South Sudanese raising slogans preferring dialogue as a viable solution to conflict in their country. |Credit: Gettyimages|.
The Leadership Council of the South Sudan Opposition Movements Alliance (SSOMA) has reiterated its unwavering commitment to political dialogue as the cornerstone of achieving lasting peace in South Sudan, adding that the only way forward is through addressing the root causes in an all-inclusive Roundtable Conference.
This renewed focus emerged from the recent SSOMA Leadership Council meeting held in Rome on August 12-14, 2024, where NAS (National Salvation Front) leader General Thomas Cirillo Swaka was also appointed as the chairperson of the alliance as outlined in the Rome SSOMA Declaration.
Dr. Alex Yata Lukadi, the Chairman of the South Sudan Movement for Change (SSMC), and Ambassador Emmanuel Ajawin, the Chairman of the National Democratic Movement-Patriotic Front (NDM-PF) were appointed Deputy Chairperson, and Secretary General respectively.
The SSOMA Leadership Council acknowledged the ongoing political, social, and economic crises in South Sudan, and emphasized that the only viable path to sustainable peace lies in addressing the root causes of the conflict.
“To this end, the alliance is advocating for an inclusive roundtable conference, which it views as essential for meaningful political dialogue and the establishment of a comprehensive peace roadmap,” the statement extended to Golden Tomes partly read.
“The SSOMA Leadership Council’s resolution to prioritize dialogue and inclusivity reflects its deep concern over the continued suffering of the South Sudanese people,” it affirmed.
The alliance believes that a broad-based, inclusive approach is necessary to create a sustainable and just peace, ensuring that all voices are heard and all grievances are addressed.
In addition to its focus on dialogue, SSOMA expressed commitment to developing a comprehensive peace roadmap that would serve as a guide in any future political negotiations.
“This roadmap is designed to prioritize the welfare of the South Sudanese people, ensuring that peace efforts are centered on their needs and aspirations. The alliance is also planning to expand its diplomatic and political outreach by establishing branch offices worldwide, which will further support its mission of bringing about a just and lasting peace in South Sudan,” it concluded.
SSOMA split into two groups, one led by a group currently negotiating with the government in Nairobi, Kenya among which, Pagan Amum Okech, the leader of Real SPLM, and Gen. Paul Malong Awan, the leader of South Sudan Opposition Alliance.
The mainstream group now led by Gen. Thomas Cirilo Swaka turned down the invitation to dialogue with the government in Nairobi, and cited security concerns. It prefers holding the dialogue in a safe and neutral country but not Kenya.
The Kenya-led peace talks dubbed the Tumaini Initiative are at the brink of collapse as the SPLM-IO group, the key signatory of the 2018 revitalized agreement on the resolution of conflict in South Sudan, walk away from the talks, citing that the Tumaini Initiative contradicts the revitalized agreement.
This came as the government and the holdout groups, also known as SSOMA, initialed the Tumaini Consensus, allegedly threatening the existence of a revitalized peace agreement, a claim denied by both the SPLM-IG and the holdout groups of Pagan Amum, Paul Malong, and Stephen Buay.
