The Jieng (Dinka) Council of Elders, a group of mostly politicians who support President Salva Kiir, has come out to strongly dismiss accusations that it was behind the ongoig civil war in the country.
Ambrose Riiny Thiik, the former chief justice and now chairman of the Dinka Council of Elders, said in an interview with Radio Tamazuj on Thursday that the allegations are unfounded and baseless.
“What these people are saying, especially the ill-informed youth are total nonsense and baseless scapegoat. The whole world knows how the conflict started and where. But these people choose not to talk about it because they know the parties to the conflict are holding guns which we do not,” said Ring.
Riiny further said the council is only working to unite the country. “They find it easy to throw this nonsense on the council working hard to bring the country together,” he said.
Ring instead blamed imposed agreements on the warring parties for the prolonged conflict in the country.
“The agreements which are imposed on the parties without considering the context and the behaviour of the people are actually the ones prolonging the conflict in this country. Such arrangements do not lead to a genuine reconciliation but rather reinforces beliefs of the parties in military power than in dialogue,” he said.