S. Sudan’s warring parties urged to cease military operations
September 23, 2017 (JUBA) – Participants attending a high level meeting convened on South Sudan on Thursday expressed concerns over the continued violations of the permanent ceasefire, urging the parties to the conflict to immediately cease all military operations.
In July, East African regional leaders, at a summit meeting held in Addis Ababa called for revitalization of the 2015 South Sudan peace accord, saying the agreement was the only way to end the conflict.
Those who attended Thursday’s meeting deplored the lack of progress in reaching an inclusive political settlement that could deliver an end to the fighting and condemned the atrocious human rights violations and abuses committed by the parties against civilians.
However, alarmed by the humanitarian situation with millions internally displaced and seeking safety in neighboring countries and in need of emergency assistance, the participants renewed their firm commitment to actively support the united action by IGAD, the AU and the UN to put an end to the fighting in the East African country.
The participants also reaffirmed their united support to the IGAD-led High Level Revitalization Forum (HLRF) process, which represents a genuine new chance for an inclusive peace process as it provides for the participation of the parties to the agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan (ARCSS), other estranged and opposition groups, as well as the civil society organizations.
They supported IGAD’s efforts to bring all these parties together to discuss concrete measures to restore the permanent ceasefire, the full implementation of the August 2015 peace deal and to develop a revised and realistic timeline and implementation schedule towards a democratic election at the end of the transition period.
“The participants underscored the need for the parties to take concrete actions to create the appropriate political and security environment for credible national elections, which should only take place in a conducive atmosphere of stability,” partly reads a summary from the high level meeting held on Thursday.
It adds, “They expressed their strong support for IGAD, the AU and the UN to engage the parties individually and collectively to that effect”.
Those who attended the high level meeting urged all parties to the 2015 agreement, as well as estranged and other opposition groups, to respond positively and constructively to the opportunity for dialogue provided by the HLRF process.
The participants also noted that the national dialogue initiated by the government promises to address long-standing grievances among communities in South Sudan, and agreed that its success would depend on the wider participation of South Sudanese political and social forces, including those that remain outside the process.
Over a million people have fled South Sudan since conflict erupted in December 2013 when President Salva Kiir sacked Riek Machar from the vice-presidency. Tens of thousands of people have been killed and over two million displaced since the war broke out.
(ST)