence crimes rise steeply in areas where these undisciplined militias are based. To avoid that many Nuer people are now seeking refuge in crowded camps in neighbouring countries such as Ethiopia, Sudan, Kenya, Uganda, and beyond.
The Nuer are leaving Ulang and Nasir a head a head of imminent arrival of these tribal armed militias in Nasir and Ulang counties in Upper Nile State to complete their genocidal project.
A close ally to the President Kiir informed me and many other people described in gruesome detail how these tribal militias are heavily armed with armour vehicles, gunships and machine guns. They embark on a campaign of torture, rape, assassination and massacre Nuer civilians in Nasir and Ulang.
Yet, the South Sudan’s peace grantors, IGAD, the AU and the international community are not saying anything.
South Sudan’s peace grantors, IGAD, the African Union and the international community must respond urgently, although their options are dwindling in South Sudan. Without delay, they must act swiftly and apply the needed pressure on South Sudan’s president and his tribal armed militias to stop fighting.
Similarly, their best course of action now would be to deploy a U.N.-authorised peacekeeping operation to protect the civilian population and negotiate a cease-fire between these tribal armed militias and local Nuer youths, allowing aid to come into Nasir and Ulang counties.
The operation’s mission would first be to prevent direct attacks on civilian populations in Nasir and Ulang counties. A more permanent solution to the crisis will require the South Sudanese government under the leadership of Salva Kiir Mayardit and the people in these two counties to arrive at a lasting dialogue and peaceful compromise.
That would likely have to be a compromise between the tribal armed militias and local youths fighting each other in senseless battles.
South Sudan’s peace grantors, IGAD, the African Union and the international community must also have a strategy to sanction Salva Kiir Mayardit and his trial armed militias who are heading to Nasir and Ulang counties to commit horrific crimes against the civilians.
I am joining South Sudanese Communities in South Sudan and diaspora in calling on South Sudan’s Peace grantors, IGAD, the African Union and the international community to:
- Pressure on South Sudan’s president, Salva Kiir Mayardit and his tribal militias to cease all acts of violence in South Sudan, especially in Nasir and Ulang counties.
- Ensuring full accountability for anyone responsible for the killing of innocent civilians in Nasir and Ulang counties; and
- Immediately suspend all tribal armed militias’ operations across South Sudan, especially in the Upper Nile State.
- Provide humanitarian assistance and shelter to the innocent civilians displaced by Salva Kiir Mayardit’s tribal armed militias in Nasir and Ulang counties.
South Sudan’s peace grantors, IGAD, the African Union and the international community have to speak out and put pressure on Salva Kiir Mayardit and his tribal armed militias.
Their failure to act quickly to sanction Salva Kiir Mayardit, tribal armed militias and/or deploy a U.N.-authorised peacekeeping operation to Nasir and Ulang counties will lead to the displacement of civilians and mass atrocities.
This article was written by By Gatwech Deng Wal, a South Sudanese Contributor to Gambella Vision.
Langwarrin, Victoria
