Isolating S. Sudanese civil society brings gaps in the peace process
Article
Comments (0)
email Email
print Print
pdfSave
separation
increase
decrease
separation
separation
By Peter Gai Manyuon
April 2, 2014 - There have been a lot of debates and confrontations
from the Juba government about civil society participation in the
peace process in the Ethiopian capital, Addis-Ababa. Partly, there are
some individuals within Government of South Sudan who do not want full
participation of the civil society working groups due to what is best
known to them and when you look internationally and regionally, civil
society's role is fundamental; that is put as a number one priority
among the countries that claim to be called democratic nations
globally. But for the case of the Republic of South Sudan, I am
confused because the work that civil society has exerted for a long
time since the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) in
2005, the Referendum process in 2010 and the declaration of the
independence of the Republic of South Sudan on the 9th of July 2011.
Civil society's role and responsibility has never been acknowledged in
one way or the other by Juba government.
Highlights about civil society in South Sudan
Civil society in South Sudan for the last two years has moved to the
all ten (10) states of the Republic of South Sudan collecting views of
the citizen on how the constitution of the Country should be amended.
They started the program in 2011/2012 and accomplished collecting
views in 2013, respectively. The work was carried out by the South
Sudan Civil Society Resource Team on the Constitution. Hence,
according to what I have noticed, only the validation process,
compilations or computation of the finding, recommendations and giving
feedbacks to the Community in various states is what has remains so
far. Reflecting on the sensitivity of the ongoing crisis and the peace
process in Ethiopia, will you say civil society cannot participate in
the process and they are doing the needful to the entire republic? If
civil society will not participate in the mediation and negotiation
process, who will be the right body to point out the rights and the
wrongs things that are affecting the people of South Sudan in
particular?
Well for the case of South Sudan where dictatorship, corruption and
tribalism are the mission and vision of the regime; things have turned
upside down.
Sometimes, it seems like the government of Juba have not research
about the goodness of having civil society working groups in the
Country.
Therefore, after I have learned about the comments and reactions from
some concern people about the civil society involvement in the
negotiations and mediations processes in Ethiopia, I was very happy
but after some government officials reacts and said, civil society
should not be allow in the peace process, I was very shocked and get
discouraged at the same time. More interestingly the person who came
out verbally and said civil society should not be allow was the
current spokesperson or Press Secretary of the President of South
Sudan, Mr.AtenyWekAteny, who was one a senior activist who criticize
the government in various meetings and conferences in Juba.
Realistically on the one hand, civil society is more vibrant and
dynamic than ever, with social movements emerging in different parts
of the world and in spontaneous, online forums on issues ranging from
civic participation and women's rights to corruption. Politicians and
private-sector leaders are recognizing civil society as an essential
ingredient in an effective, stable democracy and as a vital
contributor to innovative development solute but for the case of South
Sudan is not. The question is,is South Sudan not part of the world?
And if yes, what make the government of Juba to complain about civil
society participation in the peace process in Ethiopia?
Furthermore, to be part of civil society, groups must meet some other
conditions as well. In a democracy, civil society groups have respect
for the law, for the rights of individuals, and for the rights of
other groups to express their interests and opinions. Hence since
then, civil society in South Sudan are in far front advocating for the
welfare of nation building, respect for the rule of law and
democratization processes.
Roles and responsibilities of civil society
The first and most basic role of civil society is to limit and control
the power of the state. Of course, any democracy needs a
well-functioning and authoritative state. But when a country is
emerging from decades of dictatorship like South Sudan in particular,
it also needs to find ways to check, monitor, and restrain the power
of political leaders and state officials which I think South Sudan is
inclusive in this context.
Civil society actors should watch how state officials use their
powers. They should raise public concern about any abuse of power like
what is happening or manifested in Juba. They should lobby for access
to information, including freedom of information laws, and rules and
institutions to control corruption, and that is what the civil society
in South Sudan is doing and the government does not appreciates the
importance of its for a Country which has just been exposed to the
world. This constitutes a second important function of civil society:
to expose the corrupt conduct of public officials and lobby for good
governance reforms. Even where anti-corruption laws and bodies exist,
they cannot function effectively without the active support and
participation of civil society.
Another function of civil society is to promote political
participation. Non-governmental Organizations (NGOs) can do this by
educating people about their rights and obligations as democratic
citizens, and encouraging them to listen to election campaigns and
vote in elections. Non-governmental Organizations (NGOs) can also help
develop citizens' skills to work with one another to solve common
problems, to debate public issues, and express their views. And
therefore, many civil society organizations in South Sudan are really
working with the entire citizen of the Country up to date and the
government is looking at the civil society as opposition which is not
the case.
Meanwhile, civil society organizations can help to develop the other
values of democratic life: tolerance, moderation, compromise, and
respect for opposing points of view. Without this deeper culture of
accommodation, democracy cannot be stable. These values cannot simply
be taught; they must also be experienced through practice. We have
outstanding examples from other countries of NGOs especially women's
groups that have cultivated these values in young people and adults
through various programs that practice participation and debate.
Another interesting issue is, civil society also can help to develop
programs for democratic civic education in the schools like
Universities as well. After dictatorship, comprehensive reforms are
needed to revise the curricula, rewrite the textbooks, and retrain
teachers in order to educate young people about the crimes of the past
and teach them the principles and values of democracy which should be
address now in South Sudan. This is too important a task to leave only
to officials in the education ministry. Civil society must be involved
as a constructive partner and advocate for democracy and human rights
training.
In a develop world, civil society is an arena for the expression of
diverse interests, and one role for civil society organizations is to
lobby for the needs and concerns of their members, as women, students,
farmers, environmentalists, trade unionists, lawyers, doctors, and so
on. Non-governmental Organizations (NGOs) and interest groups can
present their views to parliament and provincial councils, by
contacting individual members and testifying before parliamentary
committees. They can also establish a dialogue with relevant
government ministries and agencies to lobby for their interests and
concerns. South Sudan government is too bitter about the roles and
responsibilities of civil society. What a nation?
And it is not only the resourceful and well organized who can have
their voices heard. Over time, groups that have historically been
oppressed and confined to the margins of society can organize to
assert their rights and defend their interests as well.
Key recommendations
* Both the government of South Sudan under President General
KiirMayardit, Sudan People Liberation Movement (SPLM) in opposition,
the inter-governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) and
International Communities should allow civil society to participate in
the peace process because civil society are the voice for the
voiceless and therefore; they must be given a space in dialogue to
bring back peaceful co-existence to the South Sudanese people because
without involvement of the civil society working groups there will be
more gaps in the peace process.
* Civil Society themselves should delegate members to represent them
in Addis-Ababa, people who are very well informed intellectually,
morally and has a good negotiation and mediation skills in them not
just opportunists who lack intellectual dynamism in them as persons.
The delegation of civil society should compose of high profile civil
society activists who have got experiences in strategic
communications, Public Relations, diplomatic approaches and people who
cannot be manipulated by money. Because some times, in negotiation
there is bribing that sometimes lead to crossover.
I want to stress that civil society is not simply in tension with the
state but civil society is independent of the state doesn't mean that
it must always criticize and oppose the state. In fact, by making the
state at all levels more accountable, responsive, inclusive, effective
and hence more legitimate a vigorous civil society strengthens
citizens' respect for the state and promotes their positive engagement
with it.
Author is Independent Journalist and Columnist who had written
extensively on the issues of Democratization and Human Rights in South
Sudan. You can contact him through;[email protected]. He will
publish soon a book on tribalism and corruption in South Sudan
context.
Article
Comments (0)
email Email
print Print
pdfSave
separation
increase
decrease
separation
separation
By Peter Gai Manyuon
April 2, 2014 - There have been a lot of debates and confrontations
from the Juba government about civil society participation in the
peace process in the Ethiopian capital, Addis-Ababa. Partly, there are
some individuals within Government of South Sudan who do not want full
participation of the civil society working groups due to what is best
known to them and when you look internationally and regionally, civil
society's role is fundamental; that is put as a number one priority
among the countries that claim to be called democratic nations
globally. But for the case of the Republic of South Sudan, I am
confused because the work that civil society has exerted for a long
time since the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) in
2005, the Referendum process in 2010 and the declaration of the
independence of the Republic of South Sudan on the 9th of July 2011.
Civil society's role and responsibility has never been acknowledged in
one way or the other by Juba government.
Highlights about civil society in South Sudan
Civil society in South Sudan for the last two years has moved to the
all ten (10) states of the Republic of South Sudan collecting views of
the citizen on how the constitution of the Country should be amended.
They started the program in 2011/2012 and accomplished collecting
views in 2013, respectively. The work was carried out by the South
Sudan Civil Society Resource Team on the Constitution. Hence,
according to what I have noticed, only the validation process,
compilations or computation of the finding, recommendations and giving
feedbacks to the Community in various states is what has remains so
far. Reflecting on the sensitivity of the ongoing crisis and the peace
process in Ethiopia, will you say civil society cannot participate in
the process and they are doing the needful to the entire republic? If
civil society will not participate in the mediation and negotiation
process, who will be the right body to point out the rights and the
wrongs things that are affecting the people of South Sudan in
particular?
Well for the case of South Sudan where dictatorship, corruption and
tribalism are the mission and vision of the regime; things have turned
upside down.
Sometimes, it seems like the government of Juba have not research
about the goodness of having civil society working groups in the
Country.
Therefore, after I have learned about the comments and reactions from
some concern people about the civil society involvement in the
negotiations and mediations processes in Ethiopia, I was very happy
but after some government officials reacts and said, civil society
should not be allow in the peace process, I was very shocked and get
discouraged at the same time. More interestingly the person who came
out verbally and said civil society should not be allow was the
current spokesperson or Press Secretary of the President of South
Sudan, Mr.AtenyWekAteny, who was one a senior activist who criticize
the government in various meetings and conferences in Juba.
Realistically on the one hand, civil society is more vibrant and
dynamic than ever, with social movements emerging in different parts
of the world and in spontaneous, online forums on issues ranging from
civic participation and women's rights to corruption. Politicians and
private-sector leaders are recognizing civil society as an essential
ingredient in an effective, stable democracy and as a vital
contributor to innovative development solute but for the case of South
Sudan is not. The question is,is South Sudan not part of the world?
And if yes, what make the government of Juba to complain about civil
society participation in the peace process in Ethiopia?
Furthermore, to be part of civil society, groups must meet some other
conditions as well. In a democracy, civil society groups have respect
for the law, for the rights of individuals, and for the rights of
other groups to express their interests and opinions. Hence since
then, civil society in South Sudan are in far front advocating for the
welfare of nation building, respect for the rule of law and
democratization processes.
Roles and responsibilities of civil society
The first and most basic role of civil society is to limit and control
the power of the state. Of course, any democracy needs a
well-functioning and authoritative state. But when a country is
emerging from decades of dictatorship like South Sudan in particular,
it also needs to find ways to check, monitor, and restrain the power
of political leaders and state officials which I think South Sudan is
inclusive in this context.
Civil society actors should watch how state officials use their
powers. They should raise public concern about any abuse of power like
what is happening or manifested in Juba. They should lobby for access
to information, including freedom of information laws, and rules and
institutions to control corruption, and that is what the civil society
in South Sudan is doing and the government does not appreciates the
importance of its for a Country which has just been exposed to the
world. This constitutes a second important function of civil society:
to expose the corrupt conduct of public officials and lobby for good
governance reforms. Even where anti-corruption laws and bodies exist,
they cannot function effectively without the active support and
participation of civil society.
Another function of civil society is to promote political
participation. Non-governmental Organizations (NGOs) can do this by
educating people about their rights and obligations as democratic
citizens, and encouraging them to listen to election campaigns and
vote in elections. Non-governmental Organizations (NGOs) can also help
develop citizens' skills to work with one another to solve common
problems, to debate public issues, and express their views. And
therefore, many civil society organizations in South Sudan are really
working with the entire citizen of the Country up to date and the
government is looking at the civil society as opposition which is not
the case.
Meanwhile, civil society organizations can help to develop the other
values of democratic life: tolerance, moderation, compromise, and
respect for opposing points of view. Without this deeper culture of
accommodation, democracy cannot be stable. These values cannot simply
be taught; they must also be experienced through practice. We have
outstanding examples from other countries of NGOs especially women's
groups that have cultivated these values in young people and adults
through various programs that practice participation and debate.
Another interesting issue is, civil society also can help to develop
programs for democratic civic education in the schools like
Universities as well. After dictatorship, comprehensive reforms are
needed to revise the curricula, rewrite the textbooks, and retrain
teachers in order to educate young people about the crimes of the past
and teach them the principles and values of democracy which should be
address now in South Sudan. This is too important a task to leave only
to officials in the education ministry. Civil society must be involved
as a constructive partner and advocate for democracy and human rights
training.
In a develop world, civil society is an arena for the expression of
diverse interests, and one role for civil society organizations is to
lobby for the needs and concerns of their members, as women, students,
farmers, environmentalists, trade unionists, lawyers, doctors, and so
on. Non-governmental Organizations (NGOs) and interest groups can
present their views to parliament and provincial councils, by
contacting individual members and testifying before parliamentary
committees. They can also establish a dialogue with relevant
government ministries and agencies to lobby for their interests and
concerns. South Sudan government is too bitter about the roles and
responsibilities of civil society. What a nation?
And it is not only the resourceful and well organized who can have
their voices heard. Over time, groups that have historically been
oppressed and confined to the margins of society can organize to
assert their rights and defend their interests as well.
Key recommendations
* Both the government of South Sudan under President General
KiirMayardit, Sudan People Liberation Movement (SPLM) in opposition,
the inter-governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) and
International Communities should allow civil society to participate in
the peace process because civil society are the voice for the
voiceless and therefore; they must be given a space in dialogue to
bring back peaceful co-existence to the South Sudanese people because
without involvement of the civil society working groups there will be
more gaps in the peace process.
* Civil Society themselves should delegate members to represent them
in Addis-Ababa, people who are very well informed intellectually,
morally and has a good negotiation and mediation skills in them not
just opportunists who lack intellectual dynamism in them as persons.
The delegation of civil society should compose of high profile civil
society activists who have got experiences in strategic
communications, Public Relations, diplomatic approaches and people who
cannot be manipulated by money. Because some times, in negotiation
there is bribing that sometimes lead to crossover.
I want to stress that civil society is not simply in tension with the
state but civil society is independent of the state doesn't mean that
it must always criticize and oppose the state. In fact, by making the
state at all levels more accountable, responsive, inclusive, effective
and hence more legitimate a vigorous civil society strengthens
citizens' respect for the state and promotes their positive engagement
with it.
Author is Independent Journalist and Columnist who had written
extensively on the issues of Democratization and Human Rights in South
Sudan. You can contact him through;[email protected]. He will
publish soon a book on tribalism and corruption in South Sudan
context.
--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups
"South Sudan Info - The Kob" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email
to [email protected].
To post to this group, send email to [email protected].
Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/SouthSudanKob.
To view this discussion on the web visit
https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/SouthSudanKob/CAJb14ooeEMWaKMZZtub-7CqKJbbBoti9%2B8GMWRDKqVLXzou7-Q%40mail.gmail.com.
For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
