South Sudan's SSOA rejects South African proposal on states' issue

© Provided by Sudan Tribune South Sudan SSOA leadership meets in Juba (ST file photo)

January 18, 2020 (JUBA) - The peace signatory South Sudan Opposition Alliance (SSOA) has rejected a proposal made by South Africa to refer the dispute over the number of states to a regional and international arbitration panel.

South Africa's Deputy President David Mabuza on Thursday 16 January proposed to refer the critical issue of the state numbers to a regional arbitration including the African Union High-Level Ad Hoc Committee for South Sudan (C5), the IGAD and Troika countries.

According to Mabuza, the arbitration committee has to come out with a decision within 90 days after the formation of the transitional national unity government on 15 February.

In a statement released on Saturday, the SSOA said they were "dumbfounded and flabbergasted by the audacity of the proposal" when Mabuza briefed them about it on 16 January.

The "SSOA would like to make it abundantly clear that it considers the proposal on arbitration as a non-starter," said Stephen Lual Ngor SSOA Spokesman in a statement extended to Sudan Tribune.

Ngor further referred to previous discussions they had with the South African facilitator on the number of states adding "The Parties have not reached a deadlock". On the contrary, a consensus has emerged in the December meeting which must be pursued with vigour and impartiality by the mediators. We are looking forward to that".

The SSOA was referring to a meeting held on 2-4 December 2019 where the participants, except the government, adopted " the former districts in Southern Sudan as States for the Transitional Period"

"We are for the formation of the Transitional Government on time, but only after resolving the issue of the number and boundaries of the States and concluding the formation and deployment of the Necessary Unified Forces (NUF)," said the SSOA.

On Friday, SPLM-IO rejected the proposal of the South African senior official and called to settle the states' issue within two weeks to allow the set up of the Council of States which is linked to the number of states.

SSOA, SPLM-IO one position

After stressing that the South African proposal disregards the previous talks on the issue, the SSOA joined the SPLM-IO on its proposal for a two-week period - not three months - to settle the dispute by a regional and international panel.

"If arbitration was at all necessary it could be done in a week or two as the parties suggested to be members are fully aware of the status of the talks," stressed the statement.

"The issue of the number of States needs only a political will to take a decision, not arbitration," emphasized the opposition alliance.

(ST)

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