By Onen Walter Solomon
Rights activists said on Friday that they have been prompted to form People’s Coalition for Civil Action to allow citizens to fully partake in the country’s affairs.
The group comprises of South Sudanese Civil Society Organizations, Think Tank and academia, concerned intellectuals and advocates for the implementation of the National Dialogue Resolutions.
According to the coalition, the country requires citizensfocused professionals so that it does not lose track for democracy and freedom.
“There must be a social contract between the government which the citizens formed and the citizens that are supposed to be served.
“Citizens must have a voice for what should be done to them, how their country should be run but not the country that is run at will,” said Kuel Aguer Kuel, member of the Coalition representing the entity on July 30.
Mr. Kuel Aguer was a former caretaker governor of Northern Bahr El Ghazal State in 2014.
The Coalition described the opposition parties that signed the September 2018 peace accord as “fragmentedand not the correct peace partners”, adding that “They have lost the capacity to influence and push for the implementation of the agreement,”
“We are all witnesses to the fact that the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan is collapsing in slow motion before our eyes,” said Rajab Mohandis, a member of the Coalition.
“We must not allow the parties to take our country back to war again,” he added.
Abraham Awolich, a member of the Coalition, also a representative of Think Tank and Academia during the declaration said it was high time for all South Sudaneseto start helping their country’s leadership in restoring the aspirations of the Martyrs who sacrificed during the liberation.
“Our leaders have only given us war, misery and suffering and economic meltdown; next 10-years, citizens should take central stage,” he said.
The Coalition believes that the nearly 4-years South Sudan National Dialogue resolutions have not been realized.
On December 14, 2016, President Salva Kiir launched the National Dialogue to bring about national peace, healing, reconciliation after 2013 power struggle and political deadlock within the ruling SPLM party.
But the activists said their Coalition aims to building a peaceful, free, just and equitable prosperous democratic nation.
For the last 10-years, citizens have been dormant without involvement in a democratic processes of the country the requires active citizenry.
“The Coalition shall pursue this objective using non-violent means and methods to organize the people of South Sudan for civil action,” Mr. Awolich added.
“So we are forming this Coalition to mobilize our people, encourage them to participate actively in the affairs of their nation and to make their voices heard and loud so that we can shape the direction of the democratic development that we aspire for in South Sudan.”
President Salva Kiir on Friday reiterated the need to focus on achieving total peace in the country despite the challenge of the post-conflict status.
“I am calling upon you people to support us by promoting peaceful coexistence within our communities,” said Mr. Kiir said in a press release, to mark the 16th Martyrs Day on July 30.
“Our efforts and investments in inconclusive peace is the surest way to provide services to our people and to the long-term development in our country,” he concluded.
