Saturday, January 04, 2014

Abayomi Azikiwe, PANW Editor, Featured on Press TV's Top Five: 'Ethiopia Talks Critical to Peace Process in South Sudan'

Ethiopia talks, critical to peace process: Abayomi Azikiwe

An interview with Abayomi Azikiwe

Fri Jan 3, 2014 2:49PM GMT

To watch this Press TV Top Five news interview with Abayomi Azikiwe, just click on the website below:
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/2014/01/03/343498/ethiopia-talks-critical-to-peace-process/

Press TV has conducted an interview with Abayomi Azikiwe, editor of the Pan-African News Wire, about the warring parties in South Sudan set to be opening ceasefire negotiations to resolve the deadly conflict in the violence-hit African country.

What follows is an approximate transcription of the interview.

Press TV: It seems that you know the rebels seem to be gaining some ground in South Sudan. What are your feelings towards these peace talks that are set to take place in Addis Ababa?

Azikiwe: There is a lot at stake in regards to the peace talks which are scheduled to start in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. They are essential in an any attempt to try to normalize the political and security situation inside of South Sudan particularly in three states which have proved to be a flashpoint for the conflict and that is in Jonglei as well as the state of Upper Equatoria and also in other areas where oil is being produced on a large scale inside of South Sudan.

There has been a state of emergency that has been declared in two states, Unity state which is a large oil producing area as well as Jonglei state where the capital of Bor has been a scene of intense fighting over the last two weeks.

But it is important that both parties be committed to stabilize the political situation inside the country because otherwise what is going to happen is that there is going to be additional United Nations personnel sent into the country and also at least one neighboring state that is Uganda already has troops in South Sudan and it is pledging to send even more troops into the country.

Press TV: I want to speak about the roots of this conflict, briefly if you can tell us. You know I read an article today that said Mr. Kiir was acting authoritarian during his rule recently. Is that true and does he then have some blame to shoulder as well?

Azikiwe: This is a major complaint by his opponents within the Republic of South Sudan, also within the Sudanese People’s Liberation Movement and Army, the SPLM/A. The widow of John Garang, Rebecaa [Garang] made a statement last week after a meeting with President Salva Kiir. She does not approve of the crackdown against the supporters of Riek Machar.

He claims that they were attempting to make some policy changes inside the party and the government and the leader, President Kiir acted in a manner which was less than democratic and of course arresting key figures in the government and in the party who are in opposition to his leadership has also intensified the tensions inside the country but both sides have to come to some type of agreement in order for the fighting to subside because the potential of foreign international intervention and regionalization of this battle is looming as we speak.

So the talks in Ethiopia are going to be critical to this entire peace process.

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