The IGAD applied its mediation process in South Sudan but was not able to bring about a peaceful resolution. What went wrong?
As noted in Ambassador (Amb.) Dr. Santino Fardol Watod’s book titled, “Southern Sudan and its Fight for Freedom,” since Sudan gained its independence from the British in 1956, the northerners have dominated the political arena of the country and make Islam the only legal religion, ignoring all other religions. “Slavery and holy war have been declared against the South. Millions have been killed or displaced throughout the world. Others have undergone humiliation, surviving in the worst human conditions in shantytowns around Khartoum and other northern major cities. No one can really predict the end of the suffering of people of Southern Sudan” (Fardol Watod, 2006). With this background signifying the importance of the mission, Amb. Fardol Watod assesses the worthiness of the peace resolution process.
Despite successes in the distant past, the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD), a regional organization that pursues peaceful resolution to conflicts, applied its mediation process but was not able to settle the conflict in South Sudan. Insightful research by Ambassador Santino Fardol Watod investigates the reasons for conflicts in South Sudan, the actions of regional organizations engaged in conflict resolutions, and the challenges faced by the IGAD during its mediation process when attempting to settle South Sudan’s conflict. While IGAD has been successful in providing basic necessities to the people in the Horn of Africa, a deep dive into the interpretations of the respondents revealed that IGAD failed while mediating peace within South Sudan, which was the main motto of the organization.
Amb. Fardol Watod recommends that regional organizations should hire individuals on a merit basis, which means people who have a vision, patriotism, and the ability to resolve conflicts would be the best source to solve the purpose. Iin order to focus on conflict resolution without distraction, IGAD should avoid the international intervention of authorities and other forces in the internal policymaking of the country, which will be helpful for the regional organizations to value their cultures and customers
Amb. Santino Fardol Watod