8 July 2014 - An end to the fighting in South Sudan would not by itself provide an adequate solution to the country’s crisis, outgoing Special Representative of the UN Secretary General (SRSG) to South Sudan Hilde F. Johnson said in Juba today.

“The peace negotiations should not be about finding band-aid solutions that allow things to continue in the same way, with only minor changes,” said the UNMISS Chief. “South Sudan needs fundamental reforms and a complete overhaul of key state institutions.”

Speaking to media shortly before departing the country at the end of her three-year tenure as head of the peacekeeping mission, Ms. Johnson said South Sudan as a country was at stake, afflicted by “three diseases” which would have to be contained to save it from becoming a failed state.

“The problems did not start on 15 December,” she said, referring to the outbreak of the crisis late last year. “South Sudan has been afflicted by three diseases since 2005: The cancer of corruption, rule by the gun and not by the law and rule by a self-serving elite for the elite and much less for the people.”

Calling for greater transparency, reforms in the justice sector and accountability, the SRSG also noted that it is vital for South Sudanese from “all walks of life” to have a say in the peace process.

She attributed the conflict, which she described as a “hurricane”, to a crisis of leadership within the ruling party, the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM).

“The leadership, across all factions of the SPLM, whether they are inside or out of government, released from detention or in the bush, are responsible for this,” she said. “After decades of sacrifice and suffering you got your … independence. Then you turned on each other, and wasted all the goodwill and opportunities you enjoyed.”

The “man-made” violence, had set back the country decades, led to the loss of thousands of lives and displacement of hundreds of thousands of people into UNMISS bases and other locations and countries, she said. She added that it was particularly shocking that after independence, South Sudanese citizens now had to flee to the Sudanese capital Khartoum for safety.

“We are at the risk of seeing the worst famine in the country’s history. It is not because the rains did not come… It is because of a man-made conflict. And if it comes, it will be a man-made famine,” said Ms. Johnson.

She urged the country’s leaders to stop “the finger pointing” and put the country and its people first, ahead of personal interests.

“If there are further delays and the blame game goes on, whether from those wanting to remain in office, or those wanting to get back in, we can only draw one conclusion: That this is only about a scramble for power,” said Ms. Johnson.

The SRSG reiterated the commitment of the UN to support the South Sudanese people. She also pledged to continue to mobilize support for them and said she hoped to return to the country “in a while”.

“I hope to meet a leadership that has passed their greatest test, a leadership that has not failed its people,” she said. “I hope to meet a South Sudan that has managed to win the battle over the three diseases … a country that is building bridges and overcoming differences.”