By Yiep Joseph
As the Tumaini Initiative resumes in Nairobi today, a member of the National Transitional Legislative Assembly (NTLA) emphasizes the need for an inclusive process, involving General Simon Gatwech Dual and General Thomas Cirilo.
South Sudan’s unity government resumes negotiations with the holdout groups in Nairobi, but without General Simon Gatwech Dual and Gen. Thomas Cirilo, who lead armed military opposition in the country.
Hon. Peter Lomude, who represents Yei County in the national Assembly, expressed concern that the absence of General Thomas Cirilo and General Simon Gatwech Dual could lead to persistence of confrontations, causing further suffering for citizens.
In an interview with this outlet, MP. Lomude commended the top leadership for the ongoing dialogue with the holdout groups and stressed the importance of engaging the remaining leaders still in hiding.
He stated that to achieve true inclusive peace in the country, it is essential to bring everyone with grievances, including Thomas Cirilo and Gatwech Dual, into the discussion.
“Those who are not participating in Nairobi, the group of Thomas Cirilo of the NAS, the group of Gatwech Dual of the Kit-Gwang group, should be engaged to make it inclusive to bring peace all over the country,” Lomude said.
He mentioned that certain areas, particularly in Central Equatoria State, are still facing threats from armed individuals hiding in the bushes, noting that it is important to bring these individuals to the negotiating table to resolve differences.
MP Lomude noted that the ongoing conflict continues to cause significant suffering for the people.
“Our people are suffering; our brothers and sisters who are in the camps, according to the RRC, are not returning back because the villages are not safe for them; they are hearing cases of violence,” he said.
He highlighted that involving everyone in the dialogue will foster peace and help rebuild trust among civil populations, such as those in refugee camps, encouraging them to return to their home areas.
Lomude urged the mediators and the government to engage all holdout groups so that Tumaini could achieve its goal of establishing inclusive peace and stability in South Sudan.
“The current talks in Nairobi are not inclusive, and if they are not inclusive, it could not help in terms of restoring peace and stability in the whole country,” he said. “It will be able to restore peace in some areas and will not be all over the country; therefore, there is a need to make it inclusive.”
The Member of Parliament urged both the leaders who are still in hiding and the government team to create space for compromises, ensuring that everyone can return home for the sake of peace.
As a representative of the people, Lomude highlighted that citizens in the grassroots communities continue to suffer due to conflicts, resulting in deaths and the destruction of property.
In a separate call recently, Ter Manyang Gatwech, the Executive Director of the Center for Peace and Advocacy (CPA), also encouraged Cirilo to join the holdout group in dialogue with the government.
“The Center for Peace and Advocacy urges General Thomas Cirilo Swaka and opposition groups to unite with one another in the pursuit of total peace for the country,” he said.
Also, Dengbil William Aguer, Interim Leader of the Youth-led African Peoples Congress (APC), called on the government and other parties not part of the Tumaini to prioritize peace.
He added that for inclusive peace, there is a need to ensure that all parties dialogue and address their differences.
“There is a need to bring Thomas Cirilo on board and include him in peace because I think Thomas Cirilo has some concern, although those were not necessary to take him to the bush,” Deng said.
In May, the leader of the National Salvation Front (NAS), General Thomas Cirilo Swaka, rejected the Nairobi peace talks, advocating instead for a “roundtable conference” encompassing all stakeholders.
NAS and government forces have has continued to confront each other in various parts of the Greater Equatoria region.
Since 2020, NAS has engaged in the Rome initiative, a peace process facilitated by the Community of Sant’Egidio.
The talks collapsed last year, prompting President Salva Kiir Mayardit to seek Kenyan mediation.
Kenyan mediators extended an invitation to Cirillo for the ongoing peace negotiations.
However, he declined, citing the failure of the Rome initiative due to what he characterized as the government’s lack of commitment to a peaceful solution.