CEPO UPDATES ON THE OUTCOMES OF THE INTENSIVE INTERLINK CONSULTATIONS
Tuesday, June 19, 2018 (PW) — IGAD intensive interlink consultations that started from 16 through to 18 June, 2018 in Ethiopia-Addis Ababa for South Sudan conflicting parties end up today without remarkable results or narrowing the gaps among the conflicting parties. The parties’ delegates refer the issues to the face to face meeting of President Salva Kiir and Dr. Riek Machar. The parties are clearly so much reserve in making compromises for peace.
Still the parties are standing on their hard positions where the opposition wants TGONU not to maintain the current status quo while TGoNU wants to maintain the current status quo at all level of government. This is the principle of disagreement all along the deliberation on various organs of the government. Therefore the meeting of President Salva Kiir and Dr. Riek Machar is the political penalties kick for making peace to prevail or violence continue. The Government offers new proposal on parliament and state government responsibility sharing.
The proposals are
- Parliament size
- Government proposed: an increase of the current Parliament by 25% which means 100 seats more to make it parliament of 500 seats. The 100 seats will be share as 70% to the SPLM-IO and 30% to the other groups.
- Opposition Groups : SPLM-IO and opposition groups rejected the proposal
- Opposition Groups proposed: The current national parliament to be dissolve and reconstitution upon an agreement on its size.
- Government: Rejected the proposal. The government called the opposition proposal as “Redline”
- Responsibility Sharing at Central Government
- Government proposed: Allocate 30% of power to all opposition groups at the national level
- Opposition Groups: Did not accepted the decision of the government
- Responsibility Sharing at State Government level
- Government proposed : At state level, 80% is for the government and 20% for the opposition in the executive only while the state parliament remained it is per the currently (Status quo maintenances).
- Opposition Groups: Did not accept the proposal
The three day deliberations have not gained any remarkable progress on resolving the outstanding issues for revitalizing ARCSS chapter 1 and 2 contested articles on Governance and security arrangement
CEPO Remarks
The meeting of President Salva Kiir and Dr. Riek Machar scheduled for 20th June, 2018 is a real great opportunity for paving the pathway for peace in South Sudan. It is the golden moment for making compromises for peace and stability. All the hope of the citizen for peace is demanding on the outcome of the President Salva Kiir and Dr. Riek Machar face-to-face meeting.
20th June, 2018 is moment of salvation or depression for the citizens. IGAD chairperson should ensure that the essential compromises for making HLRF successful is totally demanding on the meeting of President Salva Kiir and Dr. Riek Machar. The delegates from phase of HLRF to Intensive interlink Consultations all maintain same positions that are harder and hindering any move forward.
The parties have clearly shown their position resolving their political difference. The approach each party is taking is win-lost approach not win-win approach. This is dangerous for the citizens. IGAD should unitize President Salva Kiir and Dr. Riek Machar meeting for gaining win-win approach.