Africa Focus: S. Sudanese expect peace as rebel leader due in Juba to form gov't

With some ten days until South Sudan's rebel leader Riek Machar arrives in the capital Juba to form a transitional government, those displaced by a more-than-two-year civil war are hoping for peace so that they could go home.

South Sudan gained independence in July 2011, becoming the world's youngest nation after decades of war.

However, it again descended into violence in December 2013 when President Salva Kiir fell out with his former deputy Machar, who later formed the rebel force, SPLM-IO.

Machar said in a statement on Wednesday that he would arrive in Juba on April 18 from Gambela, Ethiopia, to form the transitional government of national unity with Kiir.

His return is part of a peace deal signed by the two sides under UN pressure last August, which is meant to end the civil war.

The peace deal leaves Kiir as president and returns Machar to his former position as deputy.

The civil war in South Sudan has killed tens of thousands of people and displaced over two million, with about five million facing food shortages.

Among the internally displaced persons (IDPs), some 27,000 of ethnic Nuer from Machar's tribe are living in the crowded UN Protection of Civilian site in Juba.

They say they have been largely targeted in the civil war and that their hopes of returning home depend much on the reconciliation between Machar and Kiir, who comes from ethnic Dinka.

Angelina Nyaniet Gai, a mother of four, came to the UN camp from the northern town of Bentiu in 2015 with her visually-impaired husband after life in their hometown became untenable.

While serving food to her fellow IDPs, Gai told Xinhua on Wednesday that she was hopeful that Machar's return would bring peace to the war-torn country.

"We are happy to hear there will be peace in South Sudan since we have been here for two years suffering. It's good if the two parties can bring a solution to this suffering," she said.

Gai said the arrival of over 650 troops of Machar's rebel force in Juba was proof of peace efforts.

The UN mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) has said more than 700 SPLM-IO troops have been transported to Juba.

A total of 1,370 SPLM-IO troops are expected to arrive in the capital city to be incorporated into government forces and police.

Gai, however, said: "The food offered by humanitarian organization is not enough."

"My husband is not able to find food for his children and its well wishers from outside who visit the camp that at times offer food to us," she added.

Martha Nyachot lost her husband to the civil war.

She too left her home in Bentiu last May and came to the UN site with little property, but soon found the situation at the congested camp hard. Now she hopes for peace to allow her to return home.

"We are not able to find medication. We are really optimistic that if Machar arrives in Juba, then we will go out. I hope to go home on that day when they form the unity government," Nyachot said.

Nyawal Deng, a mother of six from Jonglei state, said she hadn't had any information on her husband's whereabouts since the war broke out.

And she also hopes for peace. "The first step is to ensure that peace is fully implemented and all civilians are thinking that nothing should happen to them again."

The UN camp's Management Committee Secretary of Information, William Tejok, expects Machar's return to help end the civil war.

"Our children are losing their future in the camps because the education is almost non-existent. What they are doing here is just only to keep themselves busy; it is not education," he said.

"We are optimistic when Machar returns we will hope to build confidence within ourselves as South Sudanese. Elderly people are suffering in the camp they cannot fully find their basic needs."

UNMISS head, Ellen Margrethe Loj, said last week that despite the signing of the peace deal, violence continued in many areas of the country.

"In Upper Nile, tensions between the Denka and Shilluk communities remained high following the outbreak of violence in the United Nations protection of site at Malakal in February," she said. Endit