March 4, 2018 (Nyamilepedia) — South Sudan Civil society groups, which are collectively known as the Network of South Sudanese Civil Society Organizations in Uganda (NoSSCOU), organized a public dialogue that attracted over 300 participants from South Sudanese and Ugandan communities to share perspectives on the first and second phases of South Sudan’s High Level Revitalization Forum and IGAD efforts to restore peace in the war-torn South Sudan.
The South Sudanese Civil Society Organizations in Uganda, which organized the Public Dialogue forum on March 2nd, comprises of the International Youth for Africa(IYA) and Konrad-Adenauer Stiftung (KAS).
According to Ter Manyang Gatwech, the Executive Director of International Youth for Africa (IYA), the theme of the dialogue was to understand the High Level Revitalization Forum and IGAD mediation role on South Sudan Peace process.
“The discussion brought together 400 participants the South Sudanese communities living in Kampala and Ambassador to Uganda, SPLM-IO representative, Civil Society groups, Religious leaders, women, youth, Ugandan nationals and Community leaders.” Manyang said.
Manyany assures that the opinions expressed will be presented to IGAD mediators ahead of the next round of discussions which are expected to resume in three weeks in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
After the discussion, Ter concludes that the parties are still far from making compromises and chances of striking a deal in the next remains uncertain.
The civil society groups call on the parties to be more flexible for the sake of their country and their people.
“One approach can’t work, we need to be flexible, the mediators have tried, it’s up to s. Sudanese to decide whether the mediation should deliver, what other options we can bring in to ensure that we achieve sustainable peace in South Sudan.” Ter Manyang said.
“Both the opposition and gov’t have no common cause[grounds] and this has made it difficult for example gov’t wants to retain the number of states and even increase and yet the opposition wants to reduce it to 10 states.” Ter continued.
