Ceasefire monitors call on government to resume Rome talks
The Ceasefire Transitional Security Arrangements Monitoring Verification Mechanism (CTSAMVM) has called on the transitional government to resume peace talks with hold-out opposition groups in Rome.
Lt.Gen Asrat Denero Amad, the Chairperson for CTSAMVM on Thursday said the upcoming visit of Pope Francis should coincide with the willingness on the parties to resume the talks which were suspended in November last year.
“As South Sudan prepares to receive the Holy Father, Pope Francis, CTSAMVM appeals to RTGONU and SSOMA to resume the Rome peace process and initially the integration of national monitors into CTSAMVM structures,” Amad told journalists during the opening of CTSAMVM technical meeting at Dembeshi Hotel in Juba.
President Salva Kiir suspended talks with opposition parties under the South Sudan Opposition Movement Alliance (SSOMA) following ambush on a fleet of vehicles along the Juba-Nimule road.
However, the National Salvation Front (NAS) led by Thomas Cirilo Swaka, the former deputy head of logistics in the South Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF) denied orchestrating the deadly attack on vehicles along the major highway.
The Rome peace talks mediated by the Catholic Community of Saint Egidio commence in December 2019 leading to the signing of the cessation of hostilities.
Meanwhile, CTSAMVM said it continues to closely monitor the situation in Upper State, Northern Jonglei state and Greater Pibor Administrative Area where clashes were reported since last year.
Amad also hailed the recent graduation of 4,000 unified police forces in Kaljak training center of Unity State, saying this marked the end of phase one of the graduation.
The total number of graduated forces stands at 55,427.
He urged the Joint Defense Board to provide the deployment plan of graduated forces and also requested the Joint Transitional Security Committee to provide plans for phase two training.
The transitional government is supposed to graduate overall 83,000 forces in total, as stipulated in the 2018 revitalized peace deal signed to end years of conflict since December 2013.
