JUBA, South Sudan — South Sudan peace talks that have almost come to an end faced a roadblock with opposition groups demanding a recently passed bill allowing the detention of people without a blacked-out warrant in order to sign a proposed deal.
Kenya has been organize high-level meetings since May between government representatives and opposition rebel groups that were not part of a 2018 agreement that ended a five-year civil war, which left around 400,000 people dead and millions displaced. Despite the agreement, violence often broke out in the country of 9 million people.
Pagan Amum Okiech, negotiating on behalf of the South Sudan Opposition Movement Alliance, told The Associated Press on Tuesday night that “there would be no point in signing any agreement if the president signs the draconian National Security Law.”
Last week, parliament voted in favor of the 2015 bill and President Salva Kiir will have to approve it within 30 days for it to become law. This comes ahead of the country’s first elections on December 22.
“This law violates the fundamental rights and freedoms of South Sudanese citizens and eliminates civic and political space,” Amum said. “There can be no peace or democracy under a law like this.”
The peace talks are attended by the executive director of the Community Empowerment Organization for Progress, a nonprofit organization that engages college students and recent graduates. Edmund Yakani criticized the security bill, saying it “created a negative spirit for negotiations.”
Human Rights Watch has also called on Kiir to reject the controversial bill, saying it will further undermine human rights and strengthen national security agencies that have a long history of rights abuses.
The talks, called Tumaini, which means hope in Swahili, resulted in a draft agreement that proposes extending the country’s transition period and postponing the next elections to allow for finalizing the country’s constitution and electoral laws, as well as establishing borders between electoral districts and a unified security system. strength as proposed in the 2018 peace talks.
Some Western envoys also recommend delaying the elections “to ensure free and fair elections.”
Kiir has been adamant about holding elections in December and called in envoys.
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