Sunday, September 06, 2015

South Sudan’s Ruling SPLM to Prioritize Unity
September 3, 2015

JUBA. — South Sudan’s governing Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) would make reconciliation, unity and forgiveness a top priority during the transitional period of the government of national unity, a leading official said on Tuesday. Former South Sudanese cabinet affairs minister, Deng Alor Kuol, said Tuesday the work of the secretary-general of the SPLM, Pagan Amum, as chief administrator in the party, would be dedicated to organising the party.

“The launch of the national reconciliation would be the priority of the SPLM leadership during the transitional period. This work will be spearheaded and supported by the entire secretariat and the leadership of the SPLM to achieve peace, unity, reconciliation and forgiveness,” Kuol told Sudan Tribune in an exclusive interview.

“I am sure comrade Pagan Amum in his capacity as the secretary-general will devote time and energy to overseeing any initiative aimed at uniting the party, uniting the ranks of the leadership and our people,” he said.

The leading official underscored that the recently signed peace accord should not be read as a reward or return to the status quo but rather an opportunity to allow the ruling party to correct itself and accept their actions.

“There can be no agreement with provisions satisfying the wants and desires of all the parties. Agreements the world over are a means of resolving problems. They are not the end to the problem. We all have to talk about peace and always nurture it for us to success as a nation. We should not let revenge rule our lives,” he added.

While stressing on the significance of the plan for national reconciliation, he left details vague on the precise timetable for foreign troops to withdraw from the country, and laws disqualifying former members of the party who may be found to have masterminded and played an important role in fomenting the conflict from important jobs.

He also failed to offer a clear view on any strategy for disarming the militias, which are currently seen as the greatest security threat.

Observers are keen to note that any amnesty for militants will not apply to people who have perpetrated violent acts but would not be possible without mutually transformative engagement with partner organizations and leaders who provide various gifts and resources to the initiative.

He urged state residents to prioritise peace and provide support in the implementation of the peace deal which President Salva Kiir had signed, saying it provided an opportunity to resolving the differences and putting the country on the right path instead of putting personal ambition and interests to jeopardise efforts to bring peace to the country, following the signing of regional backed peace deal.

— Sudan Tribune.

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