SPLM committee welcomes release of ex-detainees

April 26, 2014 (ADDIS ABABA) – The joint preparatory committee for the South Sudanese ruling party’s (SPLM) intra-party dialogue has welcomed the recent release of the country’s four political detainees, saying the process was a gateway for the future unity of the party and national reconciliation.

A South Sudanese court on Friday freed four politicians accused of plotting to overthrow president Salva Kiir by military force, saying the decision was made “in order to promote peace and reconciliation among our people”.

The state also dropped all treason charges against the four political detainees.

In a statement issued Friday, the committee said it believes efforts undertaken so far for an inclusive process would help move the process forward and assist in finding a peaceful and lasting solution to the current challenges that have engulfed the new nation.

“It is in this spirit that we welcome the release of the remaining four detainees by the government of the Republic of South Sudan,” the statement reads in part.

Members of the SPLM Political Bureau, mandated to work on preparations for intra-­party dialogue, met in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, under the facilitation of the African National Congress (ANC) and the Ethiopian Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) to lay the foundations for deliberations and dialogue by the SPLM bureau.

In its meeting conducted from 23 to 26 April, the committee treportedly agreed on a number of issues, including the objectives of the intra-­party dialogue, the agenda to be discussed by the bureau, rules of engagement for dialogue and the continuation of discussions on remaining issues.

“The delegations are satisfied with the conduct of the preparatory work and wish to express continued commitment to the finalisation of the preparation for the intra-party dialogue,” further noted the committee’s statement.

(ST)