JUBA, SOUTH SUDAN: South Sudan rebel leader Riek Machar told Reuters on Monday he was ready to negotiate with President Salva Kiir to bring an end to the nine-day conflict if Kiir first released his detained political allies.
The US special envoy to South Sudan, Donald Booth, said Kiir was committed to opening talks with Dr Machar.
Information Minister Michael Makuei immediately dismissed the demands made by Machar, who was South Sudan’s vice president until Kiir sacked him in July. “There is no way we will release anybody who is accused of a coup d’etat,” Makuei told Reuters.
Makuei also dismissed Machar’s claims that his rebels have taken over all the major oil fields in Unity and Upper Nile states as “wishful thinking.”
Jonglei State
Hours before meeting Ambassador Booth, Kiir vowed to attack rebel-held Jonglei State capital Bor amid deepening fears that the conflict is provoking broader ethnic bloodletting.
“President Kiir committed to me that he was ready to begin talks with Machar to end the crisis without preconditions as soon as his counterpart is willing,” Booth told reporters.
Western powers and East African states, which want to prevent the fighting from destabilising a fragile African region, have tried to mediate between Machar, who hails from the Nuer tribe, and Kiir, a Dinka.
But so far their efforts have been fruitless as clashes, which started in Juba on December 15 entered their second week, reaching the country’s vital oil fields and destabilising a state which won independence from Sudan only in 2011.
Hundreds of people have been killed, with reports of summary executions and ethnically targeted killings.
Diplomats told Reuters the UN Security Council was on Tuesday likely to approve UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s request for another 5,000 peacekeepers to be sent to the world’s newest country.
Speaking from “the bush”, rebel leader Machar told Reuters he had spoken to US National Security Adviser Susan Rice and UN envoy Hilde Johnson about trying to end fighting that has killed hundreds of people and driven thousands from their homes.
Detained comrades
“My message was let Salva Kiir release my comrades who are under detention and let them be evacuated to Addis Ababa and we can start dialogue straightaway, because these are the people who would (handle) dialogue,” he said by telephone.
Among those Machar listed should be released were Pagan Amum, chief negotiator during the recent oil shutdown with Sudan, which hosts the sole oil export pipeline; and Rebecca de Mabior, the widow of former South Sudanese leader John Garang.
“They are criminals who must be brought to book, so there is no way we can negotiate with Machar. We are only ready to negotiate with him unconditionally,” Makuei added.
He also dismissed Machar’s suggestion for the peace talks to be held in Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa, insisting they should be held in Juba.
Joe Contreras, the United Nations spokesman in South Sudan, said the UN was now sheltering about 42,000 civilians across South Sudan and would not leave the country despite worsening security situation.
The US special envoy to South Sudan, Donald Booth, said Kiir was committed to opening talks with Dr Machar.
Information Minister Michael Makuei immediately dismissed the demands made by Machar, who was South Sudan’s vice president until Kiir sacked him in July. “There is no way we will release anybody who is accused of a coup d’etat,” Makuei told Reuters.
Makuei also dismissed Machar’s claims that his rebels have taken over all the major oil fields in Unity and Upper Nile states as “wishful thinking.”
Jonglei State
Hours before meeting Ambassador Booth, Kiir vowed to attack rebel-held Jonglei State capital Bor amid deepening fears that the conflict is provoking broader ethnic bloodletting.
“President Kiir committed to me that he was ready to begin talks with Machar to end the crisis without preconditions as soon as his counterpart is willing,” Booth told reporters.
Western powers and East African states, which want to prevent the fighting from destabilising a fragile African region, have tried to mediate between Machar, who hails from the Nuer tribe, and Kiir, a Dinka.
But so far their efforts have been fruitless as clashes, which started in Juba on December 15 entered their second week, reaching the country’s vital oil fields and destabilising a state which won independence from Sudan only in 2011.
Hundreds of people have been killed, with reports of summary executions and ethnically targeted killings.
Diplomats told Reuters the UN Security Council was on Tuesday likely to approve UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s request for another 5,000 peacekeepers to be sent to the world’s newest country.
Speaking from “the bush”, rebel leader Machar told Reuters he had spoken to US National Security Adviser Susan Rice and UN envoy Hilde Johnson about trying to end fighting that has killed hundreds of people and driven thousands from their homes.
Detained comrades
“My message was let Salva Kiir release my comrades who are under detention and let them be evacuated to Addis Ababa and we can start dialogue straightaway, because these are the people who would (handle) dialogue,” he said by telephone.
Among those Machar listed should be released were Pagan Amum, chief negotiator during the recent oil shutdown with Sudan, which hosts the sole oil export pipeline; and Rebecca de Mabior, the widow of former South Sudanese leader John Garang.
“They are criminals who must be brought to book, so there is no way we can negotiate with Machar. We are only ready to negotiate with him unconditionally,” Makuei added.
He also dismissed Machar’s suggestion for the peace talks to be held in Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa, insisting they should be held in Juba.
Joe Contreras, the United Nations spokesman in South Sudan, said the UN was now sheltering about 42,000 civilians across South Sudan and would not leave the country despite worsening security situation.
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