Garang’s widow says reconciliatory talks not about securing political positions
November 20, 2014 (JUBA) – Rebecca Nyandeng, the widow of South Sudan’s former leader, John Garang said reconciliatory talks she recently held with president Salva Kiir were meant to bridge existing difference, not lobby for positions in the next government.
“This is a very important step in trying to bring peace and stability to our people and the country. The unity of the SPLM is very important because the current conflict was sparked by political debates within the SPLM leadership and if the president, who is one of the key players in the conflict, is genuine in his campaign for peace, then this is something encouraging,” Nyandeng told Sudan Tribune on Friday.
“After all this is not the first time that the SPLM has split,” she added.
Nyandeng, a critic of the current leadership, called for honest dialogue that bridges differences.
“People should not sit idle and say prayer is the only solution. People should be made aware of the importance of being in a state of preparedness and make sure they acquire what they need to do some dialogue. We should be ready to do this for the sake of the unity of country,” she said.
A former advisor to president Kiir, Nyandeng defended her role in the ongoing peace process, but said the meeting with the South Sudanese leader was not an attempt to return to government at the expense of reforms she advocated for before prior to her sacking.
“It is unfortunate if there are people who seem to interpret the meeting we had in Uganda with president Salva and members of his delegation to mean attempt to return to the government because of any isolation in the peace process,” said Nyandeng.
“I am not isolated in the peace process. I am part of the process and following it closely,” she added.
The former first lady further clarified that the Kampala meeting was neither her initiative nor from the former detainees, but an arrangement by Uganda’s Yoweri Museveni.
“We responded because president Museveni plays a critical role in the process and use his influence to facilitate dialogue for a more inclusive peaceful and democratic process,” she said.
(ST)