South Sudan should act responsibly
Posted by African Press International on April 27, 2012
By Thomas Ochieng in Kenya
The new state of South Sudan was proclaimed by many as long overdue. This was seen as the best way to deal with the long conflict that both states Sudan and south Sudan suffered from, a new beginning was envisaged for the two twin nations, where they were still to co exist side by side as brother and sisters
The survival and development of this new African state is dependent on the support both technical and financial from the world community but most importantly the role that Sudan plays to the development of the young state is of paramount importance. During the Independence Day celebration in Juba the President of Sudan his Excellency Omar Bashir and his Excellency Salva Kiir pledged to forge a path of mutual interest and cooperation as the people
of theses states have lived and worked together as one. This is a commitment
that should not be in vain for peace and prosperity of the two states. One may
ask is this the case of late?
The recent provocation to war by the news state of South Sudan should be viewed in the context of going against the commitment made to the world for the sake of peace taking into account the years of instability and destruction that engulfed this region for to long a time. The president of South Sudan should not yield to the pressure from the hardliners who still view the role of the state in the context of conquering new territories as if the nation is still in a guerrilla struggle. The war that the new stat should wage is fighting, poverty, hunger, diseases, under development and illiteracy, these are massive battles that cannot and should not afford any sideshows. By proclaiming and being granted an independent status by the community of the world and being recognized by bodies such as the United nations, Africa union and recently becoming a member of the IMF means that business cannot be as usual, this new nation must behave responsibly and where there are miss understandings which will occur time to time, the use of peaceful resolution means such as dialogue and arbitration is the norm, in civilized world war is never the first and the available option to solve problems.
This is the stand taken by the world community of nations including the United States, European Union, the United Nations, the Arab League and the Africa Union have all called upon South Sudan to resist the provocation tendencies such as the recent seizing of Heglig,its reassuring though that the military deployed from Juba to the region is withdrawing by the express orders of president Salva Kiir after the deployment of heavy military power from Sudan, this unwarranted confrontation should have been avoided because the cost of war will be too costly for the South Sudan to bear after
all those lost years.
Ends
