S. Sudan youth forum urges dialogue with armed groups

January 12, 2017 (JUBA) – A forum of South Sudanese youth issued a statement on Thursday, calling on national unity government to recognize the existence of the armed opposition in the country.

“The South Sudan Youth leaders forum calls upon the TGoNU [Transitional Government of National Unity] to recognize that there are armed groups engaged in hostilities across the country and urge the TGoNU to peacefully engage these groups in order to end was and usher in an era of reconciliation and healing”, partly reads the resolution derived at end of a two-day conference held in Kenya.

50 youth from different states of South Sudan, who used the opportunity to examine the situation facing the country through shared ideas about how this can be improved in-order to move the nation from the devastating conflict, attended the event.

Sponsored by International Growth center, United States agency for international development and the World Bank, the conference which was mainly graced by government supporters underlined the importance of the national dialogue which they see as the only means through which disputes could be resolved in the country.

It called on armed actors to declare an unconditional ceasefire and recommended that a credible, impartial and acceptable national dialogue be led by the faith based organizations, particularly South Sudan Council of Churches with the help of African council of churches and the world council of churches.

South Sudan national union chairperson, Albino Bol Dhieu and other government affiliated groups, including members and leaders of a deeply-divided Red army foundation, took part in the consultative dialogue.

(ST)