BREAKING: Parties end talks in Rome without deal, to meet again in November

ROME – South Sudan parties meeting in Rome in a bid to end the war in the world’s youngest country have ended this round of negotiations without any agreement, with the Sant’Egidio mediation pushing talks to November 30, according to a statement extended to Sudans Post.

Deng Vanang, a spokesman for the South Sudan Opposition Movements Alliance (SSOMA) faction under General Thomas Cirilo Swaka, said the parties had agreed on the re-commitment to the 2017 ceasefire agreement, but said it couldn’t be signed because the government has objected to some of its points.

“COHA, Cessation of Hostilities’ Agreement  has only been agreed on and  initialed by the parties the two parties. While its signing is differed to 30th November 2020, the parties reconvened and tied  to DOP-ten-point document  for further discussion by the rival parties,” Deng said in a statement extended to Sudans Post.

The senior opposition official said the two points that are not accepted by the government include a referendum on the country’s borders to decided as to if the country should return to its boundaries as they stood on January 1, 1956.

Deng said the government has said the revitalized transitional government of national unity should be the one to decide as to whether a referendum should take place, blaming the government for rejecting these proposals without any concrete reasons.

“By rejecting this proposal, government still has the unethical mission of conquering more communal lands from politically incorrect ethnic groups  and handing them over to more favored ones,” the statement further said.