Juba Accuses Washington of Undermining the Revitalization Forum in Addis Ababa

Will the Revitalisation Forum’s Third Session Brings Peace Back to South Sudan?

By Hon Arop Madut Arop, Oxford, UK

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Wednesday, 09 May 2018 (PW) — In accordance to the High Level Revitalisation Forum (HLRF) envisaged time line (December 2017), the year 2018 would be spent in discussing successfully, two main items: Declaration of Permanent Ceasefire, adoption of the type of governance through which the world youngest nation would be governed till the end of the transitional period. If the second meeting was to resolve these two main items, according to the Revitalisation Forum, a more realistic and acceptable time line would be worked out and signed.

It was also stressed that, if the upcoming second meeting would succeed, the year 2019 would be spent for the repatriation and resettlement of refugees from the neighbouring countries and the return of the Internal Displaced People inside the country back to their homes of origin. The year 2020 would also be spent on the conduct of national consensus. The remaining years; 2021 and 2023, would be for the drawing up of electoral constituencies and the conduct of internationally supervised general elections after which the elected government would assume office in 2023.

Accordingly, the second meeting was convened on February 5. Encouragingly, the parties and the stakeholders agreed virtually on the existence of the 2015 Agreement of the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan (ARCSS), which was the object of the Revitalisation process. But as all and sundry were expecting some kind of a revitalised deal during the second meeting in February, things fell apart because the opposition Alliance reportedly, demanded that the incumbent, President General Kiir Mayardit and the leader of SPLM IO, Dr Riek Machar, should be excluded from any transitional government that would be put in place.

For your information, President Kiir is not going anywhere any time soon

By Pal Chol Nyan, Juba, South Sudan 

A jovial President Salva Kiir and SPLM-IO Chief Negotiator Taban Deng

Wednesday, May 09, 2018 (PW) — It must be made unequivocally clear that President is a man of peace. He is staying and will continue to do. The detractors have to get this point clear. If we need peace, it will come from him and based on his decisions.

Let me hope the next round of talks shall not be about positions; but to discuss how to go about ceasing all forms of hostilities and addressing the root causes of the conflict; and eventually bring peace.

The country is but left in a pool of debts by the former comrades. That has now brought this worst economic situation. They didn’t deliver on their promises to serve when they took oath of office before you. Their tenure has all the way been chaotic. South Sudan is not them and neither are they. 

CEPO appeals to warring parties in the Addis Consultation to compromise for peace

CEPO press release: Appeal for South Sudan Parties at the Consultative meeting in Addis Ababa – May 11-12, 2018 — Ethiopia, to Make Compromises for Peace to Prevail in South Sudan.

MR. EDMUND YAKANI BERIZILIOUS is the Executive Director of the Community Empowerment for Progress Organization (CEPO), a Juba-based South Sudanese civil society organization.

Wednesday, May 09, 2018 (PW) — The Inter-governmental Authority on Development on May 7^th, 2018 invited key five representatives of each of the South Sudan parties to go to Ethiopia for consultations from May 10^th to 12^th, 2018. The IGAD Council of Ministers has decided to intensify its engagement with the parties with a view to identifying possible options for unlocking the stalemate during the next peace talks.

Community Empowerment for Progress Organization appreciate IGAD for decision of conducting consultations prior the next phase of HLRF scheduled for 17^th to 21^st May, 2018. It is good approach for making next phase of HLRF successful. CEPO is strongly calling upon the South Sudan parties to take this opportunity serious and demonstrate to the citizens that they are responsible enough to opt out of war/violence.

The primary responsibility of making peace prevail is at the hands of the South Sudanese parties. The violence is the option and it never gains. This is clear opportunity IGAD offer for them to tell the citizens that they do care about the citizens suffering and they are ready to stop the violence and opt to sort out their political difference without harming the citizens.