The Sudan People’s Liberation Movement/Army in Opposition has welcomed plans for an SPLM Political Bureau meeting, which is expected to take place in Addis Ababa under the auspices of the IGAD mediation.

SPLM Chairman Salva Kiir is reported to have appointed a preparatory committee to discuss the agenda for the next meeting of the SPLM Political Bureau, including members loyal to both sides in the current conflict.

Speaking to Radio Tamazuj on Wednesday, the spokesman of the SPLM/A opposition faction led by Riek Machar, Yohanis Musa Pouk, pointed out the conflict in South Sudan was triggered by a misunderstanding within the SPLM-led government.

He noted the meeting will discuss the political issues within the party. He predicted the meeting will take place this week.

However, the spokesman of the government Michael Makuei Lueth on Monday stated, “issues of SPLM are not discussed outside the country.” He was speaking before the announcement of the plans for the Political Bureau meeting.

Pouk remarked also, "If Salva Kiir did not choose violence as an option the conflict would have not erupted in South Sudan. But Kiir preferred to distance himself from discussing political differences in the party."

The opposition spokesman further accused the government of rejecting the document on the Declaration of Principles framework presented by IGAD. He also blamed them for excluding the seven former detainees from taking part in the talks as well as rejecting discussions on an interim government.

For his part, the government’s official spokesman vehemently denied that the government received a proposal on an interim government from the IGAD mediators.

He described talk of an interim government as "dreams,” alleging that there were “so many devil-wishers who are there and they are spreading a lot of lies, talking a lot of issues which they have in mind.”

Related coverage:

SPLM internal reconciliation initiative aims to move stalled South Sudan peace talks (5 March)

South Sudan says IGAD ‘obstacle’ in negotiations (4 March)

File photo: Leader of the SPLM/A in Opposition, Riek Machar (Reuters)