National dialogue should pave way for negotiations: Machar
June 24, 2017 (PRETORIA) – South Sudan rebel leader, Riek Machar says he accepts the national dialogue committee’s request to be consulted on the process, but says it should pave way for negotiations to end the conflict.
Alier said he wanted Machar’s views on the national dialogue.
Machar said Saturday that he confirmed his willingness to take place in the national dialogue, but on condition that such an initiative will help find tangible solutions to the country’s ongoing conflict.
“As much as we believe the national dialogue is an important process for the people of South Sudan to engage in, however, it is our considered opinion that the priority is to end the raging genocidal war in the country that has created and displaced over two million people internally and 2.5 million people as refugees in the neighboring countries”, wrote Machar.
The rebel leader, currently living in South Africa, said a viable solution to the conflict needed peaceful mediation for an inclusive and a prosperous dialogue.
“As such, our efforts are focused on searching for a sustainable peace through a mediated peace process to end the war rather national dialogue,” he further wrote.
President Salva Kiir officially launched the long-awaited national dialogue initiative in the capital, Juba last month.
Initiated in December last year, the national dialogue initiative is both a forum and process through which the people South Sudan shall gather to redefine the basis of their unity as it relates to nationhood, redefine citizenship and belonging, as well as restructure the state for national inclusion.
Since mid-December 2013, tens of thousands of people have been killed and over two million displaced from the East African nation.
(ST)