By Opio Jackson
The government, Pa’gun Amum and Gen. Paul Malong are on the road to final peace process, said Dr. Barnaba Marial Benjamin, head of government delegation to the Naivasha peace talks.
Since January 2021, the government has been engaging Pa’gun Amum the leader of Real-SPLM and Gen. Paul Malong of South Sudan United Front/Army in a peace talks under the auspice of Holy See.
Addressing journalists at Juba International Airport today 17th March 2021 upon return from Kenya, Dr. Barnaba Marial Benjamin said the recent Principle of Declaration Agreement signed between the government and the two leaders has set a roadmap for discussing the root causes of the conflict.
“It has the details of what we will discuss in our next meeting. It will be the fourth meeting in trying to find an inclusive peace sustainable for rest of our country,” he said.
It is an encouraging step and the signing of this principle is crucial. It means we are on the road to peace,” Dr. Barnaba added.
He said within there are twelve points within the document that covers reforms in the security, constitutional making process, managing of resources, the issues of tribalism and ethnicity and among others.
According to Dr. Barnaba, the peace talks in Naivsaha with two leaders of SSOMA was very encouraging
“First all Naivasha spiritually is the home of comprehensive peace agreement so it was a good environment to be back in after so many years to continue talking about peace,” he said.
“It was their third meeting with two leaders separately from the group of those of Gen Thomas Cirilo,” Dr. Barnaba stated.
However, he said the opposition will come to Juba once they have signed the final peace deal but said the opposition leaders have agreed to name their monitors that will be joining the CTSAMVM.