South Sudan says upcoming national prayers genuine not partisan

South Sudan said Thursday said the upcoming national prayers initiated by President Salva Kiir geared toward achieving forgiveness and reconciliation in the war-torn country is genuine and devoid of partisan politics.

The minister of information Michael Makuei told journalists in the capital Juba, that the national prayer slated for March 10, and to be preceded by the much touted national dialogue is open to all South Sudanese with divergent views on condition they denounced violence.

"President Kiir has declared that before we launch our national dialogue let us repent, forgive one another and ask God for forgiveness because we have sinned," he said.

"Without us repenting, definitely this national dialogue will be meaningless. So we need to repent, forgive one another so that we enter the national dialogue in peace," he added.

Makuei disclosed that national dialogue initiated in December 2016 will be open, inclusive and seeks to collect views from all South Sudanese that will be forwarded to the president for implementation.

"All the categories (South Sudanese) are welcome to attend. This is inclusive of those who have decided to take up arms and fight the government. But for those who have taken up arms they need to lay down their arms and denounce violence," he said.

The armed opposition (SPLA-IO) led by the exiled former First Vice President Riek Machar criticized the dialogue as political decoy geared at consolidating the Kiir regime, and instead called for resuscitation of the fragile 2015 peace agreement to end the more than three years of conflict.

Kiir replaced Machar as First Vice President with his former chief negotiator Taban Deng. And the two partners have since formed the transitional unity government, despite defection of top officials recently vowing to topple the Kiir regime from power.

"We are not saying we are negotiating with rebels, but we the people of South Sudan are the ones who will sit and dialogue among ourselves. And any outlaw (rebel) who accepts dialogue should put down his arms and join us," Makuei said.

South Sudan descended into violence in December 2013, following political dispute between president Salva Kiir and former vice president Riek Machar resulting in killing of tens of thousands and displacement of more than two million.

However, renewed July fighting in 2016 threatened to tear apart the fragile 2015 peace agreement to end the conflict.

Source: Xinhua