The South Sudan mediation talks, spearheaded by Kenyan President William Ruto, have encountered another significant hurdle. Deng Vanang, the leader of the United Democratic Resistance Movement (UDRM) and an opposition figure, announced that his party has withdrawn its membership from the South Sudan United National Alliance (SSUNA), a participant in the Nairobi peace negotiations.
Vanang, in a statement to Sudans Post on Monday night, revealed that the SSUNA, led by its chairperson Stephen Buay Rolnyang, had chosen to prioritize its own interests in the talks. He accused the SSUNA of being heavily influenced by General Pagan Amum Okiech, who he claims is obstructing the mediation efforts.
“Okiech, according to his narrow view, seems to believe the peace agreement is about dividing up the spoils of war, prioritising which Nuers get the biggest slice of the pie rather than addressing the root causes of the conflict for the benefit of all South Sudanese,” Vanang remarked.
The UDRM leader emphasized that General Okiech’s actions were self-serving and detrimental to the broader goal of achieving peace in South Sudan. He explained that the UDRM’s exit was a strategic move to avoid embarrassment should the internal conflicts within the SSUNA escalate.
“Seeing matters progressively moving from bad to worse, we humbly and peacefully decided to call it quits otherwise it could be a national embarrassment to the Kenyan mediators and foreign observers seeing us South Sudanese quarrelling in front of them,” Vanang added.
These peace talks, initiated by South Sudanese President Salva Kiir, have been taking place in Nairobi, with South Sudanese politicians traveling to Kenya intermittently for the negotiations. However, the talks have been fraught with challenges. Recently, General Buay threatened to leave the negotiating table, citing death threats from unknown individuals who allegedly visited his home. Kenyan police have denied these claims but have launched an investigation.
Adding to the complications, Lieutenant General Thomas Cirillo Swaka called for the relocation of the talks from Nairobi to Rome in mid-May. “Our reservation is not about doubting the Kenyan mediation itself, but rather the process surrounding it. The main issue is that the agenda for the talks was decided without consulting us,” General Swaka stated.
The escalating tensions and internal divisions among the South Sudanese parties pose a serious challenge to the peace process. As the mediators, led by President Ruto, strive to find common ground, the road to peace in South Sudan remains fraught with obstacles. The international community continues to watch closely, hoping for a resolution that will bring lasting peace to the troubled nation.
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