Tanzania invites South Sudan’s rival leaders to dialogue launch

October 18, 2014 (JUBA) – Tanzania’s ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) party announced on Saturday that it has extended an official invitation to South Sudan’s rival leaders, president Salva Kiir and his former deputy, Riek Machar, to the launch of a joint dialogue process facilitated by the Tanzanian government.

Kinana expressed satisfaction with the initial phase of the process, which contiued from 12 to 18 October.

Delegations representating both rival factions of South Sudan’s ruling Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) attended the gathering in Arusha aimed at reunifying the party.

Kinana said progress has been made on the establishment of a framework for the intra-SPLM dialogue, including shared principles, objectives and an agenda for ongoing talks.

The meeting was convened by Tanzanian president Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete at the request of the SPLM’s leadership in a bid to restore unity between the rival parties and the South Sudanese people.

“Chama Cha Mapinduzi is honoured to host and facilitate this intra-SPLM aialogue, aimed at reunifying our sisterly party,” the statement said in part

“It is worth mentioning that the crisis facing the Republic of South Sudan came as a result of differences within the SPLM leadership, as acknowledged by the participants of this dialogue,” it adds.

The statement said the initial phase of the dialogue was held in what it described as a frank, honest and cordial manner.

Following the seven-day meeting, Kikwete has now invited the principal leaders of the SPLM the official launching of the process, due to take place on Monday in Arusha.

The talks were backed by the Crisis Management Initiative (CMI), a non-profit organisation founded by former Finnish president Martti Ahtisaari that works to resolve conflict, and the Ebony Centre, which is providing technical support to facilitate the dialogue.

A source at the meeting says he was encouraged by the resolve of the SPLM leadership and the willingness of the participants to be identified as one entity, rather then separate groups used at peace talks in Ethiopia, which are being facilitated by the Intergovernmental Authority on Development.

According to the source who did not want to be identified, a three-member joint drafting committee, consisting of Nhial Deng Nhial, Peter Adwok Nyaba and John Luk Jok, was established to prepare the agenda, including the roadmap for dialogue.

Participants in the plenary session were mixed, rather then being divided according to their affiliation with the government, rebel faction or group of former political detainees.

He said the intention is to send a signal that the SPLM can operate as one family.

According to the source, there was a general spirit of acceptance of collective responsibility for the situation in South Sudan, as well as recognition for the need for reconciliation and the reunification of the SPLM as the vehicle that will implement a comprehensive program of political reforms, with emphasis on building resilient institutions and effective governance.

The ruling party in South Sudan split in mid-December last year following an internal political dispute, plunging the young nation into a deadly cycle of conflict that has threatened to divide the communities along tribal lines.

The fighting has pitted government forces loyal to Kiir, a Dinka, against pro-Machar rebel force, largely comprising of ehtinic Nuer militia and dissident soldiers.

The more than 10-month-long crisis has killed tens of thousands of people and displaced over 1.5 million.

Observers say that for peace and unity to be restored among the South Sudanese people it is crucial that the senior rank and file of the SPLM reunite and end hostilities.

Similar separate attempts by other ruling parties in South Africa and Ethiopia to bridge the gap between the warring SPLM factions have been in vain, while ongoing peace talks have also failed to yield a lasting political settlement to the crisis.

(ST)

– S. Sudanese rebel delegation in Tanzania for talks with ruling party