The government of South Sudan has debugged information circulating on social media that the ongoing Kenyan Peace Dialogue in Nairobi with the holdout groups (Tumaini Initiative) will replace the 2018 Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of Conflict in South Sudan (R-ARCISS).
Briefing the press on Friday, the Minister of Information Michael Makuei Lueth, who is also the official government person, described the viral documents as “Wild rumor.”
“Lots of stories have been moving on here in South Sudan saying the delegation at the Tumaini initiative have agreed to drop the presidency, drop the R-ARCISS, will set up a lean government comprised of 19 Ministries, and that the parliament will be downsized to 179 members and so many things, all these are wild rumors that have been moving here in South Sudan” Makuei explained.
On the other hand, Albino Mathom, the head of the government delegation to the peace talks, described the progress made at the Tumaini Initiative as fruitful and said, “We are almost to reach an agreement.”
According to Albino, the South Sudan government and parties have agreed on five protocols, while the rest of the discussions are pending as negotiations continue.
Albino mentioned five protocols: trust and confidence-building measures, economic recovery and management, judiciary reform, transitional justice and accountability, permanent ceasefire, security arrangement and reform, and humanitarian assistance.
According to Michael Makuei, other adoptions made at the talk include modifying the National Transitional Committee (NTC) headed by the Security Advisor to President Tut Gatluak to the Security Sector, Reform and Oversite Commission (SSROC).
The parties agreed to form a National Leadership Council (NLC), which will be headed by the Presidency, Regional Heads of State, and three (3) signatories from the “Tuamaini consensus” to oversee the implementation of the Peace accord.
The head of the delegation, Albino, reiterated the President’s commitment to achieving lasting peace in the whole country.
“We should ask ourselves, for how long are we going to fight? This has to come to an end. That is why the President of the Republic has decided to end the infighting which has been going on in all the different parts of the country.” Albino
Albino said the government will continue to reach out to groups that did not participate in the talks to join the table.
The Tumaini Initiative is the continuation of the Rome Peace Talk initiated by Pope Francis and hosted by Sant’Egidio.
However, in a letter dated June 19th, 2024, addressed to the Chief Mediator, Lt. General (Rtd.) Lazaro Sumbeiywo, IGAD special envoy to South Sudan, and other co-mediators written by The First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar Teny expressed fears about the initiative.
“Tumaini Consensus and Implementation Framework for a Permanent Constitution and Sustainable Peace for South Sudan” and he continued, “clearly abrogates the R-ARCSS when it was intended to complement the R-ARCSS by ensuring the inclusion of the non-signatories (holdout group) in the implementation of the R-ARCSS. Therefore, the Tumaini Initiative has deviated from its intended mandate.” Dr. Riek Machar’s statement read in parts.
According to Makuei, the “wild rumors” doing rounds on social media were circulated by parties at the Tumaini initiative.
“All these information circulating are the positions of the parties. Our position as a government we have not yet made it because when we went into the negotiation, there was a gentlemen’s agreement that we should not be negotiating through the media and that we should not expose or send to social media whatever positions or whatever information about the agreement. That is why every time we talk about progress being made and promise the people of South Sudan that peace is coming,” he added.
The government spokesperson branded the viral social media information “Stories of the Past” and urged citizens to avoid its consumption.