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Unity State Unity state governor briefs UNMIS chief on peace talks

By Bonifacio Taban Kuich

June 8, 2011 (BENTIU) – The top UN official in South Sudan met with the Unity state governor on Tuesday in Benitu to discuss current developments in peace negotiations with the rebel Gatluak Gai.

David_Gressly_UNMIS_regional_coordinator_19_Oct_2010_ST_.jpgDavid Gressly, the UN Mission in Sudan (UNMIS) regional coordinator for South Sudan, said he has a number of items on his agenda here in Unity state.

Gressly said that they will also travel to Mayom county to work on boundary issues.

On Tuesday Gressly met with Unity state governor, Taban Deng Gai to discuss the current status of peace talks with rebel Gatluak Gai. Last week the governor allocated an assembling point area for Gatluak Gai’s forces in Pakur district, Koch county, about 120 kilometers far away from Bentiu town.

Gai was a supporter of the former Unity state gubernatorial candidate, Angelina Teny who went into last year’s April election as an independent against Sudan Peoples’ Liberation Movement’s (SPLM) official nominee, the incumbent Governor Taban Deng Gai. Teny, the wife of Southern Sudan’s Vice President Riek Machar, contested the position as an independent after failing to secure approval of her candidacy by the SPLM’s 27 member political bureau – the highest political structure in southern Sudan’s ruling party.

Teny promised to appoint Gai as a county commissioner in the event that she won the election. However, the National Elections Commission announced results in favour of the SPLM nominee, prompting Gai, among others, to contest the outcome. Subsequently in May 2010, Gai, became a leader of an armed rebel group active in the western part of Mayom county.

George Athor, who formerly served as a top military officer in the South’s Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA), became a rebel commander after losing a gubernatorial race for Jonglei state. Like Angelina Teny, Athor failed to secure the endorsement of his candidature by the SPLM political bureau.

Gressly asked Unity State authorities how citizens were coping with the blocked transport routes coming from the north, which has left fuel and some other items in significant shortage. State officials told him that Unity state will persevere through the blockade, since they are also receiving goods from the south up through Lakes state. Unity state still has access to trade on the White Nile.

Gatluak Gai’s forces united with Peter Gatdet last month and they have been responsible for instability in the region.

On Monday, state authorities supplied the rebel militia with food after its leader appeared for peace negotiations with the state SPLA. There is still no official deal in place, and there has of yet been no word from the side of Gatluak Gai if he is satisfied with the negotiations.

Gressly’s visit is also to include a journey to the north-south border area, where there are high levels of tension between northern and southern forces.

(ST)

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