SSOMA Position on the current Kenyan Peace Mediation
The Leadership of South Sudan Opposition Movement Alliance (SSOMA), which consists of the National Salvation Front (NAS), National Democratic Movement – Patriotic Front (NDM-PF), and the South Sudan National Movement for Change (SSNMC), would like to clarify to its members, the people of South Sudan and the members of the International Community that it is not a participant in the Kenyan peace mediation process.
Demonstrating its commitment to peaceful resolution of conflict in South Sudan, SSOMA has dedicated four (4) years in peaceful political engagement with the Revitalized Transitional Government of National Unity (R-TGoNU) in Rome (Italy) under the auspices of Sant’Egidio. The engagement culminated in the signing of the Rome Declaration on 13th January 2020; Rome Resolution on Monitoring and Verification on 17th March 2020; and Declaration of Principles (DoP) – which was partially concluded. The Rome Initiative is a credible process that provides an environment for free, open and transparent discussions devoid of any coercion or intimidation. However, it should be noted that the Rome Initiative dragged for long because the government was intransigent, deployed delaying tactics and obstructed discussions about the root causes of the conflict in South Sudan.
The last meeting between SSOMA and the R-TGoNU delegation in Rome was in March 2023 where the two sides differed on the agenda. The government delegation expressed their interest to continue the negotiations on security and humanitarian issues while SSOMA presented the concept of the Roundtable Conference as the appropriate framework to bring all stakeholders to find solutions to the ROOT causes of the conflict in South Sudan. The idea is to open political space for all South Sudanese to participate as legitimate stakeholders in the search for peace in South Sudan. The R-TGONU delegation rejected SSOMA’s way-forward approach and requested to adjourn the meeting as they demanded to return home for consultations. They also requested that SSOMA should write a detailed report about the concept of the “Roundtable Conference” and share it with them and Sant’Egidio.
While SSOMA was waiting for a notice from Sant’Egidio about the resumption of talks, SSOMA was shocked to learn on 26th December 2023 from social media about the unilateral decision of President Kiir transferring the mediation process to President William Ruto of Kenya with Nairobi as the venue. Juba seems to want a venue and environment where the opposition will be intimidated, coerced and forced to sign a flawed agreement as was the case with the R-ARCSS in 2018 in Khartoum, Sudan.
On 5th January 2024, the SSOMA Leadership received a communication from President Ruto on this new development. SSOMA responded to President William Ruto by letters dated 17th January 2024 and 13th March 2024 – stating the position of SSOMA on the Kenyan peace mediation, requesting for a pre-mediation consultation in Rome, Italy.
On 22nd March 2024, 2 President William Ruto responded to SSOMA’s two letters and accepted to send the Kenyan delegation to meet SSOMA in Rome, Italy. On 13th April 2024, a SSOMA delegation and members of the Kenyan mediation team met in Rome, Italy, where they discussed two issues: 1 st – SSOMA’s demand for co-mediation between Sant’Egidio and Kenya; 2nd SSOMA reiterated that Rome must be the venue. The Kenyan delegation resolved to return to Kenya to consult with the Lead Mediator, H.E. President Ruto. On 22nd April 2024, Gen. Lazarous Sumbeiywo sent SSOMA a letter to attend the “South Sudan Mediation Process” – and two more letters on mediation details, totally oblivious to SSOMA’s submission in Rome. On the question of venue and security, SSOMA holds that Kenya is not a conducive environment to host South Sudan peace process. Many sons of South Sudan were abducted from Kenya soil and handed over to the regime in Juba; for example, Mr. James Gatdet Dak was abducted from Nairobi on November 3, 2016, taken to South Sudan, and was later freed after intensive International Pressure. Mr. Dong Samuel Luak was abducted from Nairobi on January 23, 2017, taken to South Sudan and brutally killed. Mr. Aggrey Ezbon Idri was abducted from Nairobi on January 24, 2017, and taken to South Sudan and killed by the regime security. On December 31, 2017, an Opposition Governor, Honorable Marko Lokidor Loshapio was also abducted from the Refugee Camp in Northern Kenya and taken to Juba, tortured and later freed after international pressure; and Mr. Morris Mabior Awirjok Bak was abducted from his house in Nairobi on February 4, 2023, by armed Kenyan police in uniform and handed over to South Sudan’s National Security. With this narrative in mind, the SSOMA delegation as well as South Sudanese who live in Kenya are traumatized and psychologically affected by these incidences. SSOMA concluded that Kenya is not a suitable venue for a credible peace mediation process.
During our per-consultation meeting with the Kenyan mediation team, their documents: Mediation Framework Agreement and South Sudan Road-map showed that the current mediation is not to discuss the root causes of the conflict but to find modalities to implement the R-ARCSS. SSOMA concludes that the mediation is simply to mobilize the opposition and facilitate their transfer to Juba so that the government can renew its tenure in office. This has come out clearly in some of the speeches in the launch of the Kenyan Mediation today. Since the mediation is anchored on the implementation of the flawed R-ARCSS which SSOMA rejected because it does not address the root causes of the conflict in the country, SSOMA therefore shall not be participating in the Kenyan mediation.
SSOMA is not ready to abandon the Rome Initiative, given the fact that it has committed itself to the peace process for the last four years under Sant’Egidio as a response to His Holiness Pope Francis who pleaded for peace and stability in South Sudan. SSOMA wishes the President William Ruto’s Kenyan mediation all the best.
SSOMA is committed and ready for a peaceful dialogue to resolve the root causes of the conflict in South Sudan through a Round-table Conference. Such is designed to bring all South Sudanese stakeholders together to address the root causes of the South Sudan conflict and find suitable 3 solutions for them. All this would aim at laying a strong foundation for social justice, unity, good governance, Rule of Law and development as the bases for lasting and sustainable peace.
Amb. Emmanuel Ajawin
Secretary General,
South Sudan Opposition Movement Alliance (SSOMA)
