September 4th 2018 (Nyamilepedia) – South Sudanese refugees from six African countries are set to meet the South Sudan parties negotiating an end to the Africa’s bloodiest conflict in the Sudanese capital Khartoum according to the UNHCR.
This dialogue, according to the UN refugee agency, will help ensure that refugee voices continue to play a vital role in the revitalized peace efforts to end the country’s devastating civil war.
“Following the conclusion of “revitalized peace agreement negotiations” on August 30th, some 16 South Sudanese refugees across six countries will now sit down with all parties involved in the talks today (Tuesday Sep 4) in Sudan’s capital, Khartoum,” the UNHCR said.
According to the UNHCR, the refugees who flew in from the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda and Sudan, will share their views, aspirations and expectations and to urge participants to find peace for the millions of South Sudanese, like themselves, whose lives have been uprooted by the conflict.
“The talks mark a significant moment in the long quest for lasting peace for the people of South Sudan,” said Arnauld Akodjenou, the Special Adviser to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees on the South Sudan Situation.
The agency urges for the dissemination of the revitalized peace agreement to South Sudanese people inside the country and to refugees living in exile, so that the people most affected by the war, can understand, support and own the peace process.
“The refugee representatives in Khartoum will serve to remind the world of the human toll that continues every day there is not peace in South Sudan,” it said adding “They can also become strong peace advocates by spreading the word to refugee communities where they live, or upon return to South Sudan if they voluntarily plan to do so.”
Since the start of the conflict in 2013, some 2.4 million people have fled South Sudan – the world’s youngest nation – as refugees and another 1.8 million are internally displaced inside the country.
Civilians have fled extreme violence, human rights abuses and unimaginable levels of sufferings according to many international human rights groups.
The Government of Sudan, and the East African regional bloc, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development IGAD are helping the UN agency and partners in hosting the visiting refugee representatives.
