South Sudan Bishop Warns Leaders to ‘Repent’, Admit
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TCT August, 2014 Issue 1, Volume 2 www.thechristiantimes.net South Sudan readys to join the East African Community South Sudan bishop warns leaders to ‘repent’, admit mistakes THE CHRISTIAN TIMES, August 2014 1 TCT Read The Christian Times Newspaper www.thechristiantimes.net 2 THE CHRISTIAN TIMES, August 2014 Contents August 2014 Issue 1 Volume 2 www.thechristiantimes.net EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Rev. John Daau ASSOCIATE EDITOR Moses Wasamu South Sudan WRITERS Cover Story: Page 6: Ebenezer Gore readys to join the East African Community James Chillim Joseph Oduha CONTRIBUTORS Mercy Gakii Faith Mc Donnell Martin Olando David Pollit DESIGN & LAYOUT Martin Kariuki SALES & MARKETING 8 10 Benjamin Lem Majak Daniel Abraham Khot PRINTED BY The Star Newspapers Offices at: Multi-Service Training Center, Conference Room 2, Behind Juba Stadium, 13 Juba, South Sudan. 9 Upper Nile hit by cholera Tel: Office +211 (0) 921 226 802, Kiir speaks against interim government +211 (0) 955 486 861 11 Sales & Marketing : 12 More boarding schools will boost girls enrollment +211 (0) 956 703 452, 095622003, 0955017617 13 IGAD condemns violation of ceasefire E-mail: [email protected] www.thechristiantimes.net 15 Watchdog warns that oil is driving the Souh Sudan dept crisis Visit us on Facebook and 16/17 LEADERSHIP 18/19 COMMENTARIES 24/25 FEATURES Twitter 26/27 HEALTH 32 BOOK REVIEW 34-36 PEACE BUILDING 37 GENDER & DEVELOPMENT 38/39 YOUTH JUNCTION/ENTERTAINMENT 40/41 SPORT TCT Editorial We welcome peace talks from Kiir and Machar, but… outh Sudan has just celebrated its 3rd independence anniversary, at a time when the country is at war against itself. Various parts of the country are experiencing instability, while the talk of federalism is also raging. Many people had dreams of the country taking off after many years of destruction, when it gained independence from the north, in a referendum that was voted for by more than 90% of the citizens. SBut many dreams have been shattered, hopes have been dashed and the people are asking themselves, what went wrong, what hit us? When the current crisis broke out, an eye-witness who found himself in the midst of violence narrated to TCT how some people who were in his company who were running away from their homes, were not even sure what was happening and they were not sure where they were going. That is how bad it was. Addressing the nation during the independence celebrations, President Salva Kiir expressed his willingness to do everything in his power to see that the peace process succeeds. Speaking from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Dr. Riek Machar too expressed his desire for the talks that have been suspended indefinitely, to resume. This is plausible. But the question that comes to mind is, will they walk the talk of peace? This is not the first time that the two leaders have said that they are willing to come together and negotiate. Many will take their word with a pinch of salt because, once beaten, twice shy. Already, South Sudanese have witnessed two ceasefire agreements between the two parties being violated. The first of these agreements was done in January, while the latest one was signed in May and was immediately flouted by both parties. Some interested parties, including the civil society and church leaders, have previously expressed their doubt about the seriousness of the two sides, opining that they could be buying time with the hope of winning the fight on the ground and with guns. But many say that the crisis cannot be resolved with shedding of more innocent blood. As some church leaders said a few weeks back, in war, we as South Sudanese will all be losers. Now that the two main protagonists have said that they would like for the peace talks to resume, it is our hope that they are serious and that they are ready to give it their all. This past week, the European Union announced sanctions against two military leaders, one from the rebel side, and one from the government side. This is in addition to sanctions that were announced earlier by the US, against individuals from the two sides. If these sanctions are what it will take for the two sides to get serious and come back to the negotiating table, so be it. We believe that all who are interested in the welfare of the country will support any efforts, from whatever quarter, that will exert pressure on the two sides to resume the talks and put in place an interim government, as per an earlier agreement between the two sides. For now, we hope and pray that goodwill will prevail from the two leaders, and that they will provide leadership and bring back their teams to the negotiating table. Time is of essence, because as things stand now, they may not meet the two month deadline they had to put in place a transitional government. But it is not too late. President Kiir and Dr. Machar can still rise up to the occasion and provide leadership, which will restore peace in the country, and hope among the citizens. DISCLAIMER: The Christian Times Newspaper and Online Magazine welcomes opinions, comments and letters. Comments, opinions and letters are sole responsibility of the author and does not in any case represent the position of the newspaper. The Christian Times Newspaper and Online Magazine reserves the right for admission and to edit articles for purpose of space, time and clarity. To our partners, we thank you for your continued support and Prayers. This edition was made possible with generous support of South Sudan Committee for National Healing, Peace and Reconciliation (CNHPR), USA- based Board of Directors of Good Shepherd College & Seminary (GSCS) South Sudan and the Board of Directors of The Christian Times Ltd (TCT). May the Lord advance your desire for peace and bless you abundantly. 4 THE CHRISTIAN TIMES, August 2014 Commentaries TCT South Sudan government needs to be transparent in its financial dealings his week, an international watchdog has warned that the South Sudan govern- REFLECTIONS REFLECTIONS ment is getting into a dan- gerous cycle of borrowing Tfor oil. Sadly, most of the borrowed funds will be used on the armed forces and not for infrastructural develop- ment. According to its latest budget es- timates for 2014-15, the government plans on borrowing SSP 3 billion ($1 billion) from oil companies. Global MOSES WASAMU Witness says the amount is almost With equivalent to the amount donors are spending to alleviate the humanitarian catastrophe that is unfolding. continue to seek weapons. ties? Is it winning the war with guns Global Witness says that more South Sudanese Defense Minister or bringing the war to an end through alarmingly, the public have no idea on General Kuol Manyang Juuk report- dialogue? The same question can be what terms the money is being bor- edly confirmed the arms purchase and asked of the rebels. rowed. All the negotiations have been said the consignment was ordered five But, let me go back to where this done behind closed doors. months before violence broke out. He argument began. Since it is the tax-paying members said that his role is to defend the na- Lack of transparency and account- of the public who will repay this mon- tion and that is why he is equipping ability on the part of leadership is one ey, then the public has a right to know the army. of the many reasons why the country why the money is being borrowed, These reports, if true, are disturb- is at cross-roads now. The government how it will be repaid and how it is ing. cannot afford to do things as they have going to be spent. As they say, there The fact that the government is been done in the past. should be no taxation without partici- buying arms at a time when humani- If government is borrowing money pation in decision-making. tarian agencies working in the country on behalf of the citizens, then the citi- Only last month, a US-based or- are seeking for funds to support relief zens have to participate in negotiat- ganization, Fund for Peace, ranked efforts shows a lack of intention to end ing and making those decisions. That South Sudan as the most fragile state in the world. Even though govern- ment officials have disputed this, it is a cause for concern, coming at a time when the crisis has turned the country from a development path to a humani- tarian path. This means that all development projects have been put on hold as government and humanitarian agen- cies concentrate on the most urgent humanitarian activities. Media reports indicate that South Sudan has spent at least $1 billion on weapons and delivery systems since the fighting broke out, according to a western diplomat in Juba. At the same time, humanitarian agencies have ap- pealed for $1.3 billion to provide re- lief to people affected by the conflict. South Sudanese citizens celebrating on the 3rd anniversary of independence in Up- Bloomberg reports that China is per Nile. President Kiir and Dr. Machar have recommitted themselves to the peace selling $38 million worth of assorted process: Will they walk the talk of peace? arms to the government. Analysts say the war soon. As some stakeholders is one of the tenets of democracy, to that while the government and the reb- have said, it seems that both the gov- which the government subscribes. els say they’re committed to a peace- ernment and the rebels believe they Otherwise, increasing the citizen’s ful resolution to their dispute, both can win the war in the battleground debt burden behind their backs is sides are still intent on resolving their and not on the negotiating table.