South Sudan Political Parties criticized relocation of talks from Ethiopia to Kenya, describing it ‘distraction for a peaceful settlement of the current conflict’.
United Democratic Front or UDF Secretary General David William told the press on Friday in Juba that the spokesperson’s demand of dismissal of the Chief mediator Ambassador Seyoum Mesfin, relocation talks to Nairobi and the accusation of the international community could only be understood as unnecessary detraction for a peaceful settlement of the crisis.
He said the statement could only confound and has complicated the situation in the country, calling on the government to take necessary measures to restore the damage inflicted on the process.
Mr William expressed full confidence in the mediation process under the leadership of Ambassador Seyoum Mesfin and his colleagues.
He observed that the warring parties are the main cause of the lack of progress in the peace process and that blaming mediators was unfair.
Mr William cautioned the government against ‘forum shopping’ practiced by Khartoum in 1994 towards Intergovernmental Authority on Development or IGAD while mediating Sudan government and SPLM/A movement conflict.
He warned that they do not want buying of time after thousands lives lost and thousand others displaced.
The Secretary-General called on the warring parties to resolve the conflict through dialogue because the mediators cannot resolve the conflict or rush the process.