A bishop of the Episcopal Church of South Sudan and Sudan (ECSSS) has told the warring parties 'not cause pain to citizens' but to continue with negotiations to bring peace.

While giving his opening remarks at Immanuel Cathedral, Bishop Hillary Luate Adeba of Yei diocese also called on the citizens not to miss the opportunity of ending the war. He was speaking at the start of a five-day conference for Young Christian Families Association.

[Juba, South Sudan, TCT, By Philip Buda] The long awaited electrification of South Sudan's capital Juba is finally a reality as Ezra Power Plant Juba launched its first 33 Mega Watts electric power on Thursday the 21st November 2019. President Salva Kiir Mayardit together with First Lady Mary Ayen Mayardit presided over the launch.

[ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia] – South Sudan’s former vice president, Riek Machar on Friday, 28 August, declared permanent ceasefire and directed all his armed opposition forces to fully implement it as of midnight of 29 August 2015. In a statement he communicated to all units of the rebel forces, Machar directed his chief of general staff, Major General Simon Gatwech Dual, to implement the order in accordance with the IGAD Plus compromise peace agreement. In Machar's statement extended to Sudan Tribune on Friday evening, Machar ordered that. “All forces [SPLA-IO] are to remain alert in their current positions and to act only on self defence or respond upon aggression,” the statement reads.

The ceasefire declaration by the top armed opposition leader, now the first vice president-designate, comes a day after president Salva Kiir has declared to cease fire also with effect from midnight 29 August 2015. This is accordance with the provision on ceasefire in the peace agreement which calls on both warring parties to declare permanent ceasefire 72 hours after the signing of the deal.

The two parties, according to the peace accord, are expected to work out the process of disengagement of forces as well as demilitarization of the capital, Juba, Bor, Malakal and Bentiu and with deployment of joint integrated police forces in the cities. This exercise is expected to begin from the three months of pre-transitional period before formation of transitional government of national unity. A work shop to bring together senior military officers of the two rival forces is expected to be organized in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, next week for the preparations in implementing the security arrangements.

While the two principles declared ceasefire, The Insider reported that the powerful defector general Peter Gatdet denouncing and rejecting peace deal signed by both President Kiir and rebel leader Machar.  

Source By Sudan Tribune with additional editing by TCT

[Juba, South Sudan, TCT] The United Nations Security Council members have arrived in Juba for a one-day visit to South Sudan, as the government announced that the peace talks in Addis Ababa had been adjourned for government officials to return to Juba and brief the president on the state of the talks.

The adjournment of the meeting between the government and the rebels was announced by the information minister, Michael Makuei Lueth on 11^th August. He said the government team to the talks would go back to Juba to brief the president on developments on the peace talks and the government position on the same.

While in the country, the UN said the Security Council team members will be “engaging with both leaders’, that is, President Salva Kiir and opposition leader Dr. Riek Machar. The team arrives in the country at a time when concern is being raised by various players on the fragile situation in the country and the need to accelerate the peace process.

Oxfam, an aids agency says that with the peace talks in Addis stalling, continuing violence throughout the country and a man-made food security crisis, the situation in South Sudan is more urgent.

“This visit from the UN Security Council comes at a key moment, and provides an opportunity to step up efforts to bring an end to the conflict, push for a lasting ceasefire, ensure humanitarian assistance reaches communities and that a foundation is built for the durable peace this country so urgently needs,” said Oxfam's country director Tariq Rieb.

The UN Security officials were welcomed to the country by United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) team led by acting head of Mission Raisedon Zenenga and Special Representative of the Secretary General (SRSG) Designate Ellen Loj, as well as South Sudan government ministers.

“…we remain concerned by obstacles to humanitarian access throughout South Sudan, including threats to humanitarian workers, as so tragically seen last week with the killing of five NGO staff in Maban,” said Tariq.

Since December, more than 1.5 million people have been displaced, including over 400,000 who have fled the country seeking refuge in neighbouring countries. Within South Sudan, Oxfam says 4 million are facing alarming levels of hunger. The impact of this conflict – and the complete inability of both parties to bring it to an end – has been catastrophic for the people of South Sudan.

“There is an urgent need for the international community to show a united front and use all their diplomatic influence to ensure both parties engage meaningfully in the talks and listen to the diversity of voices in South Sudan...This political impasse can’t go on any longer – the people of South Sudan have suffered too much,” Tariq said in an earlier statement.