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January 29, 2020 (JUBA) - The National Salvation Front (NAS) Wednesday rejected the presidential amnesty for its leader Thomas Cirilo and other opposition leaders, terming it as a "public relations display".
- Lt. Gen. Thomas Cirilo Swaka, the ex-SPLA deputy chief of general staff for training (youtube photo)
On Tuesday 28 January, President Kiir granted a general amnesty to all the leaders of the South Sudan Opposition Movements Alliance (SSOMA) including Cirilo.
The presidential pardon comes after the signing on 12 January of the Roma Declaration in which the parties committed themselves to a cessation of hostilities agreement and pledged to resume talks next February.
"We regard the decree as a political mockery and public relations display, it absolutely has no meaning at all," said Suba Samuel Manage NAS Spokesman in statements to Sudan Tribune on Wednesday.
Suba underlined that President Kiir would have done better if he pardons the political prisoners who are in jail instead of oppositions leaders who are abroad in safe places.
"President keeps on contradicting himself, instead of him issuing amnesty for those outside the country, let him release all the political detainees languishing in The Blue House and other detention centres throughout the country," he added.
The former deputy chief of staff and General and NAS founder in early 2017 had already rejected a presidential pardon in September 2017.
JUBA PREPARING ATTACKS
The SSOMA, in line with the Sant’Egidio-brokered agreement, will meet on 12-14 February for talks on the implementation of the Rome Declaration on Cessation of Hostilities Agreement on monitoring and verification.
However, Suba said they believe that the South Sudanese government forces are preparing for a new military campaign for the upcoming dray season.
"To our dismay, Juba is busy building up troops and deploying them, I think in preparation for the so-called dry season offensive, NAS is monitoring the situation closely and we can defend ourselves in case of an attack," he said.
Nonetheless, NAS spokesman reiterated their commitment to Roma Declaration and hailed the efforts exerted by the Sant’Egidio religious community for peace in South Sudan, stressing that its initiative aims at addressing the root causes of the conflict.
"The Rome initiative is trying to pursue that path as such we support the Sant Igidio’s initiative," he stressed.
(ST)
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