By Abraham Deng Lueth, B.S., MPA
April 3, 2014 (SSNA) — It has been my position since the very first days of the conflict that there was no coup and that the world has not recognized and will never come back and recognize it and it remains the fact up to now.
While I am so saddened by the conflict, its consequences and on the government of South Sudan for planning it against it people, I would not like to see President Kiir removed in power in an humiliating way.
President Kiir should plan his exit strategy because the conflict literally has forced him out. At this point, what is happening in Addis Ababa is not looking good on him. He needs to be seen as a peacemaker right now for him to leave with dignity, if there will be any, at all.
He needs to loosen up on the G7 participation and release immediately the G4 to join the G7, adopt a government of National Unity as his government position for bringing back peace in which he should be open to give a generous position to Dr. Riek in a power-sharing agreement.
His government needs to stop talking about the conflict and coup but focus on peace and reconciliation. He needs to soften up on holding onto power and resort to saying things like, if the conflict did not erupt, he would have stepped down but he does not want to set that precedence for South Sudan for a leader to be removed by force.
Therefore, as he recognizes that there were mistakes on his side and that Dr. Riek is denying the coup; he needs to open up to a honest peace and hence, a government of national unity to end the crisis.
President Kiir must know that the world community is united against him. That means, even those he thinks that they are his friends, today, can be used aganist him any time, tomorrow.
For example, the newly signed cooperation with Egypt is nothing but a waste of our monies because Egyptian army is almost 50% influenced by the US and if the US and UN are not with him as his government seems to claim, then he is a man on an Island.
South Sudan government needs to stop fooling itself with all these relationships it is trying to forge with other countries in a desperate attempt to secure support from them.
President Kiir seriously needs to focus on South-South dialogues and reach out in a unique way to Riek’s camp.
Otherwise, at the end of the day, the world will unite and support Riek and remove Kiir, something we will all regret. South Sudanese are also getting tired of the conflict and the continuous stubborness on the side of the government to bring back peace proven in the continued detention of the G4 and unconducive engagements with the rebels and other South Sudanese stakeholders in the talks in Addis.
Many South Sudanese are supporting inclusive dialogues. The government should accept that without delay. What all parties need to do in the talks is to categories them into sessions. We need peace and it must come from us, South Sudanese people. It is necessary for our own survival and wellbeing as a nation.
Abraham Deng Lueth is a Community Support Specialist at Truman Behavioral health Emergency Department in Kansas City, Missouri, United States; he is the President of Greater Bor Community-USA. He previously worked as a critical care laboratory technician and conducted an independent undergraduate biomedical research project which was published in the Plant Science Journal in 2007. Note: The ideas in the article are those of the writer and do not reflect the views of the South Sudan News Agency.