Does the absence of violent conflict in Northern Bahr el Ghazal signify real peace?

By Kuol Alberto Makuach, Juba, South Sudan

Peace and reconciliation process between Paul Malong and Dau Aturjong, Aweil, Sept 2016

August 10, 2017 (SSB) — Today, I intend to challenge and oppose the most debatable topic- Peace- insofar as the above state is concerned. I say so because of the people’s understanding of peace and how they have been pointing at Mading Aweil has the role model to be emulated. It must be stated clearly here also that, the question of peace in this article is in relation to the people of Aweil insofar as their peaceful co-existence is concerned and not peace for the whole country.

Peace is a very difficult term to define and I want to state at the outset here that, I am not going to define it satisfactory but rather to give my own understanding which might not be the same as others’ viewpoint.

Peace is generally recognized by its absence. When there is war or civil unrest, people would immediately recognize that something is missing and that which is absent is peace. But to say what it is, is as hard as defining other theoretical terms like justice, freedom, happiness etc.

Press statement on the release of political prisoners in South Sudan

 

Press statement on the release of political prisoners in South Sudan (PDF)

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Locked in this Room, We are NOT Fully Free (Part 2)

By Thiik Mou Giir, Melbourne, Australia

Thiik Mou Giir, Melbourne, Australia

August 11, 2017 (SSB) — We are locked in our small rooms which are in a big room we called South Sudan.  These are spaces that our tribes and our political parties we are affiliated to, have provided us to live in.  These spaces are increasingly becoming narrower and narrower as the food to eat, water to drink and air to breath are becoming more and more scarce.  This is certainly not the best way to live.

This has directly and indirectly robbed us of our dignity and of our common humanity.  So many of us have become used to living in these little spaces.  The few among us, who showed their rejection of the existing walls of their particular rooms, are reminded again and again that those rooms are the only spaces within which they can move and that those walls are the only limits they can reach.

Political Paranoid in the Republic of South Sudan

By Thon Madol Mathok, Kampala, Uganda

August 11, 2017 (SSB) — Politics has become chronic to the extent everything is regarded on the side of politics, for instance, you cannot give someone something for free for brotherhood sake but instead of giving thanks rather he analyzes it by questioning, why is he giving me this? Is he not after something? What does he want from me then? Is he vying for any position?

Others take it further you can see someone doing something that is not right or does not know what to do or need support to do something but refuses to voluntarily give a hand and take it as the political strategy to take advantage of his loopholes.