By Gladys Fred Kole
Sudanese peace stakeholders convened in Juba on Monday at the invitation of President Salva Kiir, seeking to revive dialogue amidst ongoing conflict.
The Sudanese-to-Sudanese dialogue consultative meeting brings in Political parties and civil society organizations from the warring country.
Eltigani Seisi Mohamed, chair of Forces for National Movement, emphasized the need for an inclusive dialogue of all the stakeholders.
“We believe that in order to have a sustainable solution for our crisis, there must be an all-Sudanese dialogue launched, and this dialogue should be inclusive of all the groups,” he said
“We have seen in the aftermath of these wars the destruction that has happened in the country; I believe it is the right time for us to address the root causes of the Sudanese crisis.” He noted.
He stressed that there are a number of challenges that the country has faced in the last six decades since independence in 1956.
“The country has been divided into two; it is the right time for us to agree on our identity as Sudanese, such that it can cement the unity of the country.”
Meanwhile, South Sudan minister of investment, Dr. Dhieu Mathok Diing, secretary to the Sudan mediation team, attributes sparking of the war to division among Sudanese political leaders.
“You can’t stop that war if you don’t guarantee at least unity among these political groups and the road to the cessation of hostilities like what we had the last 3 days,” he stated.
“We need to run them up, behind the call for cessation of hostilities, calling for peace in the country. That is why the president has been inviting people from these groups to South Sudan so that they can have a dialogue among themselves,” Mathok added.
According to him, the dialogue that will support the conflict resolution will only be possible if all the Sudan political leaders come together in this way, and the military groups that were fighting among themselves will discuss.
“They can’t come to the table unless the Sudanese people reject war; we have seen people are divided; people support each party in the conflict, and these will not help in resolving the conflict,” Mathok explained.
He noted that President Salva Kiir took it upon himself to bring the Sudanese political stakeholders to the table to push for a dialogue.
Nebil Adib, the Sudanese chairperson of civil society organizations, said he believes the Sudanese stakeholder’s meeting in Juba will hopefully yield fruit among the warring parties in Sudan.
As the head of the CSO, Mr. Nebil said it is their mandate as whistleblowers to ensure amnesty for the suffering people of Sudan.
He called on the warring parties to adhere to the Jedah peace talks, particularly the declaration for the cessation of hostilities.
“We appreciate the government of South Sudan, through President Kiir, for having put in many efforts to ensure that peace prevails for the Sudanese people,” he stated.
He added that it was through goodwill that they accepted Kiir’s call to push the two warring parties to reach a political and military consensus for peace to prevail in Sudan.