Dawit Miteku
Recently, a new conflict has erupted in the capital city of the new nation South Sudan between supporters of President Salva Kiir and his deputy Riek Machar. Many people have lost their lives; and properties have been damaged. The Juba airport is unable to undertake its regular work; and the soldiers of the opposing sides have left their camps. What is disappointing is the fact that the target of the attack was the innocent people and the neutral entity United Nations.
Following the cease fire issue IGAD council gave with regards to the newly erupted conflict so that it doesn’t spread from the capital to other parts of the country, it seems relative peace has come to the country. However, South Sudan has to replace this conflict that erupts every now again with lasting peace.
And for this, the effort of IGAD and neighboring countries are making should be supported by the warring sides. The sides should immediately turn their face to peace for the sake of their people. I don’t think the people in power in South Sudan should devalue the peace that IGAD and our country worked hard for the past many years. As it’s known, members of IGAD, especially our country, has put in many works for the peace of our South Sudanese brothers – it has carried burden it should as a neighbor country. The country has also worked with peace-loving forces that want peace for South Sudan.
The aim of this article is to recall all the works our country put in for the realization of South Sudan peace, and to say what should be done to bring the country and people who we share a long border, culture, language and history peace. As it’s known, Ethiopia has been trying to forge a relation that is based on mutual benefit with its neighboring countries. Our government is working with huge attention to bring long-last peace in the horn of Africa, believing it’s the only option to sustainability of our country’s rapid economic development. Keeping this in mind, our government had been doing a great deal of work to bring peace to the civil war ravaged South Sudan, which is currently losing its peace.
After fighting under one umbrella organization for years to bring freedom and equal benefit to their people, “SPLM” is heading once again to civil war inflicting heavy human and material loss as current reality shows. Information show that the civil conflict has killed thousands of people, and forced hundreds thousand of citizen into refugee.
Although the International Community has given attention to this brewing crisis in South Sudan, it would be not an exaggeration to claim none has made an effort as much as the FDRE government and IGAD (Inter-Governmental Authority on Development). As we all can understand, the first in line to suffer from this crisis that’s happening in the world’s newest nation South Sudan is its own citizens, as we all can see from the suffering and human and material losses. Nonetheless, the crisis will inevitably spill over the surrounding countries.
This is part of the reason why, and the belief that the alpha and omega of security rests on national existence, IGAD and the FDRE government took the initiative and forefront role in engaging and showing commitment to resolve the conflict that’s happening in South Sudan. The regional organization IGAD and the Ethiopian government went as far as creating the opportunity for President Salva Kiir and his former deputy Riek Machar to cease fire and come to the negotiating table and start peace talks. Not only this.
And by setting up a mediating delegation, they have tried to come up with peaceful solutions in Juba, Nairobi and Addis Ababa. The FDRE government on its part has shown its commitment to solve the problem and end the conflict peacefully as demonstrated with its Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn going as far Juba. Of course it has been mentioned severally in this article that our country’s effort to bring peace in the region stems from its Foreign Affairs and National Security Policy. And this peace loving effort by using the same avenue that leads to success has paved the way for both parties to come to peaceful negotiation.
It has created the situation where both warring sides sent in their representatives to Addis Ababa, answering calls for peace given out by our country and IGAD. It has created a chance for talk and negotiations. After many up and downs, the two sides were able to sign a historical agreement. It was agreed Slava Kiir to be the President, and his counterpart Dr. Riek Machar to be his deputy, and for elections to take place after few years. This not only triggered hope within the people, many also thought it will put a stop to the misery and pain the people went through. However, this expectation is facing challenges as a result to various misunderstanding and things unclear that are unclear as of now. I think the government of Ethiopia should be working with huge attention to put an end to the conflict that is going on between the two sides currently. Although the political problem of that country should be solved by its own people, the aforementioned fruits we get from the peace of our neighbors should push Ethiopia to strengthen its effort to bring peace by working with the South Sudanese.
Conflicts in South Sudan pose immediate danger mainly on the citizens of the country. Also, the negative impact it also puts on the regional countries peace and development aspiration cannot be underestimated.
All in all, I believe our government will get satisfactory result in its effort to subdue the conflict in South Sudan. This is because; as peace in our region has a role in our country’s peace and growth and our region’s development, the government also believes that the peace and development of our region has positive impact on hastening our country’s development.
Out of this belief, the government has sent in its peacekeeping troops into South Sudan as per the request put in by United Nations and IGAD. Minister of Defense Ato Siraj Fegessa recently said that Ethiopia is one of the African countries chosen by UN and IGAD to dispatch its peacekeeping troops when conflict erupted in South Sudan in 2013. In addition to dispatching contingent force and staff officers in this peacekeeping mission, our country is also handed the responsibility to be the commander of the mission. Ato Siraj said that 1,250 peacekeeping and staff officers are dispatched, and as a result of the effort put in by our forces were able to stop a massacre. It has helped to implement our country’s commitment to solve the problem in a peaceful manner. Not only it has sheltered the refugees under its peacekeeping troops, it — and sent them back home.
In general, it can be said that these and other such works of the peacekeeping force has brought relatively peaceful air. However, the conflicts that are erupting there very often mean that it poses challenge to the peace effort. And I think this is why recently IGAD said that the peacekeeping force that is stationed in South Sudan should have the capability to stop such kind of conflict that erupts unceremoniously. I also think that lasting solution should be identified and proposed from IGAD and the international community, and then implemented as a solution to the conflict that are erupting very often between the South Sudan warring sides. And when this happens it is possible to solve the problem of South Sudan.