South Sudan’s newest political party welcomes cancellation of 32 states

February 17, 2020 (JUBA) – The United People’s Democratic Party (UPDP), a newly established party by an exiled South Sudanese, has welcomed the return to the 10 state system, expressing hopes that a final settlement of the conflict could be reached.

The leadership of the group, according to the statement, extended to Sudan Tribune on Monday, welcomed the decision made by President Salva Kiir Mayardit to revert to the 10 states and upholding separate administrative statuses for Abyei, Boma and Ruweng.

“The revert sets in motion of a peaceful South Sudan,” said the UPDP leader Wol Deng Atak, a former legislator.

The statement argued that Abyei was established the under 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement while Boma came into existence under the term of a peace agreement which the government had reached with David Yau Yau’s cobra, a faction of South Sudan Democratic Movement under the overall leadership of former rebel leader, Gen George Athor Deng.

Further, Atak said that his group supported the creation of Ruweng as an administrative area, pointing to the decision being temporary and that it should not create an obstacle to the implementation of the revitalized peace agreement in the country.

“We also concur with the view that sees Ruweng as a special need deserving a temporal administrative status pending a long-lasting solution to its concern,” he said.

He further called to focus now on the implementation of the security arrangements which is vital for the transitional to avoid a collapse of the peace enforcement process as it was the case in 2005.

(ST)