The representatives of political parties that signed the 2018 revitalized peace agreement on Thursday concluded a two-day workshop in Bentiu that discussed the challenges in implementing the agreement in Unity State.
The meeting organized by UNMISS’ Civil Affairs drew participants from the SPLM Party, SPLM IO, SSOA, OPP, civil society, and the security sector among others was officially opened by Governor Riek Biem Tap Long who also represented the SPLM Party on Wednesday
Stella Abayomi, UNMISS’ Civil Affairs Division team leader in Bentiu, told Radio Tamazuj Thursday that the workshop was convened under the theme “Towards an inclusive political and civic space here in the state.”
“The political parties, civil society, and security institutions play a key role in ensuring security, stability, durable peace, human rights, rule of law, peaceful, coexistence and social cohesion in Unity State. So, the meeting was in the spirit of implementing the roadmap on the pending tasks in the agreement,” she explained. “We hope that the political dialogue will create the political space. The other thing we heard from the parties during the meeting is that insecurity is caused by the delay in deploying the Necessary Unified Forces.”
Abayomi added: “Another thing that came out is that there is no freedom of expression for citizens, civil society and journalists.”
She however said that the workshop participants unanimously agreed to address and work on the issues that were raised.
One of the participants, Stephen Bol Yar, the SPLM Party’s assistant secretary for training in Unity State, said the political dialogue focused on how parties can work together to promote peace.
“As we the ruling party, we will give other parties the freedom to mobilize and hold rallies because everybody knows elections are coming in December,” he stated. “Our biggest challenge in the state is that floods have started in some areas and this will impede movement.”
For his part, William Gai Riek, the state’s SPLM-IO Secretary-General, said the dialogue was very vital for the political leaders in the state and that it is time for the parties to establish branch offices on the ground.
“We do not have challenges this time because the new governor is working with the opposition parties to promote peace before the elections,” he asserted. “However, we in the SPLM-IO in Unity State are not part of the upcoming General Elections in December because, as our leadership in Juba clearly stated, the conditions are not ready to hold credible elections unless unified forces are deployed among other things.”
Meanwhile, James Gai Gatduel, the state’s Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Forestry whose party, the South Sudan United Movement (SSUM) is a member of SSOA, also urged political parties to set up branch offices in the state.
“The dialogue was very good but I urge parties to have a presence in the state. I am not aware of anything because we the SSOA are yet l to establish the office,” he said. “We also do not have resources to organize political rallies to identify our supporters.”
Minister Gai added: “We have also not agreed on the elections because more preparations have to be made before they can take place.”