The Anyuak community in Juba urged the rival parties to handle the impasse over the number of states with circumspection in order not to return the country to war.
Speaking to Radio Tamazuj on Friday, John Opiew Olok, the chairperson of the Akobo Anyuak Community in Juba said the government and opposition groups should hold consultations with minority tribes in the country as they plan to decide on the number of states and their boundaries in January.
Opiew, who is also a lawmaker in the Akobo State legislative assembly, said the Anyuak community backs creation of more states to address grievances of the minority groups.
“As a community, we are not benefiting from the 32 states. Our boundaries were encroached into and our voice does not count, because we were divided into Akobo and Boma states,” Opiew said.
He added, “We want more states even if it goes to 50 so that we get ours. But if there is a reduction of states, then rights and grievances of minority tribes should be addressed, and any discussion on the number of states should involve all South Sudanese communities.”
The community leader urged President Salva Kiir and opposition leader Riek Machar to form the unity government by mid-February.
President Kiir and opposition leaders missed the November 12 deadline to form a unity government and agreed to give themselves another 100 days to address the outstanding issues and then form the government in February.
Last week, Kiir and Machar ended days of meetings without breaking a deadlock over the number of states and their boundaries.
Both sides however expressed hope that South Africa’s Deputy President David Mabuza, who mediates the talks on the number of states and their boundaries, could play a big role in bridging the divergent viewpoints of the rival parties in January.