The South Sudanese armed opposition group SPLM-IO contests a statement by East African peace mediators that they failed to attend peace talks in Addis Ababa.

According to the rebels, they are protesting the format of the talks, but are still willing to join if the mediators change the format from a ‘roundtable’ format with multiple stakeholders to a ‘direct’ format with only the government.

SPLM-IO released a statement on Wednesday referring to the earlier statement by the IGAD mediators, in which the mediators said that SPLM-IO “failed to attend the peace process for South Sudan.”

“This is not the case,” writes Mabior Garang de Mabior, spokesman of the SPLM-IO, pointing out that they are still engaged in discussions directly with the government to “finalize modalities of implementation of the Cessation of Hostilities Agreement.”

The mediators say that the SPLM-IO failed to show up for ‘roundtable’ discussions, a move which goes against earlier commitments that they made to participate in the “inclusive, multi-stakeholder roundtable peace process.”

Mabior contested this, saying that they had not committed to a “multi-stakeholders’ roundtable.”

“This statement is a misrepresentation of the position of the SPLM/SPLA on the participation of other stakeholders,” he said.

“We, therefore, want to set the record straight by stating that the SPLM/SPLA has been calling for direct negotiation with the Government while the SPLM Leaders (Former Detainees) Political Parties, Civil Society Organizations and Faith-based Groups can participate in a consultative manner.”

File photo: SPLM-IO leader Riek Machar

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