"We the willing, led by the unknowing, are doing the impossible for the ungrateful. We have done so much, with so little, for so long, we are now qualified to do anything, with nothing" By Konstantin Josef Jireček, a Czech historian, diplomat and slavist.

Dr. James Okuk, professor of political science at the University of Juba, South Sudan

Thursday,
May 02, 2019 (PW) — This article is written with informed
intention to provide constructive way forward for the Parties, the Stakeholders
and Guarantors who signed the 2018 Agreement on the Resolution of the
Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan (R-ARCSS) to overcome the stalemate
on the polemics of establishment of the Revitalized Government of National
Unity (RTGoNU) on 12 May 2019 as expectedly agreed in the peace deal. The
author contextualizes this problem technically with a cogent proposal for
pragmatic exit and soft landing in peace that would avoid rush for disastrous
crash. The objective is to persuade the Parties and Guarantors to reach a
consensus on deferring the formation of RTGoNU not later than 12 September
2019.

The suggested limited extension of pre-transitional period by 4 months has to be justified by reasonable evidence rather than malicious whims so as not to risk the R-ARCSS for a second relapse. It is hoped that the extraordinary meeting of the leadership of the Parties and mediation Guarantors of the R-ARCSS in Addis Ababa on 2 – 3 May 2019 would quickly break the deadlock and ensure that the peace process is kept moving on the right track of the critically agreed priorities and timely benchmarks. This must be reinforced urgently by IGAD Council of Ministers Meeting followed by Extraordinary Summit of IGAD Heads of State and Government, which should untangle any emerging complication or confusion that may scare the undesirable hell out of purgatory of unpredictable contradictory South Sudan.