France's economy rebounds in Q1 '25    Germany's regional inflation ticks up in April    Kenya to cut budget deficit to 4.5%    Taiwan GDP surges on tech demand    Germany among EU's priciest labour markets – official data    UNFPA Egypt, Bayer sign agreement to promote reproductive health    Egypt to boost marine protection with new tech partnership    Eygpt's El-Sherbiny directs new cities to brace for adverse weather    Cabinet approves establishment of national medical tourism council to boost healthcare sector    CBE governor meets Beijing delegation to discuss economic, financial cooperation    Egypt's investment authority GAFI hosts forum with China to link business, innovation leaders    Egypt's Gypto Pharma, US Dawa Pharmaceuticals sign strategic alliance    Egypt's Foreign Minister calls new Somali counterpart, reaffirms support    "5,000 Years of Civilizational Dialogue" theme for Korea-Egypt 30th anniversary event    Egypt's Al-Mashat urges lower borrowing costs, more debt swaps at UN forum    Egypt's Al-Sisi, Angola's Lourenço discuss ties, African security in Cairo talks    Two new recycling projects launched in Egypt with EGP 1.7bn investment    Egypt pleads before ICJ over Israel's obligations in occupied Palestine    Egypt's ambassador to Palestine congratulates Al-Sheikh on new senior state role    Sudan conflict, bilateral ties dominate talks between Al-Sisi, Al-Burhan in Cairo    Cairo's Madinaty and Katameya Dunes Golf Courses set to host 2025 Pan Arab Golf Championship from May 7-10    Egypt's Ministry of Health launches trachoma elimination campaign in 7 governorates    EHA explores strategic partnership with Türkiye's Modest Group    Between Women Filmmakers' Caravan opens 5th round of Film Consultancy Programme for Arab filmmakers    Fourth Cairo Photo Week set for May, expanding across 14 Downtown locations    Egypt's PM follows up on Julius Nyerere dam project in Tanzania    Ancient military commander's tomb unearthed in Ismailia    Egypt's FM inspects Julius Nyerere Dam project in Tanzania    Egypt's FM praises ties with Tanzania    Egypt to host global celebration for Grand Egyptian Museum opening on July 3    Ancient Egyptian royal tomb unearthed in Sohag    Egypt hosts World Aquatics Open Water Swimming World Cup in Somabay for 3rd consecutive year    Egyptian Minister praises Nile Basin consultations, voices GERD concerns    49th Hassan II Trophy and 28th Lalla Meryem Cup Officially Launched in Morocco    Paris Olympic gold '24 medals hit record value    A minute of silence for Egyptian sports    Russia says it's in sync with US, China, Pakistan on Taliban    It's a bit frustrating to draw at home: Real Madrid keeper after Villarreal game    Shoukry reviews with Guterres Egypt's efforts to achieve SDGs, promote human rights    Sudan says countries must cooperate on vaccines    Johnson & Johnson: Second shot boosts antibodies and protection against COVID-19    Egypt to tax bloggers, YouTubers    Egypt's FM asserts importance of stability in Libya, holding elections as scheduled    We mustn't lose touch: Muller after Bayern win in Bundesliga    Egypt records 36 new deaths from Covid-19, highest since mid June    Egypt sells $3 bln US-dollar dominated eurobonds    Gamal Hanafy's ceramic exhibition at Gezira Arts Centre is a must go    Italian Institute Director Davide Scalmani presents activities of the Cairo Institute for ITALIANA.IT platform    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



S. Sudan rebel leader wants detainees freed before ceasefire deal: Envoys
Published in Ahram Online on 12 - 01 - 2014

South Sudanese rebel leader Riek Machar's demand for the release of detainees remains a stumbling block to a ceasefire deal aimed at halting violence in the world's youngest state, a US envoy said on Sunday.
More than three weeks of fighting, often along ethnic faultlines, has pitted President Salva Kiir's SPLA government forces against rebels loyal to former vice president Machar and has brought the oil-exporting nation close to civil war.
Although both sides have held talks in recent days in Addis Ababa in a bid to agree a ceasefire, there has been little progress after Kiir refused a rebel demand to release 11 detainees arrested in December over an alleged coup plot.
On Saturday, three African envoys of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), a regional grouping of east African nations that initiated the talks, met Machar in an effort to agree the terms of truce, but he turned them down.
"Some of the major concerns he raised were the release of detainees which he has made a precondition since the beginning for the signing of the cessation of hostilities agreement," said Donald Booth, the US envoy to Sudan and South Sudan, who accompanied the IGAD envoys.
"What we really need to do is continue to press the government to find a way to enable those detainees to participate in political talks."
Following the meeting with Machar, an IGAD official said on Sunday its envoys had once again travelled to South Sudan's capital Juba to try to convince Kiir to release the detainees.
"There was some progress with him (Machar) agreeing to some elements of the cessation of hostilities draft agreement. He still has disagreements so we will work on it," the official told Reuters.
The envoys have failed so far to have the detainees freed, with Kiir insisting that they will be investigated and those found culpable will face the due process of the law.
The fighting is the worst in South Sudan since it won independence from Sudan in 2011 in a peace deal that ended one of Africa's longest civil wars. The clashes have displaced more than 200,000 people and cut oil exports.
A copy of the ceasefire deal drafted by mediators envisages monitoring mechanisms to ensure full implementation.
Booth said Machar has also "expressed concern about Ugandan military intervention in South Sudan, and he expressed concern about whether a ceasefire agreement would be respected."
The rebels have accused neighbouring Uganda of aiding Kiir by launching air strikes against their
http://english.ahram.org.eg/News/91422.aspx


Clic here to read the story from its source.