South Sudan’s former detainees group has pulled out of the opposition alliance at the ongoing intra-South Sudanese talks in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa.
The South Sudan parties have decided to continue with political dialogue to build trust and to discuss their differences in a closed-door dialogue meeting on Friday and Saturday. The intra-South Sudanese talks are mediated by religious leaders.
The former detainees, who also describe themselves as SPLM leaders, pulled out of the opposition alliance and demanded separate representation during the South Sudanese talks in Addis Ababa.
Government Information Minister Michael Makuei objected to the group’s demand saying former detainees are part of the opposition alliance.
Following protracted discussions on the matter, the mediation team led by faith-based groups accepted the former detainees group as separate entity throughout the intra-South Sudanese dialogue.
Separately, the opposition alliance held an urgent meeting and assigned its interim leader Gabriel Changson Chang to hold a meeting with leader of the former detainees group Pagan Amum to discuss the matter.
The Former Political Detainees (FDs) joined the opposition alliance officially last month.
The opposition alliance, whose most of its members are taking up arms against the Kiir administration, is made up of nine opposition groups.