Key Provisions Of the New IGAD South Sudan Conflict Resolution Agreement

Dear peace loving South Sudanese citizens from the both warring side of the conflict after reading the document .On a personal note my humble observation are:

In general  its evident  it’s a win –win document to certain degree per say, I also find it moderately accommodating and my strongest desire is that, if signed the consensus must be backed by commitment of both parties to respect the accords and also restore level of trust.

Therefore its satisfying that interim relief can be found on the complex issues of the separatation of  command of the armies, addressing of  the root causes of the conflict, power sharing arrangement and withdrawal of foreign forces and militias.

Uganda deployed troops unofficially before the outbreak of violence on the 13th Dec 2013,its yet to become clear to us whether they anticipated violence or they were the precursor to the conflict and ever since UPDF has been in battle fronts in South Sudan without any shred of accountability.

Figures available from credible researchers estimates ,Uganda`s involvement to save the flattering Salva Kiir`s regime has so far consumed  US$65 million by the last financial year 2014,  financed through the use of supplementary budgets. At that trend we can roughly calculate that for almost 2 years in South Sudan Uganda has now spent US$130 million besides the unknown number of causalities which the regime has never disclosed to the citizens.

In October 2014, Uganda entered into an agreement with the South Sudan government to procure weapons and other military hardware on behalf of South Sudan. In that light the figures should have had an upward trend since the implementation of the agreement was classified and still remains unclear whether there is a definite timetable.

My subject of interest from the outbreak of this conflict has been the illegal intervention of Uganda military the( UPDF) in the conflict, in the process Uganda has become a factor in prolonging the war. Uganda took sides in the conflict to ensure one faction prevails over the other instead of playing a big brotherly role it got sucked into the endless conflict. It’s agonizing that Uganda, has in the eyes of South Sudanese lost the status of having previously taken the central historical role of advancing the struggle for the independence of South Sudan. Uganda should have consolidated this goodwill by becoming the cornerstone of economic development of South Sudan, unfortunately Uganda has mercilessly helped to destroy its legacy and dragging the new nation of  South Sudan along with it..

As a Ugandan, who understands and feels the resource strain in the economy which is partly reflected in the poor service delivery, I find it irresponsible to throw away resources to the tune of US$130 million for military intervention in South Sudan as if that is not sufficient we are already the major recipient of refugees from South Sudan.

On a positive note, I am glad that the agreement now calls for a speedy withdrawal of our forces from South Sudan and I trust Mr. Museveni will respect the position and stop being a bully of IGAD.It is disheartening to observe Uganda`s militaristic approach, has led to the death of thousands of South Sudanese people have been killed in the war and another 2 million who have fled their homes to escape the scourge of war.

Women have been raped and even children have been recruited as soldiers, wanton destruction has no monetary figure or economic projection can quantify the full human cost of this conflict. There can be no price tag on the suffering of South Sudan’s people from displacement, famine and death.

I invite your opinions to the contents of this agreement, I have extracted the strategic chapters which I consider are crucial in the peace negotiation.