S. Sudan says separate talks essential for achieving peace Article

[Elisabeth Janaina]

S. Sudan says separate talks essential for achieving peace

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December 26, 2014 (JUBA) - A senior member of South Sudan’s governing
party (SPLM) said separate talks recently held in Arusha, Tanzania
were essential in resolving the country’s conflict.

JPEG - 32 kb
South Sudanese president Salva Kiir (L), Tanzanian president Jakaya
Kikwete (C) and South Sudanese rebel leader Riek Machar (R) pose after
meeting for talks on 20 October 2014 in the northern Tanzanian tourist
town of Arusha (Photo: AFP)

“I am optimistic of the positive outcome of the dialogue. It is a good
beginning. The most important thing now is that we are able to meet,
which is a good gesture for which I must congratulate all of us in the
dialogue,” Daniel Awet Akot said at gathering on Friday.

He said a strong foundation was needed for anything to stand firm.

“When you are meeting someone, you start with the greeting first
before you could say anything, isn’t it?” asked Akot.

“The next stage will be rubbing of shoulders and to start introducing
the agenda and from there we will embark on the whole process”.

A former speaker of the country’s national assembly, Akot was
optimistic the SPLM is capable of resolving the current conflict.

“[The] SPLM is capable of resolving differences through dialogue. If
this has happened, before [then] why not now?” he queried.

According to the official, talks on the intra- Sudan People’s
Liberation Movement (SPLM) conflict will end early next year.

Senior members from three factions of the SPLM convened and wrapped up
two-day talks held in Arusha on 23 and 24 December. At the meeting
were representatives from government, the SPLM in opposition
(SPLM-I-O) and former political detainees.

The talks were suspended without significant progress, but earmarked
to resume on January 5, 2015, during which the three factions would
return to Arusha to continue with the dialogue.

The two sides, in a communiqué, affirmed their commitment to continue
with dialogue as alternative to resolving the conflict which has seen
the country plunged into the worst-ever humanitarian crisis.

Akol Paul Kordit and Duer Tut Duer signed the communiqué on behalf of
government and the SPLM-IO respectively.

“We are convinced that the Intra-SPLM Dialogue can contribute
effectively to resolving the current war; as well as encouraged by the
positive steps made by the delegations to continue with the dialogue”,
partly reads the communiqué seen by Sudan Tribune.

They also recognised that any sustainable peace must be owned by the
people of South Sudan who have borne the brunt of suffering.

“We recommit ourselves once more to the Intra-SPLM Dialogue as a means
to ending the suffering of our people,” adds the document.

Meanwhile, the separate talks taking place in Arusha were facilitated
by Tanzania’s ruling party (CCM), with financial support from
Finland-based Crisis Management Institute (CMI).

(ST)