IGAD Peace Talks Resumes as Salva Kiir Arrives in Washington!

August 4, 2014(Nyamilepedia) — The most awaited South Sudanese peace talks have resumed in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, as Salva Kiir arrives in Washington, DC, on Monday, 2014.

According to IGAD, the multi-stakeholders round table peace talks started will all relevant parties presented, except the head of civil society, Deng Athuai Mawiir, who survives an assassination attempt in Juba on Friday.

“Delegations of the Government of the Republic of South Sudan, SPLM/A – In opposition, SPLM Leaders (Former Detainees), political parties as well as civil society and faith-based organizations are in attendance.” reads the IGAD summary.

Mr. Athuai, the chairman of South Sudan’s Civil Society Alliance (SSCSA) and head of Civil Society Delegation to the peace talks, was rushed to hospital for intensive care and surgery to remove the bullet after an encounter with unknown gunman.

The talks were postponed last week because the government delegation couldn’t attend peace talks during Eid El Fitr.

In addition, the delegation was speculated to have stranded in Juba on Friday due to logistical reasons, which overshadowed the today’s resumption. Reports allege that the government couldn’t afford the tickets for the delegation to Addis Ababa.

According to IGAD, the key agenda of this session is to finalize and sign the Cessation of Hostilities Matrix and negotiations on details of the Transitional Government of National Unity (TGoNU).

Salva Kiir has joined over 45 African presidents in Washington for a three days African-American presidents summit, that is expected to run from Monday to Wednesday.

Before he left, Salva Kiir urged his delegation to attend the peace talks and negotiate in good faith. According to Michael Makuei Lueth, the minister of Information and Broadcasting, the government delegation is prepared to negotiate with all the stakeholders and bring peace because the citizens want it.

“We are going to Addis with full commitment to negotiate with all the stakeholders so that we come back with peace. You know that the president has instructed that we go and come back with peace this time because this is what our people want,” Makuei said.

“Our going back is in line with the commitment of the government to the objective and principle of continuous dialogue as the best way to end this conflict,”Makuei continue.

While heading to the west, however, the president sharply criticized the United States, claiming that the America wants a share from our oil.

Kiir, who is suspicious that the America may use force to bring down his government, believes that force is not the solution because it did not bring peace in Libya, Syria and other countries were the United States supported uprising against the ruling regime.

“When they went into Iraq, what happened? And when they went into Libya, what happened? Now, Syria is going down in flames. We need to sit and have a dialogue instead of using force,” Mr Kiir said in the speech

The president continued by claiming that the west wants are resource saying “What they covet is our resources, it’s this rich land of ours.”

According to Awan Guok Riak, the Minister in the office of the president, the president has just fallen into some traps, meant to fail the current regime.

“The government is being pushed to the wall, and things slide out. It may bring some consequences that nobody likes,” Awan said.

On the same occasion, during the martyrs’ day, the president blasted at his main rival, Dr. Riek Machar, whom he believes he cannot share powers with, again. According to Salva Kiir, South Sudan will be like Syria, Somalia, Central Africa Republic or Libya, should any one dare to question his powers.

Kiir tell his former vice president to accept gubernatorial position in Unity state instead of seeking to form a government with him. Machar and his team have downplayed the remarks.