South Sudanese opposition will not carry out any activity hostile to Juba from Sudan: al-Bashir

November 1, 2017 (KHARTOUM) – Sudan’s President Omer al-Bashir said his government would not allow South Sudanese opposition leaders residing in Khartoum to carry out any political or military activities hostile to Juba.

Khartoum hosts several South Sudanese opposition leaders who were in Ethiopia and Kenya during the first three years of the conflict. Also, Khartoum seems disposed to play a greater role in the resolution of the four-year conflict after refusing to interfere in the conflict leaving for the other IGAD countries.

Speaking at the opening session of the joint talks with the visiting President Salva Kiir Mayardit on Wednesday, al-Bashir said that the purpose of Sudan’s hosting for the consultations on the High-Level Revitalization Forum (HLRF) and its participation in the preparatory phase is to support the ongoing efforts to reach a peaceful settlement through the adoption of the ceasefire and creating a conducive atmosphere for the political process.

“Sudan’s steadfast stance towards South Sudan in regional and international forums is to support the initiative of the national dialogue in South Sudan, preserve its security and stability, and not allow South Sudanese politicians and leaders in Khartoum to engage in any political or military activities against the South Sudanese government”

Last October, IGAD Special Envoy for South Sudan, Ismail Wais held a series of meetings with the South Sudanese opposition groups in Khartoum, while the Sudanese Foreign Minister Ibrahim Ghandour travelled with his Ethiopian counterpart Workneh Gebeyehu to South African to meet with the leader of SPLM-IO Riek Machar.

Under a deal reached with the United States on the lift of economic sanctions, the Sudanese government has to support the ongoing efforts to end the South Sudanese conflict and to abstain from supporting the warring parties.

Al-Bashir in his speech said Sudan supports all the efforts to unite the South Sudanese.

He further called to include those who were not part in the 2015 agreement, saying it the only viable option to achieve peace between the South Sudanese parties.

A South Sudanese presidential aide disclosed to Sudan Tribune last week that the discussions during the visit includes a briefing on the progress made in the implementation of the 2015 peace agreement, Juba position on the IGAD role in the implementation process, the role the member states will play in the revitalization and other complementing initiatives the government has undertaken.

He further pointed to the national dialogue, the reunification process of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) factions facilitated by the Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni as some of these complementing initiatives which the government has undertaken to complement the implementation of the peace agreement.

For his part, President Kiir pledged to involve the South Sudanese opposition groups in the national dialogue. Further, he pointing to the “successful national dialogue process in Sudan saying that his country would like to benefit from the Sudanese experience.

The South Sudanese leader pledged that his country would not harbour any opposition groups threatening Sudan’s peace and security and renewed his country’s desire for good neighbourliness with Sudan.

Khartoum accuses Juba of harbouring armed groups from Darfur region to fight the rebel groups.

(ST)