Government of South Sudan Pulls out of the Addis Ababa Peace Talks
Breaking News: Special Council of Minister’s meeting made five (5) decisions
By Baak V. A. Wol
Following a special Council of Ministers meeting today, Friday, 14 August 2015, attended by Presidential Advisors, National Minister, members of the SPLM Political Bureau, Heads of Independent Commissions, Heads of South Sudan Political Parties, Governors of all the ten (10) States of South Sudan, Chief Administrators of Abyei & Pibor, senior members of the National Legislative Assembly and members of the Council of States, etc. the meeting decided the following:
1. To recall back Hon. Nhial Deng Nhial to come and brief H. E. the President in Juba on the progress at the peace talks in Addis Ababa – Ethiopia (NOT THE WHOLE NEGOTIATING TEAM AS REPORTED BY REBELS ON INTERNET);
2. To postpone the visit of H. E. President Salva Kiir Mayardit to Ethiopia until such time when he has been fully briefed and clarity has been established on all the issues raised by the government’s side with IGAD-plus mediators and the rebels;
3. To delegate the Vice President of the Republic H. E. James Wani Igga to travel to Ethiopia following comprehensive briefings in Juba by the government’s Chief negotiator, in-order to (a) Represent the President at the IGAD Head of States & Government’s meeting, and (b) to establish certain facts from the IGAD-plus mediators and the rebels, paving the way for a visit by H. E. President Salva Kiir to Ethiopia at a latter date;
4. To ascertain from IGAD-plus mediators if the points agreed at the recent meeting of the Heads of States & Governments in Uganda has been incorporated fully into the proposed compromised agreement, as was agreed;
5. To solicit assurances from the IGAD-plus mediators and the clarifications from rebels on the recent unfortunate developments in the rebels camp (i.e. split by 13 army generals from Riek’s rebellion), and to ascertain if any signed peace agreement with one faction of the rebels will really bring a lasting peace to South Sudan, and if not – than what is the new way forward.
The government wants to assure all South Sudanese and members of the International Community that it is committed 100% to the IGAD-Plus peace process, and will stay the course until a just and a lasting peace is attained in South Sudan.
The government takes this opportunity to appeal for patient and understanding from all concerned parties, as negotiations may now take a longer period before they bear fruits. Nevertheless, Peace negotiations and trust building are complex processes that cannot, and should not be rushed under threats of any kind, as time must be allowed for parties to discuss and agree on all the salient issues, so that the final product will be truly owned and implemented faithfully by the negotiators.
Peace cannot be imposed by external actors, because it will soon collapse and a return to war will be more costly than maintaining the current state of affairs.
South Sudan government is seriously seeking a peaceful resolution to the conflict with the rebels, but it must be a just and enduring peace – that will not compromise on the territorial integrity or sovereignty of an independent Republic of South Sudan.
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South Sudan suspends peace talks despite sanctions threat
South Sudan’s civil war began in December 2013 when Kiir accused his former deputy Riek Machar of planning a coup, setting off a cycle of retaliatory killings that has split the poverty-stricken, landlocked country along ethnic lines.
Regional mediators, backed by US President Barack Obama during his recent visit to Ethiopia, gave Kiir and Machar until August 17 to halt the civil war.
On Tuesday however, top rebel generals said they had split from Machar, accusing him of seeking power for himself, and adding they would not recognise any deal agreed.
Obama has warned Kiir and Machar that if they failed to strike a deal the US will “move forward with a different plan, and recognize that those leaders are incapable of creating the peace that is required.”
– Massacres and rape –
The war has been characterised by ethnic massacres and rape. Recent attacks have included castration, burning people alive and tying children together before slitting their throats.
Over 70 percent of the country’s 12 million people need assistance, while 2.2 million people have fled their homes the UN says, with areas on the brink of famine.
Possible punitive measures could include an arms embargo and targeted sanctions including travel bans and asset freezes.
The latest round of talks opened on August 6, mediated by the regional eight-nation bloc IGAD, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development, as well as the United Nations, African Union, China and the “troika” of Britain, Norway and the United States.
Envoys have said international patience has run out.
“Everything is on the table: arms embargo, sanctions targeting not only the military but also the political level, and an intervention force,” one diplomat in Addis Ababa said.
“It is hard to understand the leaders’ ambivalence for the suffering of their people,” another diplomat said.
But others warned sanctions might have little impact. The UN last month blacklisted six commanders — three generals from each side — but that has apparently had little impact on the war.
– ‘Time to hide their money’ –
“They have been warned about sanctions for the last four months,” said Berouk Mesfin from the Institute for Security Studies think tank in Ethiopia.
“Don’t you think they’ve had the time to prepare and hide their money? The borders are porous and they have enough weapons at their disposal.”
Lobong, governor of Eastern Equatoria, one the country’s 10 states, dismissed the threat of sanctions.
“In peace talks, you don’t give condition, you don’t give intimidation,” he told reporters, warning to do so would lead to “an agreement that will not last.”
During previous peace talks held in luxury Ethiopian hotels, Kiir, Machar and their entourages have run up millions of dollars in expenses while failing to sign a single lasting agreement.
At least seven ceasefires have been agreed and then broken within days, if not hours.
“Bringing about peace is a process, requires time and is expensive – and it is better to go slowly but surely, rather than rush and sign a peace that will create problems,” Lobong added.
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