Equatoria USA Group Calls for Commitment to Peace Deal

This article was last updated on April 16, 2022

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Parties to South Sudan's 20-month long conflict have been urged to focus on maintaining peace and implementing all the provisions of the peace deal during the transition period.
 
By Peter Lokale Nakimangole

TORIT, 31 August, 2015 (Gurtong) – The Equatoria South Sudanese Community Association–USA (ESSCA-USA) has called for the alienation of detractors and peace spoilers and said they should be held accountable should they seek to jeopardise the peace accord.

"ESSCA-USA welcomes and congratulates President Kiir on signing the compromise peace agreement in Juba, South Sudan. We also thank and applaud Dr Riek Machar along with all the other stakeholders for signing the compromise peace agreement. This is a historic day for South Sudan as it marks the end of the conflict that has ravaged the country over the last twenty months", it said in a statement to the media.

The statement signed by the ESSCA-USA Secretary General Benjamin Okuka, says it is a watershed moment that hopefully will set South Sudan on a course of peace, democracy and the eventual realisation of the South Sudan dream.

"We are cautiously optimistic that this peace agreement will hold. We call on both the South Sudan Opposition and the Government of South Sudan to resist any impulse to renege on the peace agreement”, it said.

"While the Comprehensive peace agreement is not perfect it has enshrined many provisions that address some of the issues that are high on the minds of Equatorians and South Sudanese at large. The government of South Sudan must follow through and execute those provisions in earnest.  We strong urge and recommend that the transitional movement peace leverage and integrate the recommendations outlined in ESSCA-USA’s “South Sudan: Way Forward” position paper published in February 2014 to secure long term peace and stability in South Sudan", read the statement.

It further urged the transitional government to immediately begin to eradicate corruption, nepotism, kleptocracy and disregard for rule of law.

“It must end the human rights violations and the intra-ethnic violence that often jeopardises peace in the country. The government must be inclusive and representative of all the peoples of South Sudan to ensure political stability and peaceful coexistence between ethnic groups”, said the group.

The ESSCA-USA has at the same time urged the IGAD, AU, Troika, and the international community which have spent a lot of time and diplomatic capital to reach this peace agreement, to closely continue monitoring its implementation while remaining engaged to hold both the government of South Sudan and South Sudan Opposition accountable should the peace agreement fail yet regain its momentum.

"Over the past twenty months, civil societies, religious leaders, tribal leaders, and other political parties who were accorded little opportunity to participate and contribute meaningfully to the peace negotiations and who represent the grassroots, should be provided with ample room to adequately and freely participate in shaping the future of South Sudan."

The statement emphasised that giving adequate space to all groups, who represent the grassroots, is imperative and that they must have a meaningful seat at the table

“The signing of the comprehensive peace agreement offers yet another opportunity to start afresh the efforts to build a nation worthy of the blood of martyrs that died to realise the South Sudan dream. This is the beginning of a long journey towards a peaceful and prosperous South Sudan", said the group.

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