7 February 2014 - A group of women living under the protection of UNMISS Bentiu in Unity State have been meeting with top government and UN officials as well as travelling to Addis Ababa in their urgent appeal for peace in South Sudan.

“We suffered for 21 years and we have eaten the sweet fruits of peace since 2005,” said Semira Deng Chang Kon, one of two women from the mission site to travel to Addis Ababa on 3 February for a meeting of the Taskforce on the Engagement of Women.

“My message to all women,” Ms. Kon said. “If you are in the bush, or at home or anywhere else, please talk about the peace,” she said.” “If you have visitors at your home, whoever they are, if they are carrying guns, ask them to leave them outside and talk with them about peace.”

She said South Sudanese had been fighting for independence during the previous war in a just cause. But she disparaged the current conflict, which broke out in December 2013 in Juba between pro- and anti-government forces.

“But if a cause makes us sleep under trees, we don’t care about it … whether it’s right or not,” Ms. Kon said. “We don’t want our women to give birth under a tree, we don’t want our children to die under a tree and we don’t want our elders to sit under trees because there is no water.”

The second Addis Abbaba delegate, Wedad Yunise Ibrahim Mahamed, noted that 10 Sudanese and 34 South Sudanese women had attended the Addis meeting.

“The women from both countries are calling for peace,” she said. “We traveled so far from here in a hope the leaders will listen to us and stop fighting.”

“Sisters, it is us women who are suffering,” Ms. Mahamed said, addressing all women. “We are the ones who give birth, the ones who suffer for our children and the ones who burry them. All those who die in the bush are our children, our sisters, our brothers and husbands.”

Organized by The Institute for Inclusive Security in partnership with the Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue and the Nonviolent Peaceforce, the Taskforce on the Engagement of Women took place from 25 to 30 January. Its primary focus was to ensure women’s engagement in peace processes in South Sudan and Sudan.

Men in the camp support the women’s peace initiative, including Simon Diu, one of the leaders at the Bentiu protection site.

“We are encouraging all the women to have a one voice regardless of the ethnicity,” he said. “No tribe can rule the country alone. If all the tribes are united thanks to initiative of women we can have a united nation and development can come.”

On 21 January, women’s representatives from different ethnic groups staying at UNMMISS Bentiu walked 12 kilometres to meet Caretaker Governor of Unity State John Koang Nyuom and hand him a letter from Unity State women.

They met with UNMISS Deputy Special Representative of Secretary-General Raisedon Zenenga on 24 January, who supported their peace building initiative during his meeting with the Deputy Governor of Unity State.

The women are continuing their meetings and advocacy. They plan to formalize their group and meet the Governor again.