February 14th 2020 (Nyamilepedia) – South Sudan opposition groups who are signatories to the revitalized peace agreement signed in September 2018 have refused to take part in a government-organized consultative meeting on the number and boundaries of states.
President Salva Kiir last week requested a five-day break from the regional bloc, IGAD, to return back to Juba from Addis Ababa so that he consult his government on a regional proposal which seek to abolish the country’s 32 states.
Kiir then invited partners in peace including other signatories to the revitalized peace agreement, the SPLM-IO, South Sudan Opposition Alliance (SSOA) as well as Other Political Parties (OPP).
However, a senior SPLM-IO member who spoke to Nyamilepedia said from Juba that the main armed opposition group has refused to join the meeting because – he said – their position was clear.
“We don’t want to be part of the consultative meeting being organized by President Salva,” the opposition member said.
“We already have our position: We won’t accept the unity government formation unless the country is either returned to ten states or the 32 are decreased based on the meeting of the IGAD,” the official said.
Another opposition figure belonging to the South Sudan Opposition Alliance (SSOA) said they “have refused to take part in the consultative meeting called upon by President Salva Kiir because we already have our position on the states.”
