South Sudan’s President, Salva Kiir, said on Thursday that people must embrace peace and suggests that South Sudanese should only talk about the message of peace, not war.
The message comes as the deputy chairman of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement/Army-In Opposition (SPLM/A-IO) Henry Odwar warned that the young nation risks going back to war if the government refuses to fund the September 2018 peace agreement.
Henry explains that the government is intentionally refusing to fund the deal while planning to build a $700 million dollars highway. He questions whether a highway is better than peace.
On his part, while speaking at an event organized for Veterans, Kiir calls on the young people to unite and fight against tribalism. The President also asserts that when big elephants fight; do not join any of them, warning the big elephants will always resolve their differences and everyone else would be left in dilemma. It is not clear whether Kiir was comparing himself and his rival Machar to elephants.
The South Sudan News Agency (SSNA) was told by an IGAD source on August 23 that East African regional leaders ordered Salva Kiir to release peace funds ($93.5 million dollars) contributed for the implementation of the peace. The SSNA was also told that President Kiir went to Uganda on August 24 barely a day after IGAD ordered him to release the money.
Some prominent voices within South Sudanese communities have already accused Kiir and Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni of deliberately preventing the release of peace funds to impede peace implementation. Museveni publicly supports Kiir in his war against South Sudanese rebels.
