When Killing becomes more affordable than celebrating Independence! Jul. 12 Featured <http://www.southsudannation.com/category/featured/>, Uncategorized <http://www.southsudannation.com/category/uncategorized/> 6 comments <http://www.southsudannation.com/when-killing-becomes-more-affordable-than-celebrating-independence/#comments>
By: Justin Ambago Ramba, UK, JUL/12/2016, SSN; Even by South Sudan’s own standards, the people remain baffled by their President’s weird decision to choose a return to war as a celebratory gift for his people in this month of July 2016 which marks the country’s fifth Independence Anniversary. Unfortunately that isn’t quite the end of the story. The truth is that the five years of independence have been marked by corruption, incompetence and lawlessness. The leaders even find no shame in openly declaring their lack of readiness to celebrate the country’s fifth independence anniversary because all the money has been spent on war gadgets, lethal weapons, and helicopter gunships. When fighting broke out in Juba on Friday 8 July just hours ahead of the fifth Independence Day commemorations, there were many people who were not surprised that the fragile peace deal had broken down. It provided even more evidence for those wanting to believe that there will never be peace in South Sudan and crush the hopes of those believing that peace could one day come. Characteristic of a failing centre of power, it came as a little surprise even after finding itself in this embarrassing situation – completely unable to pay salaries of workers and professionals for months and months and unable to spend on independence anniversary celebrations, President Kiir and his loyal ministers undeniably became mentally crippled. No wonder they all failed to react quickly enough to prevent the country from sliding back to civil war following the halfheartedly formed transitional government of national unity. All the writings are on the wall for them to read, yet they chose not to. Now based on the realities on the ground in Juba, South Sudan’s capital city and the seat of its transitional government of national unity, it hardly needs one to be a political scientist to concluded that like peace and democracy, the future of the August 2015 Agreement for Resolution of the Conflicts in South Sudan is hanging by the thread in this troubled country. As of now the republic of South Sudan is on the verge of collapse unless of course there is some divine intervention. The renewed fighting in the country probably marks the end of the last chapter in the implementation of the peace agreement signed in August 2015. As of now, and all rhetoric aside, the country has no responsible government in place. The fighting between the two factions who essentially formed the military component of the country’s divided transitional government of national unity institutions, have for all practical purposes long been rendered non-operational as of Saturday 9th July 2016. In short, anarchy and absence of the rule of Law are now the orders of the day in the country. This may likely continue to be the case until further notice – or sometime to come when Almighty God, the Saviour Lord, chooses to re-bless the people of South Sudan again. The reasons why the country is on its way back to an all-out far the nationwide, is because President Salva Kiir is not in position to implement the August 2015 Peace Agreement. If every peace loving South Sudanese believes that the August 2015 Peace Agreement indeed offers the country with a second chance to come out of its conflicts, then they better reconsider President Salva Kiir’s position on the agreement. Maybe it’s important to recall that President Kiir was very clear when he signed the August 2015 peace agreement and said that it could not be implemented. In his own words, President Salva Kiir told the IGAD heads of state at the signing ceremony that the agreement was not made to be implemented. For those who have ears, they knew from day one that president Kiir wasn’t going to implement the very agreement that he was ‘forced’ to sign when he detailed the design flaws with the arrangement, saying that the structure of the transitional government of national unity “could be inevitably confrontational.” He concluded by saying that “(T)he eminent result of trying to implement this agreement would be the total disintegration of the country.” Of course President Kiir wanted to eat his cake and still have it, and that’s where he went wrong. Looking back from today, one can say that Kiir was aware of the risk he faced in trying to keep the hardliners in his camp on the side, while he compromises to implement the agreement. It is now easy to conclude that all the foot dragging by Kiir in the implementation of the August 2015 Agreement and the subsequent return of the country to an all-out war at the back drop of the ongoing violence has not only proven that the peace deal has collapsed but it has also proven another important fact that Kiir has no control over his camp – both politicians and army generals. This is probably the central reason why President Kiir can never implement this peace deal. So when the suffering masses in South Sudan, especially those who have been displaced once or twice or several times or those who have lost one or several of their loved ones or those who have lost their wealth of entire livelihoods, helplessly hear the United Nation Security Council (UNSC) issuing routine statements like: “We have urged South Sudan’s leaders to operationalize the security arrangements in the agreement, particularly by establishing Joint Integrated Police units to patrol Juba, empowering the Joint Operations Centre to ensure communication and coordination between forces in Juba, and directing the Joint Military Ceasefire Commission to operate continuously.” Or hearing the African Union Chairperson saying: “The peace partners should start working with the Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission (JMEC), chaired by H.E. Festus Mogae, former President of Botswana, to ensure scrupulous adherence to the transitional security arrangements.” The people of South Sudan are left to think that these organisations are not serious given the fact that they have said the same things over and over again but to no effect. They are also likely to conclude that the thugs now turned rulers in South Sudan are indeed invincible creatures since neither the IGAD and the African Union (AU) on one side, nor the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) on the other end, are capable of holding them accountable for the destruction they continue to inflict on these poor and helpless souls. This time around the statements coming from both the United Nations Security Council and the African Union must be decisive and better still be followed by immediate actions. What the South Sudanese masses need at this crucial moment is action to set the country right. Unfortunately, all that we hear now is rhetoric which only emboldens the dictator and his cronies to continue with impunity and impede any attempts for the peaceful settlement to the country’s multi-faceted conflicts while remorsefully destroying innocent lives. Under the very watchful eyes of the international community President Salva Kiir and his chief of staff were still able to unleash their ethnically skewed SPLA soldiers to spread terror and havoc over the city of Wau in the Western Bahr Ghazal. A house to house ethnic cleansing of the Fertit ethnic minorities was carried out by the president’s loyalist militiamen and SPLA troops, very identical to the Juba massacre of December 2013 in its execution, cover up and preparation. With these entire track records, one can rightly say that the international community for reasons only known it, has chosen to entrust the implementation of the so-called peace agreement to a president who isn’t even in peace with himself to begin with! The realities in South Sudan are exceptionally bitter. Everything is in a state of a free fall – from the national currency to the societal values, the human dignity and the virtues. It is true that under a deranged leadership, a country with a collapsing economy can find it more affordable to kill its own citizens than provide them with the simplest form of independence anniversary celebrations for a hard won independence. This is now a lived with reality in South Sudan! Author: Dr Justin Ambago Ramba. Reachable at: [email protected] << Older <http://www.southsudannation.com/heavy-fighting-erupts-again-in-juba-south-sudans-capital-machars-base-under-attack/> Newer >> <http://www.southsudannation.com/direct-from-juba-south-sudan-reality-painful-independence-failed-leadership/> 6 Comments 1. Deng Lual July 13, 2016 at 12:30 am <http://www.southsudannation.com/when-killing-becomes-more-affordable-than-celebrating-independence/#comment-1299688> Kiir said that the peace agreement couldn’t be implemented. We understand this to mean that “he” can’t implement it. And that is very obvious for all to see. He has had 10 years to learn to be a president. Ten long years that have brought very little to the people of the country, but corruption and money grabbers. Fat ministers driving big cars, but achieving nothing at all. Driving to the office, driving for lunch, scheming but not doing anything – at all. Or if I am wrong, what did they actually do? Kiir cutting ribbons for buildings completely financed by donors, whilst sticking money in own pockets. The “Ton Ton macoutes” (Haiti’s dictator Duvalier’s security) like secret police National Security only there to remove those who dare to publish facts about the colossal ineptitude. in 2011 people thought to celebrate independence, but now all see there is no independence from poverty and destruction, the security apparatus, corruption has grown as freedom of speech and press has vanished. Kiir and the hijackers of government have perfected the oppressive organs and methods of the country from which we split in 2011. And made it worse. Is about time now to get an external care taker in to sort things out. All the rubbish about sovereignty (to exterminate their own population) rings very false. Reply <http://www.southsudannation.com/when-killing-becomes-more-affordable-than-celebrating-independence/?replytocom=1299688#respond> 2. Gatdarwich July 13, 2016 at 12:33 am <http://www.southsudannation.com/when-killing-becomes-more-affordable-than-celebrating-independence/#comment-1299689> Dr. Justin, Sincerely speaking, killer nyankiir have no absolute control over malong’s militias–the initiators of July 8, 2016 war. In fact, malong, JCE, and some few prominent politicians within kiir’s government, plus probably couple seniors– opportunists within Dr. Riek’s camp nearly assassinated killer nyankiir, Dr. Riek, and Wani Igga on July 8, 2016 at J1–presidential palace while the trios were in the security meeting. Malong and his co-conspirators wanted to eliminates President Kiir, Dr. Riek, and Wani Igga. This project could have succeeded on July 8, 2016, hadn’t the combined presidential guards deployed inside J1 compound took a patriotic-heroic position–didn’t turned guns on themselves–killed the president plus two his deputies! So in reality, what happened on July 8, 2016 was a careful and pure failed coupé and assassination attempt by malong on the president plus his deputies period Reply <http://www.southsudannation.com/when-killing-becomes-more-affordable-than-celebrating-independence/?replytocom=1299689#respond> - Ww <http://yahoo> July 14, 2016 at 7:02 am <http://www.southsudannation.com/when-killing-becomes-more-affordable-than-celebrating-independence/#comment-1299735> Gatdarwhich, I thought your militias were going to capture Juba and according to you it was going to be a “Ghost Town”. where are you now? come to the front lines and see for yourself who is dying. Let a bullet fly by close to your head and may be your your head will be clear afterward and change your mind about campaigning for war. Being a internet warrior behind a computer is too easy to do. REPORT YOURSELF HERE NOW AND TASTE THE WAR. MAYBE YOU WILL KILL ALL THE JENGE AND BRING FREEDOME TO ALL NAATH NATION. This time around no excuses after defeats Reply <http://www.southsudannation.com/when-killing-becomes-more-affordable-than-celebrating-independence/?replytocom=1299735#respond> 3. Ishakho <http://www.southsudannation.com> July 13, 2016 at 5:08 am <http://www.southsudannation.com/when-killing-becomes-more-affordable-than-celebrating-independence/#comment-1299695> Justin, How did you, without a second thought, conclude that it was President Kiir who started the skirmishes? Reply <http://www.southsudannation.com/when-killing-becomes-more-affordable-than-celebrating-independence/?replytocom=1299695#respond> 4. Ww <http://yahoo> July 13, 2016 at 11:17 am <http://www.southsudannation.com/when-killing-becomes-more-affordable-than-celebrating-independence/#comment-1299703> Doctors of the West “Dr. Justin ambago Ramba” As long as you are not honest with yourself and categorically implicate Riek Machar and his forces for derailing the Peace in South Sudan, you deceiving yourself and your followers. I urge you to intelligently and objectively look at the sequences of events leading to this war and convince yourself who is at fault. You are also wrong in your assertion that the Republic will collapse, this will happen only in your dreams. South Sudan is here to stay and your likes should stay in the West and just Shut Up. Reply <http://www.southsudannation.com/when-killing-becomes-more-affordable-than-celebrating-independence/?replytocom=1299703#respond> 5. alex <http://Google> July 14, 2016 at 7:33 am <http://www.southsudannation.com/when-killing-becomes-more-affordable-than-celebrating-independence/#comment-1299736> Lies and hate are the main problems these days. Splm in opposition destroyed Wau town claiming that it is unknown gunmen. In Kajokeji unknown gunmen, in Torit unknown gunmen but now the unknown gunmen have been proven to be spla in opposition. They have wanted to use the same mokey tricks to destabilise Juba. So doctor should not fool people with his lies. You betrayed the lives of those young soldiers because of your jobseeking. Blood is on your fore head even if you want to twist the narrative. we know you people caused the mess. Should those young men one day realize you are playing with their own lives, you will face the music from them. -- To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] Visit this group at https://groups.google.com/d/forum/southsudankob View this message at https://groups.google.com/d/msg/southsudankob/topic-id/message-id For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout --- 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 https://groups.google.com/group/SouthSudanKob. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/SouthSudanKob/CAJb14orf6r7RRtGRjrLjU9krggUn0BDV6cgnFBkHN_zhAZ6EaQ%40mail.gmail.com. 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