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| Africa Horn | |
| Peace talks tentatively set for South Sudan | |
| 2014-05-03 | |
South Sudanâs president agreed Friday to meet with his rival as soon as next week to jumpstart peace talks that have been stalled for months and, potentially, lay groundwork for a new government to bring the worldâs newest nation out of bloodshed.
Kerry said Kiirâs rival, the former vice president-turned-rebel Riek Machar, has previously indicated he would engage in cease-fire discussions. The American diplomat said he hoped to speak to Machar later Friday. âThe unspeakable human costs that we are seeing over the course of the last months, and which could even grow if they fail to sit down, are unacceptable to the global community,â Kerry told reporters after his meeting with Kiir. âBefore the promise of South Sudanâs future is soaked in more blood, President Kiir and the opposition must work immediately for cessation of hostilities and to move toward an understanding about future governance for the country.â Kerry said a cease-fire would likely lead to a transitional government in South Sudan but declined to comment on whether Kiir or Macher could have a role in the countryâs future leadership. If the peace talks happen, they would mark a turning point in nearly six months of horrific fighting that has largely broken down along ethnic lines between rival Dinka and Nuer tribes. The violence has been compared to the threat of genocide, and could also lead to famine later this year since farmers among the nearly 1 million South Sudanese who have fled their homes have had to abandon their crops. Thousands have been killed in the fighting, which began when Kiir, a Dinka, accused Machar, a Nuer, of plotting a coup to seize power last December. An earlier cease fire agreement, reached last January, was abandoned within days. If Kiir and Macher fail to move strongly to curb the violence, or if other fighters continue to violate human rights and disrupt humanitarian aid, Kerry they would be held accountable. The consequences would range from economic sanctions to, potentially, prosecution by international courts. African nations are willing to deploy between 2,500 and 5,500 troops initially for peacekeeping missions under the auspices of the United Nations. That would require a new U.N. mandate. The U.S. and U.N. have threatened to bring sanctions against militants on both sides of the fighting â including, potentially, Kiir and Machar themselves. And Western officials are trying to persuade the African Union to deploy thousands of troops to South Sudan to keep the peace. | |
| Posted by:Steve White |