SPLM reunification best option to end S. Sudan war: official

July 4, 2017 (JUBA) – The reunification was South Sudan’s ruling party (SPLM) remains the best option for ending the conflict in the young nation, Daniel Awet Akot, an advisor to the president said Monday.

The ruling party official told Sudan Tribune said he was optimistic the upcoming reunification meeting scheduled to take place in the Ugandan capital, Kampala, paves way for reaching a consensus aimed at ending the ongoing conflict.

Akot said the reunification meeting scheduled to take place week will bring together four different factions to discuss the way forward.

“The reunification is important because the conflict started with the SPLM leadership and people are urging for it and saying that peace can only come to the country if the SPLM leaders resolve their differences. They even say when SPLM splits, communities split and country gets into serious political and security matters. This is what we should not encourage,” the presidential advisor told Sudan Tribune.

“We need to avoid it by making SPLM united until when time comes for peaceful secession and gradual transformation takes place in the SPLA [Sudan People’s Liberation Army]”, he added.

According to the official, the faction of the armed opposition under the leadership of the former First-Vice President, Riek Machar will participate in the forthcoming meeting scheduled for 12 July, 2017.

The Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni has invited South Sudan’s rebel leader Riek Machar to attend a meeting aimed at the reunification of the different SPLM factions.

In May this year, three factions of South Sudan’s ruling party agreed in Kampala to set aside their differences and work out a roadmap to reunify the historical party.

The meeting was, however, boycotted by the Machar-led armed opposition faction.

“Your representatives are hereby invited to attend so that mediation process is all inclusive. Eventually, you could come in person after we harmonize in the region,” partly reads Museveni’s 26 June letter obtained by Sudan Tribune.

“I have met the different representative of SPLM factions. During the last meeting, it was agreed that all SPLM factions be represented in the subsequent meetings,” it added.

South Sudan was plunged into conflict in December 2013 as the rivalry between Kiir and his then-Vice President, Riek Machar, turned into a civil war. The fighting, which has often been along ethnic lines, triggered Africa’s worst refugee crisis, with over three million people fleeing their home

(ST)