The South Sudanese government proposed on Monday that the venue for peace talks be changed, citing the political situation in neighbouring Ethiopia which has been hosting the talks since the conflict broke out in late 2013.
Peter Oyoyo Kleto, SPLM/A IO Deputy Representative to Tanzania told news agency, Sudan Tribune that the Juba government’s intention is to spoil the peace process.
“The claim that there is a political instability in Ethiopia cannot be a reason to change the venue,” said Kleto.
“First of all the demonstrations in the Oromia and Amhara regions in Ethiopia are never a threat to the Ethiopian government”
“In any case the file can be handed over to the African Union and the UN instead of trying to transfer the venue to some of those countries they mention which we all know are less stable than Ethiopia”
Kleto stresses that the government’s strategy to move the venue to one of the countries has a deliberate objectives which among he mentioned was to secretly cooperate with the leadership of the new host country to deny visas to some of the officials they want not to participate in the talks,
He also argued that moving the venue also intends to dictate their political positions on the oppositions with the full support of the host country.
It further targets “to arrest, assassinate and deport to Juba whoever they deem to be a threat to their unpopular policies”
“All these activities will never happen in Ethiopia. I am calling on IGAD member states to reject this crazy proposal to move the venue outside of Ethiopia”
“The other point I would like to make clear to all South Sudanese is that we all fought for this country for over 50 years and achieved our independence on July 9th, 2011, I see no reason why we should be fighting each other after achieving our independence”
“What is important now is to end the war and suffering of our people. The time for blame game is over”
He called upon the people on the government side under President Salva Kiir to be serious about ending the war.
“We need the other side of the coin Under president Salva Kiir to reciprocate the spirit so that the immense suffering of our people is brought to an end”.
“It is very shameful to see that it is outsiders who are more concern about the suffering of our people more than we the sons and daughters of this great country called the Republic of South Sudan.
“The fact that foreigners are more concern about the suffering of our people alone should have been enough for us to end this war without being pressured by anyone. We in the SPLM/A IO have one objective, and that is to end the war and suffering of our people and we are very committed to this noble position”.
STALLED TALKS
South Sudan peace talks stalled last month over a text, mediators and opposition officials wanted to be added to a provision that authorizes levying punitive measures against individuals who violate the peace process.
The second phase of the High-level Revitalization Forum under the auspices of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) was held in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa from 5-16 February.
The second phase mainly discussed the implementation of a permanent cease-fire, which was part of the 2015 peace agreement; elaborate a revised and realistic timeline and a schedule towards general elections at the end of the interim period.
South Sudan has been mired in conflict between the government Kiir and rebels led by ex-Vice President Riek Machar since December 2013. The conflict has killed tens of thousands and displaced almost over 2 million people from their homes, including over a million refugees who fled to neighbouring nations.
