Human Rights Issue - Internal Conflict in South Sudan - Case Study Example

Human Rights Issue: Internal Conflict in South Sudan Part I: A ment of the problem: Internal conflict in South Sudan between the Nuer and the Dinka, the two largest communities in the country, has affected a large number of the South Sudanese people. Political tensions caused fighting in Juba on December 15, 2013 and the violence spread to other parts of the countries within a very short timei. For almost a year, there has been horrendous violence, massive displacement of people to the tune of 130,000 people displaced since December 2013, and the threat of famine is facing the South Sudanese people. Over 450,000, South Sudanese have been displaced by the violence fleeing to neighboring Kenya, Uganda, Sudan, and Ethiopia while 1.4 million internally displaced. The crisis has led to the need for humanitarian assistance by 3.8 million people who have been affected by the violence in South Sudan. The affected people mainly live in the Upper Nile Region, Jonglei, Central Equatoria, Western Equatoria, Eastern Equatoria, and Lakes regions of South Sudan. This is the greatest human rights problem due to the large number of people affected by the crisis and the level of violence meted on innocent, vulnerable members of the community. Over 10,000 people have been killed in a crisis, and over five million people depend on humanitarian assistance between within and without the country in displacement campsii. The other reason for the crisis to be the greatest humanitarian crisis is that the violence has caused a threat of famine in South Sudan. Scholars, policy makers, and human rights organizations believe that the problem in South Sudan needs immediate attention by the United Nations, IGAD, regional organizations, and other international bodies to provide humanitarian aid and come together to solve the problem. The problem is caused by recent developments after the independence of South Sudan with the national government led by Salva Kiir unwilling to democratize and to take fewer measures to deliver basic services to the peopleiii. The result of this was the lack end of a common enemy anymore for SPLM, Khartoum, and their efforts for independence and self-determination. However, after achieving independence, splits in SPLM led to the differences and subsequent sacking of the vice president, Riek Machar among other elected leaders to silence dissent in SPLM resulting in violence and killings. Part II: An overview of efforts being taken to combat the problem; United Nations, IGAD, European Union, United Kingdom, and neighboring countries are working on the South Sudan problem through taking efforts to ensure the differences between Riek Machar and President Salva Kiir are resolved. The rebels and the government will in the resolve differences to allow the conflict to end and return the country to normalcy. Local, national, and international organizations are involved in the South Southern humanitarian crisis owing to the intensity of the problem in the country. These organizations are interested in ensuring peace persists in South Sudan to ensure the people affected by the crisis are helped. United Kingdom is involved in the crisis through sending donations for the humanitarian organizations to aid those affected by the violence in South Sudaniv. Leaders in the neighboring countries have been involved in trying to seek for an end of the South Sudan crisis. Threat of sanctions by the United Nations and IGAD are the other measures that have been taken to ensure the warring leaders come to an agreement and stop the violence between rebels and government forces in South Sudanv. Progress has been made in efforts to resolve the conflict in South Sudan with a number of agreements having been made numerous times between the warring parties. There are problems; however, that have led to the inability of the agreements to lead to lasting peace and resolving of the humanitarian crisis in South Sudan. The problems include the belief by the rebels that the parties involved in the mediation process including Kenya and Uganda have been parties in the conflict. Rebels believe that the Uganda army is fighting alongside the South Sudan army against the rebels complicating the achievement of peace in the war tone country. The first agreement was signed in January 24, 2014 in Ethiopia but accusations by both parties that the other did not respect the agreement and keep its end of the bargain failed in returning the youngest country from violence. Another agreement between the two parties was made in May 9, 2014 after negotiations between the parties, but the deal was also broken by the parties with accusations being traded. Later on June 11, 2014 there was as agreement between Machar and Kiir that would culminate in the formation of South Sudan transitional government within 60 days of negotiations. However, the talks failed with both parties violating the agreement of ceasefire only five days later by June 16, 2014 resulting in the boycotting of talks. This resulted in the return of the talks to the start of the negotiation process, but attacks continued and in October, Bentiu was attacked by the rebels who were driven back by government forces. The United Nations has made threats of sanctions for the South Sudan leaders in recent days to aid in expediting the return to peace. The threat of sanctions put pressure on the neighboring African leaders to broker a deal within the shortest time possible and avoid the devastation in South Sudan. The United Nations peacekeeping forces have been sent to the country to aid in keeping peace and reduce the massacre of people and violence in the area. Members of IGAD, notable Uganda have also sent forces to join the South Sudan government in providing security in the country. The latest effort taken aimed at solving the conflict in South Sudan is the IGAD meeting chaired by Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailewmariam Dessalegn that resulted in the signing of a peace deal between Riek Machar and President Salva Kiir on November 9, 2014vi. However, reports indicate that the deal was broken hours after it was signed when government forces attacked rebel posts resulting in the violation of the agreementvii. The parties were given fifteen days to finalize power-sharing deal. IGAD warned the two parties of collective action including asset freezes, arms embargo, and travel bans for the two leaders for breaking the agreement or ceasefire. United Nations has also threatened the two parties of sanctions in case of escalating conflict as a measure of ensuring they are willing to stop the violence and look for a peaceful conflict resolution mechanism. The challenge is still persistent because of the persistent inability to keep the agreements by both parties for ceasefire. The other reason for the persistence of the challenge is the inability of both parties to reach an agreement on power sharing with each of the parties wanting to have more control than the other does. This is evident in the negotiation strategies taken by both parties and the unwillingness to communicate to their constituents to end the violence and return the country to normalcy for the better of all. Another barrier is the suspicion by the rebels that neighboring countries are party in the IGAD negotiations and aim at meeting their own selfishness needs with the only country that remains impartial being Ethiopia. Other barriers to the achievement of peace in South Sudan and resolving the conflicts is the emergence of new rebel groups calling for the overthrow of the government complicating signing and respecting of agreements by the two parties. Legal mechanisms in force relating to the problem include peacekeeping, peacemaking, negotiations, confidence building measures, dialogue, and diplomacyviii. However, when these efforts fail, sanctions by regional bodies and pressure from international bodies and developed countries may be used in urging the parties to resolve their differences. Owing to the depth of the crisis in South Sudan and the impact, it has had on the economy, the violence meted on innocent civilians, and the humanitarian crisis, the problem requires involvement by international community to reach a conclusion. United States has been in the involved highly in putting pressure on South Sudan to reach a conclusion and stop the problem. This is because of the need to aid the country to achieve a stable democratic government and the need for respecting human rights in the region. However, United States has not been able to sign any treaty with the South Sudan government or the rebels because the problem is being negotiated by IGAD to which United States is not a member. Part III: An argument section where you make an argument for how this problem can and should be addressed I belief, the United States in collaboration with Norway, United Kingdom, and China should take the lead in the mediation process after they successfully assisted in the creation of South Sudan in 2012. These countries should assist the warring parties reach a conclusion and resolve their differences. The choice of the countries to lead the mediation talks includes the high leverage by the parties to pressure the two leaders in convincing their followers to stop the violence in South Sudan. The talks will also be in a position to result in an end to the conflict within a short time when they are mandated and empowered by the UN Security Council and African Union Peace and Security Council (AUPSC). The need for the involvement of the two parties is very necessary if the agreement is to be beneficial and agreeable. This is because the two parties have demonstrated hard handedness in changing their positions and ceding ground for each other to have enough control of the resources in the country that are among the reasons for the fighting. This will show progress in allowing for a concession and possibility of reaching a point of lasting solution to the problem that has persisted for over 11 months and affected over two million people, grounded development efforts in the country, halted the country of democracy, and taken the country to the brink of famine. The barriers that need to be addressed include the lack of democracy and transparency in SPLM allowing both parties to have representation and avoid the resumption of such problems in the future. The other barrier that has to be resolved is for the acceptance of all the parties to ensure power-sharing deal is aimed for the benefit of the whole population. The deal should ensure the South Sudanese people receive basic services equitably in all the areas in the country to ensure equality reducing the chances of fights between Dinka and Neur for resources and basic services. The other barriers that have to be addressed are the animosity and mistrust between the warring parties in terms of the ability to keep agreements and respect the decisions made. This will allow the agreements signed to allow for lasting peace and start of development in the country. IGAD, AU, and the international community have the responsibility of ensuring SPLM and SPLA military command institute reforms to allow for inclusion as a measure of avoiding ethnic violence in the future. In the long-run, the maintenance of democracy within all the levels of government, economic development of the republic, and the delivery of basic services to the public will aid in ensuring stability in South Sudanix. Reforming the SPLM to enforce democracy and the acceptance of dissent through instituting guidelines to deal with it and having the SPLA as the state army will form the next steps to ensuring peace is achieved and long-term stability maintained in the South Sudan. The Americans and the international community can aid in resolving the problem in South Sudan through petitioning the United Nations and IGAD to impose sanctions on the leaders to realize the importance of peace and respect for human rights. The other way is through providing donations and aid for humanitarian organizations involves in Sudan to allow for help for affected people. The problem is surmountable but requires more dedication and commitment for peace from everyone involved. These include the commitment by the two parties, IGAD, neighboring countries, United Nations, and the international community to come together to help iron out differences and generate commitment for lasting peace and prosperity in South Sudan. Human rights are the basic freedom and rights entitle to every human being including right to assemble, right of expression and movement, equality, right to education, owning property and religion. Human rights are crucial because it enhances humanity, promotes social cohesion and justice, and allows the achievement of peace and stability especially in war tone countries like South Sudan. If human rights were respected in South Sudan, conflict resolution mechanisms that respect the dignity of human life and other basic rights would have helped to avoid the escalation of the violence to the current state. The inability of the international human rights regime to achieve its stated goals with respect to this problem is the widespread violence and lack of respect to human life in South Sudan. Attacks on the human rights workers and United Nations workers are also prevalent reducing the ability of the international community to promote achievement of human rights in the country. Control of resources by the rebels also affects the ability to access many parts of the country where the atrocities are committed. Lack of communication channels and education platforms for the rebels on human rights issues and the need for the proactive respect for human rights also act as deterrents to the achievement of human rights in South Sudan. In conclusion, there is a major humanitarian problem in South Sudan evidenced by the effect on almost 2 million people with over 10,000 people killed. Concentration of people in United Nations camps, humanitarian aid organizations, and IDP camps are also evidence of the crisis. The need for international involvement to solve the crisis has never been greater. Respect for human right is important but is evident to be missing in South Sudan going b the killings, violence, and displacement of innocent civilians. Resolving the conflict and instituting mechanisms to avoid a resurgence of the problem are the measures to achievement of peace and respect of human rights in South Sudan. Work Cited PSCU. South Sudan Political Leaders commit to end Conflict. The standard, November 8, 2014. Web. November 15, 2014. Zitvogel, Karin. UN Humanitarian Chief Warns of Major Humanitarian Crisis in South Sudan. Voice of America, July 17, 2014. Maru, Mehari. The real reasons behind South Sudan crisis. AlJazeera, December 27, 2013. Web. November 15, 2014. Gov. UK. UK increases support for humanitarian crisis in South Sudan. Press release, 25 September 2014. Web. November 15, 2014. United Nations. Military solution in South Sudan ‘unacceptable’, says Security Council, urging rivals to pursue dialogue. United Nations New Centre, August 8, 2014. Web. November 15, 2014. Joak, Daniel. Major Causes of the Current Conflict in South Sudan. South Sudan News Agency, February 20, 2014. Web. November 15, 2014. AFP. Africa South Sudan peace deal already broken hours after Kiir, Machar signed ceasefire. The Standard, November 9, 2014. Web. November 15, 2014. Grawert, Elke. Forging Two Nations: Insights on Sudan and South Sudan. Addis Ababa: OSSREA, 2014. Print. Endnotes Read More