Ethiopia: South Sudanese celebrate peace deal

By Tesfa-Alem Tekle

August 30, 2015 (ADDIS ABABA) – South Sudanese musicians in Ethiopia stage a concert in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa to celebrate the final peace agreement signed by the two warring factions in the world’s youngest nation.

South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir (seated) signs a peace agreement in Juba, August 26, 2015. (Photo Reuters/Jok Solomu)

South Sudan peace ambassador, Gatwech Koak Nyuon, who chief guest, opened the concert held on Saturday at Gerji community hall in Addis Ababa.

Gatwech made presentations on truth, reconciliation and healing and also awarded top artists.

The Chairperson for South Sudan Artists Association in Ethiopia (SSAAE), Khor Deng Jang, welcomed the signed peace accord to end 20 months long conflict in South Sudan.

"I welcome the peace signed by the president [Salva Kiir] and Dr. [Riek] Machar" Jang elaborated at the closed ceremony.

Khor urged the IGAD-Plus and the international community to help implement the peace process.

In a joint communiqué, the South Sudanese called on IGAD-Plus, the international community as well as on all South Sudanese in the diasporas and at home to keep working together and help the leaders of the parties on implementation process.

They also urged leaders of the two South Sudanese warring factions to quickly establish truth, healing and reconciliation commission as it was done in South Africa.

The musicians further stressed a need for the religious communities to preach for peace and love to bring all South Sudanese communities together as one united family.

The South Sudanese artists planned to compose new songs which are noble to peace so that war affected South Sudanese hurt in this ongoing crisis are healed from trauma.

Over 800 people attended the concert organised by South Sudanese artists in Ethiopia.

Although the two rivals inked a final peace deal which brought hope for permanent ceasefire, some South Sudanese in Addis Ababa, however, still doubt on its implementation citing at least seven ceasefire agreements which were broken quickly.

But thousands of South Sudanese residing at refugee camps in Ethiopia are still hoping to return back home soon to rejoin their families. Since conflict in South Sudan erupted in December 2013, over 200,000 South Sudanese crossed borders into Ethiopia.

The international community has threatened to impose tougher measures on any party that fails to implement the peace agreement initiated by the IGAD-Plus mediators.

(ST)