March 5th 2019 (Nyamilepedia) – South Sudan holdout opposition groups, the South Sudan United Front (SSUF) led by Gen. Paul Malong Awan and the National Salvation Front (NAS) led by Gen. Thomas Cirilo Swaka will join the implementation of the revitalized peace deal, a senior government official said.
South Sudan’s Foreign Minister, Nhial Deng Nhial, said during a press statement at the Juba international airport following the visit by Ethiopian Prime Minister, Dr. Abiy Ahmed, and Eritrean President, Isaias Afeworki to the South Sudanese capital on Monday that the two groups will meet the IGAD special envoy for South Sudan Ismail Wais.
He added that the meeting will first take place in Addis Ababa between the IGAD diplomat and Gen. Thomas Cirilo Swaka and then a different meeting between Wais and Malong will be held in the Kenyan capital Nairobi.
“Actually in the next few days, there is going to be a meeting that will bring together Ambassador Ismail Wais, the Special envoy of IGAD to the Republic of South Sudan with one of the holdout groups that is led by General Thomas Cirilo,” he told journalists at the airport.
He said the effort aimed at making the ongoing South Sudan peace process inclusive to make sure that there is no further fighting in some parts of the country.
“All these are aimed towards making the peace process become as inclusive as possible to make sure that peace return to our country one and for all,” he added.
‘Denounce violence’
However, South Sudan information minister, Michael Makuei Lueth said Malong and Cirilo must first denounce violence before the government admit them to the agreement signed last September.
“They must denounce violence, Cirilo and Malong must first tell us they are not for war and they are for peace,” Makuei said.
