S. Sudan students unions in Ethiopia trying to reunify

By Tesfa-Alem Tekle

June 9, 2017 (ADDIS ABABA) – Two Ethiopia- based South Sudan students union who support two different SPLM factions on Friday said they are jointly working to united themselves as part of the efforts to bring about durable peace and stability in the youngest nation.

A delegation of South Sudan students union which had been in Juba has returned back to Ethiopia after meeting top government officials over issues of national concerns.

The unions attempting to merge themselves under one acceptable leadership are student union supporting SPLM faction under the leadership of President Salva Kiir and those students backing SPLM-IO under the leadership of Vice-President Taban Deng.

Ajak Koul Dengdit, South Sudan Students in Ethiopia provisional chairperson and head of the delegation told Sudan Tribune that the student delegation withdrawn from both unions had consulted with the leaders of South Sudan on ways how the students could play a role along with the government as a way forward to bring about lasting peace, healing and national reconciliation.

Currently, there are around 3,000 South Sudanese students in Ethiopia who are enrolled in various Ethiopian universities and institutions on government sponsorships and private sponsored ones.

The students here in Ethiopia, however, had been divided on the basis of political affiliation after the civil war that broke out in December 2013.

The provisional body newly established now says it has consulted with the students here in Ethiopia and have laid the foundation to conduct a general election to run both unions under one acceptable leadership.

“one of the issues is our need to reorganise harmonise and to conduct students general election that is expected to bring all South Sudanese students countrywide together under a united leadership and secondly to consult and express our support to the national dialogue initiated and declared by President Salva Kiir as an alternative way to realise peace”peace,” said Ajak.

In seeking for a solution to the matter and while in Juba Ajak said the delegation has knocked at the doors of many top government officials over the two issues mentioned.

According to the delegation has got pledges to support and facilitate during the Union’s course of action.

“I would like to inform the general students’ body in Ethiopia that we are going to conduct the students general election soon we secure the assistance the government pledged to extend.”

(ST)