A three-day meeting between the representatives of the Government of South Sudan and the South Sudan Opposition Movements Alliance (SSOMA) led by Gen. Thomas Cirillo in Rome ended on Wednesday with the latter unequivocally rebuffing an invitation to join the Kenyan-mediated Nairobi Peace Talks christened the Tumaini (Hope) Initiative.
The opposition alliance comprises of National Salvation Front led by General Thomas Cirillo Swaka, the South Sudan Movement for Change (SSMC) led by Alex Yata, and the National Democratic Movement-Patriotic Front (NDM-PF) led by Emmanuel Ajawin. On Wednesday, the grouping announced a new structure which they baptized the SSOMA Leadership Council (SSOMA-LC), which saw Gen. Cirillo named the chairperson, Dr. Yata, deputy chairperson, and Amb. Ajawin, secretary general.
The group, earlier on 9 May, refused to participate in the now ongoing Kenya High-level Mediation for South Sudan after its launch in Nairobi. They cited safety concerns regarding the venue and the lack of response to their request to continue talks in Rome, Italy, with Community Sant’Egidio as co-mediators.
President Salva Kiir’s invitation to the opposition union was delivered by Ambassador Albino Mathom Aboug, however, SSOMA reiterated its longstanding opposition to the R-ARCSS, stating that they have never been a part of the agreement and do not support its resuscitation.
A press statement put out late on Friday and signed by Amb. Ajawin said SSOMA-LC met in Rome, Italy, from 12 to 14 August 2024, under the auspices of the Community of Sant’Egidio, with the delegations of the government of Republic of South Sudan and the government of Kenya led by Amb. Albino Mathon Aboug and Gen. Lazarus Sombeywo, respectively.
“The meeting was requested by Amb. Albino Aboug who delivered a verbal message from President Salva Kiir to the Leadership of SSOMA inviting them to join the Tumaini Peace Initiative in Nairobi, Kenya,” the statement read in part. “After lengthy deliberation, the SSOMA-LC reconfirmed its position not to be part of the Tumaini Peace Initiative due to its agenda to resuscitate the Revitalised Agreement on Resolution of Conflict in South Sudan (R-ARCSS) which SSOMA has never been part of.”
The statement further said that SSOMA reassures the people of South Sudan, the Region, and the International Community of its commitment to the peaceful resolution of conflict in South Sudan.
“SSOMA remains committed to finding a peaceful resolution to the conflict in South Sudan, but we do not believe the Tumaini Peace Initiative is the appropriate path forward,” Amb. Ajawin added.
The rejection of the Tumaini Peace Initiative by SSOMA underscores the continued challenges facing peace efforts in South Sudan, where multiple other factions remain at odds over the path to lasting peace.
Before the meeting (facilitated by the Community of Sant’Egidio), the SSOMA Leadership Council (SSOMA-LC) met and released a Rome Declaration in which it reiterated its unwavering commitment to political dialogue as the cornerstone of achieving lasting peace in South Sudan. SSOMA-LC went on to point out that the only way forward is through addressing the root causes in an all-inclusive Roundtable Conference.