The Political Bureau and National Liberation Council of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (Juba faction) were called to a meeting yesterday in Juba by their leader Salva Kiir.
The meeting was announced on South Sudan Television (SSTV) on Tuesday, inviting all National Liberation Council and Political Bureau Members in Juba to the State House (J1).
Ann Itto, the acting secretary-general of the party, speaking to press yesterday explained, “This meeting has been called by the SPLM Chairman and President of the Republic Comrade Salva Kiir Mayardit, who returned from Addis Ababa from an IGAD leadership meeting.”
“He called to this meeting members of SPLM Political Bureau, members of the NLC, who are present in Juba, and then members of the SPLM Secretariat.”
She added, “The purpose of this meeting is actually to look at the Protocol that has been signed in Addis Ababa yesterday, or the day before yesterday, in order for the leaders of SPLM to acquaint themselves with the Protocol in which issues of governance have been highlighted, issues of security arrangements has been highlighted, the economy, and reconciliation have been highlighted.”
Itto was a referring to the ‘Protocol on Agreed Principles on Transitional Arrangements Towards Resolution of the Crisis in South Sudan,’ which was signed by Salva Kiir on Monday in Addis Ababa.
The document outlines principles for a potential agreement, under the terms of which the SPLM-Juba faction would have to share power with SPLM-IO and other parties.
Itto said that the party’s leadership meeting “would allow us to acquaint ourselves with this Protocol and see how SPLM can be prepared to implement this programme.”
She noted that the SPLM-IO leader has not signed the protocol, but stressed that the signature by Salva Kiir “is an indication how committed our president is to bringing peace to our people.”
According to Itto, the leadership meeting was adjourned until Thursday in order to allow the SPLM-Juba faction’s negotiators in Addis Ababa to join the meeting.
The negotiators were scheduled to arrive in Juba today.
“We will sit down and they will brief us. This will be followed by discussion as to how best we can contribute to the enrichment of this Protocol.”
“Because the Protocol only gives an outline, there are a number of things that needs to be negotiated, for example the powers of the executive, the security arrangements need to be negotiated,” said Itto.
File photo: Salva Kiir Mayardit
Related:
Factbox: Factions of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement