Women from more than 40 South Sudanese women’s organisations march
through Juba on December 9, 2017 to express their frustration and
suffering and called for an end to the civil war. PHOTO | AFP
South Sudan’s dalliance with the Arab League has divided public
opinion, with the government saying it will just enjoy observer status
while critics accuse Juba of using this tack to ease the West’s
pressure over the continuing civil war.
pressure over the continuing civil war.
After media reports a
week ago that Juba was seeking membership of the Arab League, South
Sudanese in the diaspora took to social media condemning President Salva
Kiir’s move, pointing out that the Arab bloc did little to help them
during the struggle for Independence from Khartoum.
Even
after Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Mawien Makol clarified
that Juba was only applying for observer status in the 22-member League,
the idea did not sit well with most South Sudanese who spent 21 years
fighting to free themselves from the Arab North.
Mr
Makol said that South Sudan — which ceased to be a member of the Arab
League when it separated from Sudan in July 2011 — was simply seeking
the observer status because the organisation discusses issues affecting
it, such as the use of the Nile waters.
He said Juba
will not pay fees to the League and would not commit to other
resolutions but that its ambassador should be present when issues
affecting the country are under discussion.
But civil
society and the opposition said Juba was seeking soft loans from rich
Arab countries after the United States and the European Union threatened
an aid freeze and arms embargo should the political talks to be held
later this month in Ethiopia collapse.
The US and the EU have already slapped sanctions on some top
government and military officials for allegedly perpetuating the war
that is in its fifth year.
Eyeing oil wells?
“They
are eyeing financial support but in return these countries are likely
to ask to exploit some oil wells, which is not a good idea for South
Sudan because all these countries never supported our struggle for
independence after being influenced by Khartoum,” said Biel Boutros
Biel, a member of the South Sudan Human Rights Society for Advocacy.
Besides
financial support and possible armaments supplies, probably through
Egypt, Mr Biel says Juba could also be looking to increase its
bargaining power at the UN General Assembly at a time that the US is
preparing to draft a third resolution at the Security Council calling
for an arms embargo against President Kiir’s government.
For
the past two years, Russia and China — two permanent members of the UN
Security Council with veto power — have stood in the way of approving a
US-sponsored arms embargo on South Sudan at the Council.
Sudan’s
membership of the Arab League and the introduction of Sharia Law by
then president Gaafar Numeiry in May 1983 are some of the reasons that
led the late Dr John Garang to launch a civil war, which ultimately led
to the independence of the South in 2011.
Gabriael Dak,
a member of the Senior Youth of South Sudan lobby, said that the idea
of joining the Arab League emanated from the recent unilateral arms
embargo by the US and threats by the EU to follow suit.
“It
is against this background that Juba decided to shift allegiance to the
Arab world because they are increasingly being isolated by their
Western allies that pressured Khartoum to let the South go,” said Mr
Dak.
President Kiir has been unable to stop the war and
inspire the entire country. In November 2017 while visiting Khartoum,
the president said that he regretted his country’s breaking away, saying
most of his people were forced to follow the decisions of the majority.
Dr
Lam Akol, a former Agriculture minister and the leader of the National
Democratic Movement said that President Kiir’s government is bankrupt
and would do anything to ensure the regime’s survival.
But
South Sudan Ambassador to Ethiopia, James Morgan said that the issue of
observer status in the Arab League was being blown out of proportion by
the rebel groups.
The Arab League, founded in 1945 and
headquartered in Cairo, is a voluntary association of 22 countries —
including Palestine — whose peoples are mainly Arabic speakers or where
Arabic is the official language.
The league’s objective
to strengthen ties among member and harmonise some polities for a
common good. In March 2015, the Arab League agreed to create joint
military force, but that is yet to be formalised.
Although
English is the official language in South Sudan, a good number of its
citizens speak what is commonly known as “Juba Arabic”.
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