JUBA — The Executive Director of the South Sudan Center for Peace and Advocacy (CPA), Ter Manyang Gatwech, on Tuesday called on President Salva Kiir and First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar to opt for dialogue and engage in face-to-face discussions rather than resorting to military solutions.
“As a human rights activist, I urge President Salva Kiir and First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar to choose dialogue and engage in face-to-face discussions rather than resorting to military solutions. The relative peace we currently have in the country is better than nothing,” Manyang said in a statement issued on Tuesday.
Manyang said South Sudan cannot afford to return to full-scale war.
“Based on my interactions with friends from the international community, Africa, and the Western world, South Sudan will be seen as a forgotten crisis if the leaders do not manage their internal affairs wisely.”
He emphasized that President Kiir and Machar have a direct responsibility to foster peace, drawing on their extensive experience with Sudanese and now South Sudanese issues.
He added, “There is no military solution anywhere in the world; the only option for conflict resolution is dialogue. It is time for South Sudanese leaders to prioritize the interests of the country over their personal interests.”
He called upon the international community, the African Union, UNMISS, and other partners to intervene in the current situation.
“Some of us were born into war, attended school during the war, and got married amidst the conflict, and now our children are still experiencing war. This is not the country we desire. We want a nation where there is the rule of law, human rights, good governance, democracy, and enough food on the table for its citizens,” he said.
