SSOMA rejects Kenyan peace mediation, says it is not meant to “discuss the root causes of the conflict”
The South Sudan Opposition Movement Alliance (SSOMA), a coalition of the National Salvation Front (NAS), National Democratic Movement – Patriotic Front (NDM-PF), and the South Sudan National Movement for Change (SSNMC), has issued a statement announcing its non-participation in the Kenyan peace mediation process.
…the current mediation is not to discuss the root causes of the conflict..SSOMA therefore shall not be participating in the Kenyan mediation
SSOMA has been engaged in a four-year peaceful political dialogue with the Revitalized Transitional Government of National Unity (R-TGoNU) in Rome, Italy, under the auspices of Sant’Egidio. This engagement led to the signing of several agreements, including the Rome Declaration and the Declaration of Principles.
However, SSOMA expressed concerns over the government’s delaying tactics and obstruction of discussions about the root causes of the conflict in South Sudan. The last meeting between SSOMA and the R-TGoNU delegation in Rome was in March 2023, where the two sides differed on the agenda.
SSOMA was surprised to learn from social media on 26th December 2023 about the unilateral decision of President Kiir transferring the mediation process to President William Ruto of Kenya. SSOMA believes that Juba wants a venue where the opposition will be intimidated and forced to sign a flawed agreement.
In response to this development, SSOMA communicated its position on the Kenyan peace mediation to President Ruto, requesting for a pre-mediation consultation in Rome, Italy. Despite this, Gen. Lazarous Sumbeiywo sent SSOMA a letter to attend the “South Sudan Mediation Process”.
SSOMA holds that Kenya is not a conducive environment to host the South Sudan peace process due to past incidents of abduction of South Sudanese from Kenyan soil. SSOMA concluded that Kenya is not a suitable venue for a credible peace mediation process.
SSOMA also expressed concerns that the current mediation is not to discuss the root causes of the conflict but to find modalities to implement the R-ARCSS. SSOMA therefore shall not be participating in the Kenyan mediation.
SSOMA remains committed to the Rome Initiative and is ready for a peaceful dialogue to resolve the root causes of the conflict in South Sudan through a Roundtable Conference. SSOMA wishes the President William Ruto’s Kenyan mediation all the best.
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[…] of the opening ceremony, skepticism loomed large. SSOMA, comprising of the main holdout groups, issued a statement announcing its non-participation in the process, asserting that it fails to address the fundamental grievances driving the […]