African Union Panel of the wise concludes visit to South Sudan
The African Union’s panel of the wise sent to Juba by the Chairperson of the African Union Commission concluded a four day working visit in South Sudan on Sunday but the team failed to meet opposition leader and first vice president Riek Machar.
The African Union (AU) team met with president Salva Kiir.The team had said it had plans to engage vice president Riek Machar but that meeting never happened.
The AU urgied South Sudanese political leaders to resolve the current disagreement through dialogue
Domitien Ndayizeye, former Burundian President who headed the panel of the wise to Juba spoke after meeting president Kiir,
“They have assured us that they are in the process of implementing the peace agreement and they have confirmed to us that they are in the process to resolve the question of SPLM/A-IO in the person of vice president Riek Machar according to the law.”
Vice president Riek Machar remains under house arrest.
Mr. Machar heads the largest opposition group that has an armed wing in the country known as SPLM/A-IO.
South Sudan’s government says it’s still investigating Mr. Machar for being involved in clashes between government troops and armed civilians affiliated to SPLM/A-IO in Nasir.
Those on the side of president Kiir say the implementation of the peace deal is ongoing.
Dr. Martin Elia Lomuro, South Sudan’s Cabinet Affairs Minister said “The mandate of the RTGoNU is simple; that we stop war, we form a revitalized government of national unity so that we return security, sustainable peace in the country.”
Riek Machar’s party members are calling on president Kiir to order for the release of their leader.
The group says the arrest of Mr. Machar means the 2018 peace deal which ended five years of violence in the country has partially collapsed.
Government of president Salva Kiir insists on its commitment to the implementation of the 2018 peace deal.
It says Mr. Machar is in conflict with the law and that the implementation of the peace deal should not be used to commit crime, however, until now there are no charges taken before a court of law about Riek Machar.
