The Daily Journalist.
“If there is an agreement between both sides of the conflict in South Sudan before August 17, there will be consequences,” said Barack Obama. His sentence was not trivial and his audience, gathered in the living Nelson Mandela, the epicenter of the headquarters of the African Union (AU) applauded the speech on July 28 in Addis Ababa, the Ethiopian capital.
The echo of that August 17 has been dormant since then, and the days have been consumed as an advent calendar. Even the threat of sanctions by the Nobel Peace Prize has been a proximity or agreement between the promoters of the crisis: the president, Salva Kiir, and former vice president, Riek Machar Teny. The differences between the rebels are increasingly latent and there are those who do not accept a new union with President Kiir. On the other hand, a few days ago the two sides met for more than two days behind closed doors in Addis Ababa to reach common ground: the only thing they agreed, is too disagree.
On the other hand, an analyst with the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) -the regional organisms for suspicious mediation- ha shown discontent if the parties reach an agreement Monday. “This is the easy part, the hard part is that there is loyalty and commitment of the parties once the agreement implemented,” said Mehari Taddele Maru. World pinpoints five key principles that make peace is almost unattainable in the youngest country in the world.
Continuing wars
In early July, South Sudan celebrated with agony four years of independence. A celebration that instead of being a cause for joy keeps its citizens under continuous desolation and suffering. It is a territory haunted by the word conflict, first by the two civil wars that lived as a part of Sudan, and later with the differences between Kiir and Machar. The South Sudanese population is mainly Christian, which caused countless massacres when they were under the rule of Sudan, where reigns a rigid version of Islam.
According to UN estimates, the first two wars resulted in 2,500,000 dead and 5,000,000 displaced, and in the last 19 months more than 50,000 victims and two million people have been forced from their homes. With these figures, the organization estimates that two thirds of the population are dependent on international aid, while a total of 10,500 peacekeepers ensure the safety. The two wars have also left many weapons that are now spread among locals.
Historical enemies
More than fifty tribes live in an area that is roughly the size of France. This population of 10 million people is divided into a majority Dinka (4 million) and a persecuted minority Nuer (2 million), while the rest is divided among the various ethnic groups. This mixture has not been without conflict, and the Dinka and Nuer remain historically faced. When independence, the fact that the outside Dinka Nuer president and vice president was, first, a demonstration of the unity of peoples against the common enemy, and on the other a pressure cooker that could explode signed any moment. And he did in 2013, released two years of independence.
With over 50 tribes, differences and hatred between them they are so ancient that it seems difficult to reach agreement
The crisis began after Kiir dismiss the Nuer government officials, including Vice President. Machar and his followers attempted a coup, and accused the president of being leading the country towards a dictatorship. The differences and hatred between them are so ancient, it seems very complicated if either party is willing to give budge.
Ineffective mediators
While dialogue between Kiir and Machar is unproductive international mediations come to fruition. Moreover, a US spokesman said of the recent visit of Obama in Africa, there are signs that the Sudanese government is sending arms to rebels led by Machar, while Uganda is providing its support to government forces.
So far, mediations have been conducted with five representatives of the African Union (AU) -South Africa, Chad, Nigeria, Algeria and Rwanda and six -Djibouti IGAD, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, Sudan and Uganda. However, human rights organizations have requested the assistance of the United Nations (UN) and the AU to mediate for the cessation of violence as well as initiate investigations to determine who is responsible for these atrocities.
America has shown from the beginning the cause of freedom and independence of Southern Sudan, as observed from the ideological conflict lake and supported the Christians, whom they considered victims of Sudanese attacks.
Control crude
The first days of independence were pure optimism. The distribution of land after its split from Sudan gave the young state 75% of oil reserves, which is not satisfied the government of Omar al Bashir too. However, companies intended to refine the crude are settled in Sudan, bringing the black gold to travel through Sudan’s pipelines to get to the Red Sea and its recipients. As punishment, Sudan increased dramatically transport rates, hindering south oil sales abroad.
The country is a major oil states of the continent and is expected to grow after independence was 35% in the early years, thanks to the arrival of foreign companies. The situation is now completely contrary and the state is on the verge of economic collapse, as exports have fallen by 50% and the price of oil, China being the most affected due to their presence and investment in the area. Currently the rebels control the northern areas of Unity and Malakal since late 2013.
I despise people
Human Rights Watch (HRW), conflict and attacks on the population amounted to war crimes and murders and violations may amount to crimes against humanity. Both sides killed with impunity and are baited with local people. The survivors of the attacks directly accuse the government and allied militias of carrying out a campaign against the local population, which has caused looting, destruction, deaths and displaced more than 100,000 people from their homes.
“The devastating offensive is the last thing we’re seeing in a conflict characterized by having an astonishing disregard for civilians,” said HRW’s Africa director, Daniel Bekele. According to the evidence of HRW, victims were hanged, shot or burned alive, also including children and the elderly are among them. Moreover, those who suffer the brunt of this brutal attack women and girls continue to be, since they are raped, abducted, beaten and forced into hard labor by the combatants.
