The armed opposition faction (SPLM-IO) is likely to join South Sudan’s national dialogue if some modifications are made in the process, a leading member of the group said on Tuesday.
Speaking to reporters in Juba, Elias Nyamlell said the national dialogue is a people-driven process that SPLM-IO could be part of.
“We see the national dialogue as a people-driven process and as people of this country, we want to be part of it,” said Nyamlell.
“This is very important for us,” he added.
The official led the SPLM-IO delegation that held a consultative meeting with members of the national dialogue committee in Juba.
Nyamlell, however, said that the national dialogue process needed some modifications for the armed opposition group to join it smoothly.
“If all these are done, then there should be no problem in us joining or not joining the national dialogue proces,” he stressed.
In October last year, President Salva Kiir urged the country’s opposition to engage in the national dialogue launched in 2016.
The deputy co-chairs of the national dialogue committee, Gabriel Yoal Dok described the meeting with the SPLM-IO as a “good” one.
The meeting, he said, also discussed inclusivity which is considered to be a very important aspect of the national dialogue process.
According to Yoal, the national dialogue team did not reach Akobo and Raja counties in the process of doing grassroots consultations.
“We have asked the SPLM-IO, which is in charge of those areas to talk to people so that they can join the national dialogue,” he said.
In December 2016, South Sudanese President Salva Kiir launched the national dialogue initiative that seeks to reconcile and unite the East African nation torn apart by more than four years of civil war.