{Ethiopia’s Ambassador Seyoum Mesfin, chief mediator at the IGAD-mediated South Sudan’s peace talks, on Monday (September 22), bluntly told the warring factions to stop stalling over procedural issues.}
Speaking at the current round of talks being held in Bahr Dar, the capital of Ethiopia’s Amhara Regional State, he said: “If you are committed to peace, you will not find it through the barrel of the gun, but around this table.”
Over the weekend there were fresh violations of the ceasefire to which both sides have repeatedly committed themselves. After fresh fighting in Upper Nile State both sides claimed gains against the other.
Ambassador Seyoum was voicing the growing frustration of IGAD leaders and of international diplomats at the failure of both sides to end the fighting.
It is estimated that well over 10,000 people have been killed in the fighting and the threat of famine for South Sudan’s 11 million people is increasing sharply.
IGAD leaders at their Summit last month said firmly that they resolved “to take action against those who obstruct the attainment of peace in South Sudan” and stressed such people would “be held responsible for their actions and denied participation in the future governance arrangements for South Sudan.”
(MoFA)
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