South Sudan is paying the price for failing to establish a stable government since attaining independence from Sudan in 2011.
The referendum had, at its core, wanted to achieve peace after decades of conflict, led by the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLF), against the north. Sadly, the oil rich country remains divided — ethnically and politically. The current crisis, which depicts itself as a failed coup against President Salva Kiir, orchestrated allegedly by former vice-president Riek Machar, curiously started just after South Sudan started pumping oil following a 15-month shutdown caused by a dispute with Sudan over pipeline fees.
There is little doubt that South Sudan will struggle to produce around 350,000 barrels of oil per day, which is their official rate, given the serious nature of this crisis. It is imperative that peaceful overtures are made between the parties involved for the seeds of a peaceful accord to be sown. Hundreds of lives have already been lost and corrupt politicians who are serving their personal interests, ignoring the well-being of the people, must be brought to book.
The future does not present a positive forecast for the problem which could spiral out of control. Too much is at stake in terms of oil revenues. Both the Sudans are reliant on oil. A major percentage of the wells lie in the South, but the pipelines run north. If the roots of the problem are not addressed swiftly, a return to conflict is on the cards.
