Holdout groups call for peace talks with new government in South Sudan

February 24, 2020 (JUBA) – The holdout South Sudan Opposition Movements Alliance (SSOMA) on Monday called on the transitional national unity government to negotiate with them to achieve sustainable peace in the country.

The call comes two days after the appointment of the first vice-president and the four vice-presidents as the first step in the formation of the transitional national unity government tasked with the implementation of the revitalized peace pact during the coming 36months.

Achieving sustainable peace in South Sudan requires to address the root cause of the crisis not a distribution of political positions, said the alliance.

“SSOMA would like to reiterate to all the people of South Sudan that sustainable peace cannot be achieved without resolving the root causes of the conflict in the country,” SSOMA said in a statement extended to Sudan Tribune.

“We encourage the new transitional government, R-TGoNU to use this opportunity to engage in real and substantive negotiations on the way forward to achieve peace in South Sudan,” further stressed the holdout alliance.

The SSOMA and the government of President Salva Kiir last January signed the Roma Declaration for peace in South Sudan within the framework of a process mediated by t the religious community of Sant’Egidio.

Furthermore, they recommitted themselves to the cessation of hostilities on 14 February.

The SSOMA includes the Real Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (R-SPLM), National Salvation Front (NAS). South Sudan United Front (SSUF) and the United Democratic Revolutionary Movement/Army (UNDRM/A), National Democratic Movement-PF (NDM-PF), and Sudan National Movement for Change (SSNMC).

(ST)