By Matthew Nyak Jany
OPINION – South Sudan experienced one of the most deadly wars in the African continent at its second birthday following its independence from Sudan which was a result of the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement which ended Africa’s longest civil war. In late 2013, political infighting broke out among the elites of the ruling SPLM party turning into what would be the ‘South Sudanese Civil war’ that has so far killed around 400,000 people and displaced millions of people to neighboring countries and into internal camps manned by the United Nations Missions In South Sudan.
In September 2018 the Revitalized Peace Agreement on the Resolution of Conflict in South Sudan (R-ARCSS) was signed to put to an end to the conflict based on power-sharing between the warring parties.
It is very important for our people who have suffered for almost eight (8) years to experience peace in their country and are able to return to their homes. However, it is now almost two years since the formation of the Revitalized Transitional Government of National Unity (R-TGoNU) provided for in the revitalized peace agreement without any proper mechanism for possible return and resettlement of refugees and IDPs to their original homes. The parties to the agreement focused on power-sharing more than the suffering of our people, whom they displaced eight years ago, in refugee camps.
Our government should make programs to return refugees and IDPs to their homes after they ended the conflict. The return and resettlement of IDPs and refugees after conflict should be implemented by the peace partners.
The refugees and IDPs have the full rights to return to their places of origin. The RTGoNU and United Nation Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) should create conditions for durable return of IDPs and also should encourage the Refugees and IDPs to return to their homes by providing guarantee to security after IDPs returns to their places. Our government should assured displaced people options for a voluntary, safe and dignify return to their homes or resettlement in to new homes once they reach their destinations, the returnees should have recourse for property restitution or compensation and should receive strong reintegration and rehabilitation support from our RTGoNU to build their Livelihood and to contribute to long term economic and political development with proper support
Disarmament and demobilization of armed groups
The presence of armed groups in the affected war states of Upper Nile, Unity, Jonglei will likely deter potential returnees and will prevent them of voluntarily return and rebuild their lives, disarming and demobilizing such groups will send clear message to displaced people and to ensure that the violent conflict is over and they can return safely.
The Resolution
Efficient and effective property dispute resolution is a major threat and challenges that will face the RTGoNU. During violent conflict many homes and properties were destroyed, the possible disputes may rise when displaced people return and seeking to reclaim their houses, lands or property they left during conflict, our government in Juba should work hard to make sure that all displaced people have full rights to reclaim or retain back their houses which have been occupied by another displaced people during violent.
The Challenges that the returnees will face include:
1 – Access to health care
2 – Physical abuse and instance of discrimination
Our government should focus on providing safe passage for displaced populations as they return to their homes also our RTGoNU in collaboration with UNMISS should protect displaced people from continue threatening after they reclaim or retain back their homes from those who occupied their homes during conflict.
Reintegration and Rehabilitation:
Upon arrival at their new destinations those who will return or resettle will need reintegration and rehabilitation support from both national and international to promote long term economic and social development.
Promote self- reliance of our IDPs& Refugees and to empower them to prevent dependency on UN aid. Our displaced people need to be given opportunities to be productive and self-reliance in order to contribute to local development
Finally
My advice will go to the government of South Sudan to prioritize the return and resettlement of our Refugees and IDPs to their origin places to stop their suffering in UN Camps
Peace has come no need to kept them as hostage for the political gains
May God bless South Sudan.
The author is a concerned citizen of South Sudan living in Cairo, Egypt.
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