The Special Envoys of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) have condemned fresh fighting in Upper Nile State saying it is a ‘sideshow’ aimed at derailing the peace process.

Fighting broke out late last week in Renk County and south of Malakal in Upper Nile State between the two warring factions SPLA-IO and SPLA-Juba.

IGAD Special Envoy Seyoum Mesfin said, “It is unfortunate that this trend of events has been observed every time a new session of talks begins and any such sideshows aimed at derailing the peace process will not be tolerated.”

Meanwhile, on Saturday night the IGAD mediators handed over to the negotiating parties a new document, “the single negotiating text,” which incorporates ideas of earlier proposals including the Protocol signed by the IGAD heads of state as well as suggestions made by the various delegations participating at the peace talks.

Bishop Enock Tombe, a member of the religious leaders’ delegation, told Radio Tamazuj that the mediators asked the delegations to bring their response to the new proposal to a sitting of the negotiators tomorrow, Monday, at the talks in Bahir Dar, Ethiopia.

The source suggested, however, that the IGAD proposal is a long text and may require some time for study. This prompted some negotiators to call for an extension of time to allow them to study the document.

The proposal comes after five days of consultations between mediators and the delegations. The groups reportedly could not agree on an agenda for the negotiations, prompting IGAD to bring forward their own proposal and demand a response from each party.

In a press release yesterday, the IGAD mediators urged the parties to refrain from any actions that could upset the ongoing peace talks and “instead give peace a chance at the negotiating table.”

The mediators reminded the parties of their obligation to adhere to the Cessation of Hostilities Agreement. 

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