International community must do more in pressing for peace in South Sudan

WASHINGTON — The first anniversary of the conflict in South Sudan was an occasion to be marked with sadness last month. While it is the responsibility of South Sudan’s leaders to put down their weapons and commit to a political solution, there is more that the international community can do to promote peace and avert an even deeper humanitarian disaster in this young country.

We write as CEOs and presidents of five international nonprofit organizations that have worked in South Sudan for decades. Our organizations stood beside this fragile nation as it entered the international community of states and have supported its people through harvest and hunger.

With each round of peace talks, we’ve hoped that the leaders of the warring parties would be motivated by the suffering of their own people to reach an agreement. Unfortunately, negotiations have failed to bring an end to the fighting or improve humanitarian conditions.

Further delays in the peace process will threaten to undermine its legitimacy, allow violence and displacement to claim more lives and dim the hope of recovery and progress. The international community must increase pressure on the parties to end the conflict now.

Recognition of the conflict’s wider impact is critical to achieving peace. In the last year, nearly half a million South Sudanese have become refugees in neighboring countries. A great deal is at stake for authorities in Uganda, Kenya and Ethiopia.

To fulfill their obligation of providing asylum and assistance to the South Sudanese, nations that host refugees require greater support from the international community. At the same time, leaders of these countries must also be encouraged to play their part in resolving the conflict.

The rapid escalation of violence is rooted in past violations of human rights for which the perpetrators were never held accountable. The people of South Sudan need trust, justice and forgiveness; it is a concern that the peace process does not offer these critical elements.

International organizations, such as ours, also have a responsibility in the peace process. Our activities in South Sudan over the past decade have focused on humanitarian and development assistance. But, as a community, we have failed to give priority to peace building and conflict resolution initiatives.

Local civil society groups have only modest funding to support their work. Still, they are poised to mobilize existing networks within communities. These networks spread messages of reconciliation, offer alternative forums to express grievances and work collectively for security and development.

Connecting these groups with networks of national and state-based academic, religious and civil society organizations would further strengthen the voices of the South Sudanese in broader peace efforts.

An urgent need remains to shut down the flow of funds that are fueling the conflict. Public funds and prospective oil revenues are financing war and countering efforts to address humanitarian needs or future recovery.

The proliferation of arms entering South Sudan with little accountability is a major concern. Absent is transparency regarding the source of weapons or an accounting of their costs in lives, public funds and regional stability.

The international community must urgently address these issues if they wish to promote a peaceful and prosperous future for the South Sudanese.

This young country, which so recently liberated itself from an unjust rule, remains full of promise. The South Sudanese fought for independence and must now strive for peace. The United States and the rest of the international community must move with haste to help them realize that goal.
 
Tom Andrews, United to End Genocide
Helene Gayle, CARE USA
Ruth Messinger, American Jewish World Service
David Miliband, International Rescue Committee
Randy Newcomb, Humanity United