The South Sudanese government says there are no arrangements in place with regard to return of SPLM-G10 also known as the ‘former detainees’ to the capital Juba.
The G10 are a group of senior SPLM leaders who were arrested and then freed at the beginning of the South Sudan Civil War in December 2013 before leaving into exile in neighbouring countries. They are negotiating as a third party in peace talks between the two armed SPLM factions led by Salva Kiir and Riek Machar.
Speaking to Radio Tamazuj yesterday, South Sudan Minister of Information and Broadcasting Michael Makuei Lueth, who is a senior official in Kiir’s faction, downplayed any positive role that could be played by the former detainees group in Juba. He said they are just ordinary citizens returning back home.
Previously SPLM secretary general Anne Itto said the advance team of the G-10 would be protected in Juba by South African security forces. The G10 team was meant to come to Juba as part of the Arusha process which attempted to reunify the three SPLM factions.
However, Makuei, who is also the government spokesman, said the government will accommodate the G10 members when they arrive. An advance team comprises of five SPLM-10 members headed ex-minister of cabinet affairs Deng Alor Kuol was scheduled to arrive today.
John Luk, spokesman of the SPLM-G10 confirmed that the advance team would arrive in Juba as part of a tripartite committee tasked to follow up the implementation of the Arusha SPLM Reunification Agreement.
Invitation for talks
Separately, the East African regional organization IGAD has reportedly invited the South Sudanese government and SPLA-IO rebels for a consultative meeting in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa on 8 June.
Makuei confirmed to Radio Tamazuj that they received a letter officially from IGAD to convene a consultative meeting from 8 June in Addis Ababa.
The government official further said the government delegation will arrive in Addis Ababa on 7 June. He added the agenda for the meeting is not yet clear so far.
On 28 May, the SPLM-IO head of external relations committee Dhieu Mathok confirmed that they also received a letter from IGAD to hold a meeting from 8 until 10 June in Addis Ababa.
The rebel official further said the meeting will be attended by SPLM-IO chief negotiator Taban Deng and two others from their side. He added the invitation did not include the agenda for the meeting.