Pagan Amum who heads the opposition newly formed United People Alliance said the move to leave SSOMA and form new alliance was influenced by the need to bring South Sudanese political forces under one roof to resolve the crisis in the country.
“Our decision to unite ourselves is inspired by the need to present a united opposition to solve the problem in the country, to provide leadership for our people in this very difficult time, to bring about fundamental change in South Sudan and end the suffering of our people,” Pagan Said.
In an exclusive interview with The Radio Community at Glee
hotel in Nairobi, Pagan said South Sudan is suffering from what he called a
deep national crisis, a crisis that is taking multiple forms.
“We have a crisis of government, a crisis of governance in the sense that the government of South Sudan is a failed government, a government that is not capable of providing the basic functions of a state, either to protect the lives and properties of the people or to deliver social services, education, health, a better economy,” he said.
The South Sudan Opposition Movement Alliance (SSOMA) have been
negotiating with the government of South Sudan under the auspices of the
Community of Sant’Egidio initiated on January 12th, 2020, with the signing of
the ceasefire Agreement between the government and opposition groups under the
auspices
The talks were moved to the Kenyan capital.
Amum said the reason why the Rome talks failed was that the
government walked out from Rome.
“SSOMA had reunited itself and moved in with one position and one agenda. In the last stage, unfortunately, the government of South Sudan walked out from the Rome talks and they went and asked the government of Kenya to mediate, and that's why we are here.”
The leader of the United Peoples Alliance says the opposition have negotiated with the government and have made progress.
He said the holdout groups agreed on eight protocols, and
were left with only one protocol, before signing the Tumaini consensus on the
16th of September 2024.
Pagan said the government changed its delegation who decided not to return back to finalize the Tumaini in November, and it took the mediation, and Kenyan President Ruto went to Juba to discuss and agree with President Kiir and Riek Machar to issue a joint communique agreeing that the government will come back to sit with the opposition and finalize the Tumaini consensus within two weeks.
‘’The talks were adjourned, and the mediation then invited
the parties to resume the negotiations on the 6th of January 2025. Again, to
our dismay and unfortunately, the government decided not to show up. Even
though President Kiir had informed the people of South Sudan that the talks
were going to resume on the 6th of January, the government delegation claimed
that they were not aware of the resumption of the talks on the 6th of January
when the president himself told the people that the talks were going to resume
on the 6th, ‘’ Pagan said.
“President Ruto sent an envoy to President Kiir with a
letter inviting the government to come by the 6th for the resumption. President
Kiir made that announcement. Yet, despite all this, the government delegation
is saying they could not come on the 6th of January because they did not know.”
Pagan said the opposition is waiting for the government
delegation because the people of South Sudan need peace.
“What is very unfortunate is that even the government delegation is turning the peace talks and the search for peace into a project to make money as individuals. They are disregarding the suffering of our people,” he said
He said the current government lacks seriousness, adding
that it has been delaying the peace process including the Tumaini, either by
reneging from what it has already agreed or by delaying the process.
Pagan said the people of South Sudan know who is delaying the right to elect their government.
He blamed the government for trying to divide the opposition
by promising lucrative positions, money and houses
‘’So, they don't want to solve the problem. They just want
to share power and not solve the problems of the people. And some people are
saying, why are you talking about bringing peace, just peace? You just come and
take power.”
“And we are going to use all means possible to achieve this goal. All means to take our country out of the economic crisis. Take our country out of failed government. Take our country out of corruption and mismanagement of resources,’’ he said
