South Sudan’s Kiir to prioritise peace over personal ambitions
Elisabeth Janaina
South Sudan’s Kiir to prioritise peace over personal ambitions
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May 29, 2017 (JUBA) - South Sudan President Salva Kiir has vowed to prioritise peace in the country and that his administration would silence guns and focus on reconciliation, forgiveness and harmony.
- President Salva Kiir adresses a joint press conference on 9 July 2016 (Reuters Photo)
The Presidential Adviser on Military Affairs, Daniel Awet Akot said the South Sudanese leader welcomed and lauded efforts made by regional leaders to put the country on the path of peace and tranquillity by exploring all possibilities to end the three-year war in the young nation.
"Peace has been the top agenda on the table the president from day one. He talks peace every day and I am glad to reiterate that the president continues to explore other ways and emphasise on the importance of pursuing the peace process with all groups fighting the government,” Akot told Sudan Tribune on Monday.
“It is in this context [that] he commended the efforts of President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda and other leaders in the region for their efforts to help find amicable ways to end the war as the first priority", he added.
According to the South Sudan ruling party official, development can only happen if there is peace and order and security in an area.
Akot said the recent meeting in Uganda, which attempted to bring the different factions of the ruling party together had succeeded in recommitting the factions to pursuing peaceful efforts and stop the war.
"All of us have agreed in our meeting in Kampala to stop the war so that peace returns to the country. We also agreed that those who are still pursuing war as the means of presenting their issues needs to be engaged to denounce violence and join the dialogue process", he stressed.
It, however, remains unclear what approach South Sudan government intends to use to consolidate efforts to end its conflict.
Meanwhile, the spokesman for the presidency, Ateny Wek Ateny said the South Sudan leader was also briefed by both members of the country’s ruling party (SPLM) in government and the armed opposition (SPLM-IO) faction allied to First Vice President, Taban Deng Gai.
The briefing, Ateny told reporters Monday, was about the reunification meeting held in Uganda. The delegation was led by the Acting SPLM Secretary General, Jema Nunu Kumba and Dhieu Mathok Wol, the secretary general of the SPLM-IO faction loyal to Gai.
"This was an important briefing because it was about in Entebbe. That meeting as you know was on the SPLM reunification. The meeting was called by the President of Uganda Yoweri Kaguta Museveni,” said Ateny, adding, “The meeting brought together all the different factions of the SPLM and they all agreed to recommit themselves to reunifying the SPLM and stop the war".
During the meeting held in Entebbe, Uganda, South Sudan’s Former Political Detainees (FDs), a faction of the ruling SPLM party, declined to sign a new agreement for the SPLM reunification negotiated in a meeting brokered by Museveni.
A document Sudan Tribune obtained instead called for the formation of a committee from the SPLM-In-Government of President Kiir, SPLM-in-Opposition led by the First Vice President and the FDs led by the former SPLM secretary general Pagan Amum.
In January 2015, the SPLM factions, including the armed opposition led by Riek Machar, agreed in Arusha, Tanzania to reunite, but the process has since halted.
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29 May 22:07, by Mr. Right
The word PEACE sounds really nice but peace without action is futile. If I were Mr. Cow boy, I would give peace a chance by stepping down even if that means appointing another Dinka or my relative.
That way Mr. President, I assure you as you always stressed, peace would hover over Junubins in a blink of an eye. Can’t you see the country is heading into abyss??
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29 May 23:57, by Mr Point
Kier broke the peace in 2013 when he split the SPLM and tried to imprison the FDs, tried to murder Machar.
Now so many civilians are starving or are refugees. Food is scarce and prices are high. The army is well armed and civilians are frightened. The actions of the security force prevents peace.
How will Kiir find his way to work under the constitutional law? -
30 May 11:23, by jubaone
Peace ? is a deed and not an idea
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30 May 03:12, by Naath
Dinka gang leader Kiir is visionless with evil heart. He enjoys the death of South Sudanese like he is eating their flesh.
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30 May 03:18, by Mike Mike
Peace is what are yearning for to achieve in SS then to be engaged in war that have no benefit to any of us here. Whoever is not willing in peace is not actually a true SS because what is in the hearts of our people now is peace and nothing else that they badly in need to get at the moment. I really urges the four factions of the SPLM to come together to rescue the nation from collapsing.
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30 May 06:30, by Eastern
What Akot said is not entirely true. As you know, the war is not between Kiir, Taban and Amum. The war raging in South Sudan causing untold sufferings is BETWEEN KIIR AND DR. MACHAR’S SPLA-IO. Any meaningful efforts aimed at pacifying South Sudan must strive to INCLUDE ALL PARTIES to the national catastrophe!
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30 May 09:33, by Mr Point
Eastern is entirely correct.
It is no good talking peace and not to talk to one of the main armed groups. It is as nonsensical as 2015 when Kiir agreed the peace deal "with reservations". All the time he was plotting to lure Machar to Juba and massacre Riek’s bodyguards.
History shows that when Kiir talks peace he is really plotting a surprise attack.
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30 May 06:45, by Tilo
Mr. President you have mentioned several times that you are for peace however your action doesn’t describe or imitate peace in anyway. Today you say this, tomorrow that, You are a big joke to SS, you either action your words or better keep quiet cow boy.
We all know who can bring peace in the country but they are not involve in the peace process.
Plz sort out your difference & bring peace in SS -
30 May 06:56, by jur_likang_a_ likan’g
What a piece of lip service !!
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30 May 07:41, by Rami Tot
the ruthless president is talking peace over personal ambition forgetting that he is the one that has that character of personal ambition/ethnic ambition, step down therefore we will know that you mean your words
you can not just say as if think we know your dull by the way the cow boy is exploiting his dullness over his bad did really, the president know that people know him is stupid and exploit
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30 May 09:01, by Sunday Junup
Mike Mike,
No body rejected peace rather than Kiir himself. If he really needs peace, why he refuse to implement CPAII? Remember his speech in Yie, during SPLM meeting and opening of ND, those speeches contradicted to what you fool Awet said here. Kiir said he needs peace with out Riak Machar, do you think it is not personal ambition? -
30 May 09:30, by quiz
haha, person ambition. plz, Kiir & ur advisors, don,t joke wiz the nation. you can not make dialogue with ur friends and you call it nantional dailogue, you can not see 1 tree in the desert and you call it forest.we know zt you bankrupt zt Y u r begging money from Int,lt communities to support ur famillies in abroads in the name of fake national dailogue. continue....
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30 May 09:49, by quiz
HO,My God why you left us these greedies SPLM/A members. our people who cared for this nation die during struggle and left us only(Thonaliek/cam jiey) those who knowns only thier mouths. peace wiz out Dr.Riek will never happen in S.S.Taban and all Nuer who are supporting him are the food lovers across Nuer. U ,ld never see thier forces until the coming of jesus crisis.they would always decives Kii
HO,My God why you left us these greedies SPLM/A members. our people who cared for this nation die during struggle and left us only(Thonaliek/cam jiey) those who knowns only thier mouths. peace wiz out Dr.Riek will never happen in S.S.Taban and all Nuer who are supporting him are the food lovers across Nuer. U ,ld never see thier forces until the coming of jesus crisis.they would always decives Kii