SSOMA responds to UN’s COVID-19 ceasefire request
The South Sudan Opposition Movements Alliance (SSOMA) has responded to the UN Secretary General’s call for an immediate global ceasefire in support of the bigger battle against COVID-19, saying it has resolved to honour and align by the request.
On 23rd March, UN Secretary-General António Guterres urged warring parties across the world to lay down their weapons in support of the bigger battle against COVID-19 – the common enemy that is now threatening all of humankind.
In response, SSOMA noted that it “has already committed/recommitted itself to the Cessation of Hostilities Agreement (COHA) of December 2017,” that was signed in Rome, Italy on 12 January 2020, and that “by this act [recommitting to CoHA], we align with the United Nations (UN) Secretary-General’s call of 23rd March 2020, for an immediate global ceasefire on all hostilities in all conflicts of the world…”
The statement also noted that “SSOMA shall, during the period of COVID-19 pandemic, [be] partnering with relevant bodies to facilitate humanitarian access to our populations by humanitarian agencies such as the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the World Health Organization (WHO) to allow for their work of dissemination of basic health”.
However, SSOMA also cautions that if its positions (and civilians under its control) come under attack during this period, it reserves the rights of self-defence.
The South Sudan Opposition Movements Alliance (SSOMA) comprises of The National Salvation Front (NAS), South Sudan United Front (SSUF), South Sudan National Movement for Change (SSNMC), The Real Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (R-SPLM), National Democratic Movement Patriotic Front (NDM/PF) and the United Democratic Revolutionary Alliance (UDRA).
