By Jacob Onuha Nelson
Western nations have offered to mediate a direct dialogue among leaders including President Salva Kiir and First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar Teny.
This comes as the United Nations warns that the country is on the brink of renewed conflict following escalating violence in Upper Nile State, including aerial bombardments and reports of civilian casualties.
“The Embassies of Canada, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, the United Kingdom, and the United States, as well as the Delegation of the European Union deplore the continued violence in Upper Nile State including aerial bombardment in Nasir County and credible reports of civilian casualties. We remain concerned about reports of SSPDF survivors of the Nasir garrison who have been unable to return to safe locations as well as of continued detentions in Juba of senior officials without charges,” the statement partly read.
“We reaffirm as a matter of urgency our call that South Sudan’s leaders, including President Salva Kiir and First Vice President Riek Machar, meet and engage in direct dialogue to restore and maintain peace. We are prepared to facilitate their discussion,” it added.
The envoys urged South Sudanese leaders to meet and engage in direct dialogue to restore and maintain peace.
“We further call on all South Sudan’s leaders to avoid unilateral actions, to reject the use of violence as a tool for political competition, and to put the interests of the South Sudanese people first,” it added.
In a separate statement to the African Union Peace and Security Council on Tuesday, Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of UNMISS, Nicholas Haysom said there must be an immediate return by the parties to consensus-based decision-making.
“There must be intensive dialogue to resolve grievances and rebuild trust and confidence between the Parties and, between the parties and their supporters,” he said.
“The parties must de-escalate the current political tensions now before it is too late. There is only one path out of this cycle of conflict and that is through the Revitalized Agreement. The overriding imperative now is to direct all our efforts to prevent a relapse into war, support the full implementation of the agreement, and progress the transition towards the country’s first democratic elections,” he added.
He said, “This region cannot afford another conflict.”
The parties to the agreement are yet to respond to the offer.
Tensions have risen in recent weeks in Upper Nile State.
As of Monday, local authorities in Nasir County, Upper Nile State, reported that 20 civilians, including women and children under five were killed.
According to Office of Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, over 50,000 people were displaced.