Two senior members of the SPLM/A-In Opposition have arrived in South Sudan’s capital Juba in order to prepare for the reception of over 500 members of the advance team, a rebel official said.
SPLM-IO deputy head of information and public relations Manawa Peter Gatkuoth told Radio Tamazuj in an interview yesterday that two members of the armed opposition group are already in the capital Juba. He declined to give further details about their names and titles.
Gatkuoth further said the rest will not return to Juba unless President Salva Kiir revokes his 28 states plan. He said the armed opposition demands creation of an enabling environment for peace in South Sudan, alluding to insecurity in Upper Nile, Unity and Western Equatoria States.
“There are obstacles that delay the arrival of the delegation in Juba,” he said. “One of them is that the general environment should be made conducive for the implementation of peace. Secondly, the decision for creation of 28 states contradicts the signed peace agreement.”
The rebel spokesman pointed out that the opposition’s leadership notified the IGAD mediators about the creation of 28 states by President Kiir, besides the alleged recent bombing of their positions in Western Equatoria State.
The former Jonglei state minister called on the East African regional bloc IGAD to put pressure on the Juba government to create a conducive atmosphere for peace implementation.
He stressed that they are still waiting for a response from the IGAD on the matter.
File photo: members of the opposition in Addis Ababa