OPINION: Women And Children Are Crying: Bring Down The Cane On Warlords

While there is nothing new in these allegations, the human rights watchdog now says that the combatants have thrown all caution to the winds so much that in places such as Malakal, government troops have been seen forcibly taking away children from right outside the United Nations compound.

These are very serious allegations indeed that amount to war crimes. Naturally, the parties in the conflict are not expected to agree to the allegations. Time and again, they have denied using child soldiers despite mounting evidence from various quarters.

Caring little about the atrocities taking place at home, the South Sudanese government has been on a charm offensive seeking approval for its application to join the East African Community (EAC) despite not fulfilling all the relevant criteria. And this is where regional leaders can use the carrot and stick approach to ensure that the children, women, and other disadvantaged groups in South Sudan get justice and fair treatment.

INTERNAL STABILITY

Of course, other East African countries are themselves no paragons of good governance and democracy. Corruption, institutional rot, intolerance and strong-arm tactics are all too common in all the five partner states. However, they all have a reasonable level of internal stability and can play an important role in helping Africa’s latest state to achieve real peace.

Unfortunately, the efforts in that direction, which have been spearheaded by the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD), have so far been fruitless. The world has been treated to a circus of regular handshakes following endless ceasefire agreements that have not been worth the paper they are written on. Clearly, the combatants have never been intent on peace, with these agreements serving merely as a lull to test each other’s resolve and prepare for the next offensive.

But where IGAD has failed, the EAC can succeed. This is because of the great leverage that East African countries have over the South Sudanese administration. Despite its dependence on Sudan for oil transport infrastructure, Juba’s relations with Khartoum – from which the country seceded – have been anything but cosy. In fact, before the current civil war began, South Sudan was engaged in verbal exchanges and border skirmishes with its northern neighbour, principally over disputed borders and territories.

This is why South Sudan has been so keen on the development of infrastructure with its southern neighbours. Projects such as the Lamu Port and New Transport Corridor to South Sudan and Ethiopia (LAPPSET) have the potential to wean Juba from its near-total reliance on its arch-enemy to get its oil to export markets.

ARMED STRUGGLE

The ties between South Sudan and East Africa, especially Kenya and Uganda, stretch many years into the past. During its long wars with the north, tens of thousands of refugees found sanctuary in these two countries.

The Sudanese People’s Liberation Movement operated from Nairobi, with its leaders coordinating the armed struggle safely from there. Kenya also played a critical role in brokering the agreement that led to a referendum and eventual independence for South Sudan.

It is this history that East Africa must now use for the benefit of the suffering women, children and youth in South Sudan. Kenya and Uganda must look beyond the economic gains and profit to be made through cutting quick deals with leaders in Juba. Just as the two countries sided with the oppressed people of that country during their armed struggle against the north, they must now side with the helpless groups who are being called upon to fight a meaningless war.

That calls for firmness in dealing with the warlords of South Sudan. They must be told in no uncertain terms that East Africa will no longer tolerate their war-like behaviour and insincere ceasefire agreements. Moreover, before the benefits of membership to the East African Community can be extended to them, they must demonstrate statesmanship and cultivate a political culture of tolerance.

The next EAC heads of state summit cannot afford to gloss over this matter. It is only through firmness by regional countries that the children of South Sudan will once again face the future with hope, the women will revisit their farms without having to look over their shoulders for fear of rapists, and young men will once again seek to fulfil their dreams. The ball is now squarely in the court of the presidents of the five partner states.

By Anne Kiruku

Via EANA