Saturday, November 10, 2012

Good Day :The South Sudanese Mediation between Ethiopia and Eritrea


Questions are still coming; could a country like South Sudan play a regional role after just one year of its independence? When President Salva Kiir Mayardit described South Sudan mediation between Ethiopia and Eritrea on border issues as "moral duty" that means he decided to shoulder the full responsibility as a true African leader not just as a president of South Sudan.  He pledged to sponsor peace talks between the two countries when his own country is ready to do this role; perhaps observers have different opinions about the readiness of South Sudan to play a regional role but at least the good will of the President Salva is not a "controversial matter". Also, he didn't say: "when we solve all problems of South Sudan"; actually there is no country in the world can solve all problems.


The criticism that faced Alor's declaration of mediation is legitimate criticism. It is always better to listen to different voices to widen the margin of the freedom of expression but it is not a logical argument to link South Sudan initiative with Mr. Deng Alor and his homeland (Abyei) if it is confirmed as a part of South Sudan or not confirmed. There is a wisdom says: if you want to clean your hands perfectly, wash others clothes. So, South Sudan's mediation is helpful even for the situation in South Sudan not just Ethiopia and Eritrea.
This criticism is nonsense because Ethiopia is mediating between Sudan and South Sudan in spite of its suspended issues and border disputes with Eritrea. Also, Deng Alor is a Sudanese "A1-level" politician in the time of "united Sudan and the negotiations" and he was representing South Sudan when Abyei was officially in the Northern side and he led both Northerners and Southerners during war and peace times, in the cabinet and in the SPLM. Nothing wrong with Deng Alor and nothing wrong with South Sudanese mediation. It is "hundred percent" perfect and smart initiative!
The initiative that launched in Juba is the second declared one after Algiers negotiations which concluded the deal that put the end for the conflict between Ethiopia and Eritrea. The two sides signed the Algiers peace accord in 2000 and since then the dispute was referred for international arbitration court at The Hague.
CPA or Naivasha Agreement divided Sudan into "two Sudans" but it has put the end for 25-year bloody civil war. It seems that 6-years interim period from 2005-2011 before the independence of South Sudan didn't solve all suspended issues but one of the good lessons was the positive involvement of neighbors of Sudan in mediating between brothers or at least in being impartial, which is an ethical and moral stance.

news.sudanvisiondaily.com

No comments:

Post a Comment