S. Sudan rebels brief exiled citizens on peace talks

By Tesfa-Alem Tekle

March 13, 2015 (ADDIS ABABA) – The SPLM in opposition office in Addis Ababa on Thursday gave a general briefing to hundreds of South Sudanese residing in Ethiopia.

The meeting was opened with words of prayers by the president of the Evangelical Covenant Church of South Sudan Pastor Abraham Tuach Kiir.

The purpose of the briefing was to inform the exiled South Sudanese about the recently failed peace talks between rebel group and Juba government and the ways forward to bring sustainable peace in the country

The participants were briefed about the outcomes of the Intra-SPLM Party dialogue recently held in Arusha, Tanzania.

Puot Kang, chairman of SPLM Youth League and a member of the negotiating delegation elaborated the Intra-SPLM Party dialogue and its outcomes and positions.

Chairperson on security subcommittee, Angelina Teny, talked on contentious security issues related to two separate armies, judiciary, legislature and public services reform issues.

The deputy chairman for external affairs, ambassador Ezekiel Lol Gatkuoth, briefed the public on the position of Trokia countries and over all strategies for achieving durable and lasting peace in the Country.

“Women and children are victim of the war” Nyakong Biel who was given a chance on behalf of all women said.

Participants expressed disappointment over failure of peace talks and hoped the two rival factions would soon commit themselves to bring lasting peace.

Chairperson of Greater Bor community in SPLM-IO, Jesus Deng, spoke about the need of peace and blamed the SPLM party in general as the cause of the long running crisis in the youngest nation.

Some 600 people participated in the meeting held in Addis Ababa’s Gerji hall.

The two South Sudanese conflicting parties missed March 6 deadline given by regional mediators for the two sides to strike a comprehensive peace agreement.

The 15-month conflict in South Sudan killed tens of thousands and displaced an estimated two million people.

The UN Security Council earlier last week unanimously adopted a US drafted resolution establishing a actions regime allowing to impose an arms embargo and the blacklisting of individuals from the two warring parties in South Sudan.

This week Ethiopian foreign ministry announced that a new process, associating Torkia countries and China, will resume next month.

(ST)