South Sudanese peace talks begins in Addis Ababa
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December 31, 2013 (JUBA) – South Sudanese rival groups have agreed to
negotiate a ceasefire in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, and
further negotiate an agreement to stop the two-week violence which
erupted on 15 December in the capital, Juba, and rapidly spread to
some other major states.
JPEG - 17.8 kb
South Sudan army soldiers look on in Malakal town, 497km (308 miles)
northeast of capital Juba, December 30, 2013 (Photo Reuters/ James
Akena)
The violence fitted president Salva Kiir and his former deputy Riek
Machar in the wake of misunderstandings between presidential guard
units in the capital.
Kiir described the incident as an attempted coup by Machar and his
group while the latter dismissed the claim saying that was simply a
misunderstanding between the soldiers. He accused Kiir of using to get
rid of his political opponents.
The fighting spread largely on tribal lines when the Nuer civilians
were targeted in Juba by the SPLA forces loyal to president Salva
Kiir.
Attempts to bring the two warring parties to the negotiating table
failed as preconditions were set before the 31 December deadline.
However, the two sides have reached a compromise by dropping some of
their preconditions to the talks.
President Salva Kiir had dropped his demand that Machar should accept
a ceasefire before negotiations can start while Machar demanded the
release of his 9 colleagues detained by Kiir in order for the
ceasefire to be negotiated.
The former vice president told Sudan Tribune on Tuesday that he had
already sent his delegation to Addis Ababa to negotiate a ceasefire
with the delegation of the government of president Salva Kiir.
The delegation includes two members of the ruling party’s political
bureau and the acting governor of Jonglei state.
“I have already sent my delegation to Addis Ababa. They include Madam
Robecca Nyandeng de Mabior, prof Peter Adwok Nyaba, Taban Deng Gai and
Hussein Mar Nyuot, among others,” he said.
He further accused Salva Kiir of preventing from leaving Juba some of
his delegates who are not in jail and were supposed to be in the
advance team to Addis Ababa.
A source from the ministry of foreign affairs also said president Kiir
on Tuesday also appointed a delegation that would go to Addis Ababa
for the talks.
He said he did not know the names of the personalities that will
compose the government’s team.
The two principals, Kiir and Machar, are also expected to join the
face-to-face talks soon, the official further revealed.
Machar’s forces recaptured the strategic city of Bor, the capital of
Jonglei state on Tuesday, some hours before the deadline for the
negotiations supported by the IGAD countries.
US SPECIAL ENVOY CONFIRMS
United States special envoy to Sudan and South Sudan Donald Booth in a
short statement issued on Tuesday confirmed that the agreement reached
by the two warring parties to engage talks in Addis Ababa.
"I am very pleased to be able to say that both the government of the
Republic of South Sudan and the opposition forces aligned with Riek
Machar have agreed to send teams today to Addis Ababa prepared to
negotiate".
He added that this agreement is a “a first step, but a very important
step " towards a cessation of hostilities and negotiations of a
political agreement to end the conflict that started in the new
country since two weeks ago.
(ST)
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