May 4th 2019 (Nyamilepedia) – South Sudan opposition groups have reiterated their commitment to the full implementation of the revitalized peace agreement signed in September last year.
This came after the government meeting with various opposition groups in Addis Ababa agreed to a key rebel demand of extending the pre-transitional period to November this year.
On Friday, government and opposition delegates in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa agreed to extend the pre-transitional period for six months after the parties acknowledged that key provisions in the agreement regarding the pre-transitional period are not completed.
Speaking to reporters at the venue of the meeting in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa on Friday, SPLM-IO deputy chairperson, Hendry D. Odwar said his group is committed to the implementation – in letter and spirit – of the revitalized peace agreement.
“It’s up to us now to make sure that we have the will to implement the peace in later and spirit, as IO, we have been for peace, and we are committed to it,” he said.
For his part, the Secretary-General of South Sudan Opposition Alliance (SSOA) faction led by late General Peter Gatdet, Dr. Lam Akol Ajawin, said they welcome the decision by the government of President Salva Kiir to inject more funds to the implementation of the agreement.
“We are happy and grateful to the government for having pledged more financial resources toward the implementation of this task because the question of the money was the obstacle from very beginning apart from others but the main obstacle was the issue of the money,” Dr. Lam said.
For his part, Changson Gabriel Chang, a de facto leader of the SSOA said the parties decided to extend the pre-transitional period because they could not form the government on May 12th 2019 as scheduled because many issues have not been completed.
“We could not form the government on the 12th of May because important issues on the security arrangement, the issue of states, and the constitution have not been delivered, and therefore, we have to give ourselves time to deliver them in the extended period of six months,” he said.
Government ready for peace implementation
For his part, information minister and government spokesman, Michael Makuei Lueth, said his government is ready for peace implementation and asked a journalist whether his delegation would be in Addis Ababa if the government in Juba is not ready for peace.
“What do you mean by ‘is government ready?” Makuei asked. If we were not ready we would not be here in Addis Ababa.”
