President Kiir jokes with Dr. Lam Akol as Madam Awut Achuil looks on in total awe and President Bashir chuckles away, June 22, 2018, in Addis Ababa
Friday, June 22, 2018 (PW) — “One outstanding point that needs to be clarified to the people of South Sudan is that President Salva Kiir is not ready—he is not ready in anyway—to work with Riek Machar in the next transitional period. This is simply because we have had enough of him since 91, 2013, 2016. All these are problems caused by Dr Riek Machar to the people of South Sudan. So many people lost their lives, so many people are refugees, so many people are displaced, and we don’t want that scenario to repeat itself again. We don’t want Juba to be deserted. We want our people to live in peace and harmony. Riek Machar should wait for elections and that is our position. Riek Machar is welcomed, he is a South Sudanese citizen, he can come to South Sudan but [President Salva Kiir] will not be working with him in the would-be transitional government of national unity. When President Salva Kiir agreed that Riek Machar should come here, the agreement between him and Ethiopia’s Prime Minister is that as soon as they finish the meeting, Riek Machar goes back to South Africa. But as of now his status seems to be under discussion now by the summit, so we will know what the final position of the summit is. But our position has been that if he is not going to South Africa, then the decision of IGAD heads of states and governments should be implemented. And that is if he is not going to South Africa then he should be in one of those states that is not a member of IGAD and not neighbouring South Sudan. You should understand that there is a difference between face-to-face talks and between greeting one another. Politically, we don’t want Riek Machar, but he is a South Sudanese, so socially we interact with him.”
Courtesy of The National Courier
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