By As the South Sudan peace talks in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia hit the sixth day, the South Sudan delegations refuse to sign the Declaration of Principles’ document, after citing concerns regarding one of the Articles in the agreement.
The talks in Addis are meant to see to it that the long lived civil war in South Sudan ends, by settling the issues with the two fighting parties of the country’s Government led by Salva Kiir and the rebels’ group led by Riekh Machar, and have them sig the peace agreement.
Article 28 of the agreement, which led to the South Sudan delegates not signing the document, calls for taking punitive measures against individuals who block implementation of the revived peace deal.
In addition to strict punishments for individuals or warring parties that would continue violating the Cessation of Hostilities and Permanent Ceasefire agreements, DOP would also ensures that the current transitional parliament is cut down from about 600 members of the Parliament, to less than 200 MPs.
According to the South Sudan delegates, the mediators and facilitators of the sitting had earlier on Thursday announced that the signing of the DOP agreement was optional and that it was up to each party to decide whether to sign. In this sense, the Government’s delegates said that since they do not acknowledge the Article, then they are not obligated to signing the agreement, Michael Makuei Lueth, South Sudan’s information minister and spokesman informed.
Makuei said the government delegation wants Article 28 removed from the declaration.
‘There is no reason for us to sign such a document in which there is a provision which incriminates and which is irrelevant and which is not a principle,’ the information minister said.
Hon. Makuei Lueth says he is astonished of why America wants potential peace spoilers to sign up for sanctions and other punitive actions when he was never consulted to consent to his sanctions before America sanctioned him.
‘When they, the Americans, declared the sanctions on me, did they ask me to sign that document, why now?’ asked Hon. Michael Makuei Lueth.
However, the rebels of the Sudan Peoples’ Liberation Movement in Opposition (SPLM IO), loyal to Riek Machar, issued a statement Friday affirming their commitment to ending violence in South Sudan.
Sources show that except the TGNU faction, the main armed oppositions, political oppositions, faith based Organizations, civil society and other stakeholders have signed the Declaration of Principles and acknowledge it.
Different sources also explained that the Salva Kiir administration refused to settle for nothing less than more weapons, more parliamentarians but less punishment for peace spoilers, war crimes and crimes against humanity.
Reporter: Shamilah Namuddu