SSOMA boycotts Rome negotiations

The South Sudan Opposition Movement Alliance (SSOMA) has boycotted the next round of negotiations which was scheduled for the first week of May 2021. 

In its press release issued last week, SSOMA stipulated the reason was for the killing of their denier army commander last month in Uganda capital, Kampala.

 “SSOMA’s suspension of participation in the talks is because of the cowardly act of assassination of its senior military member, General Abraham Wana Yoane, the chief of staff of (SSNMC/A) who was killed on the 22nd April 2021 in Kampala, Uganda,” the statement partly read.

Talks between the revitalised government and SSOMA led by the Community of Saint E’gidio in Rome began since 2019. The next round was supposed to commence on Saturday May 8 through Wednesday May 12 this week.

But last week Dr. Barnaba Marial Benjamin, Minister of Presidential Affairs said the negotiation was to engage Gen. Thomas Cirilo on declaration of principle as well as to discuss matters of federalism and constitution reform among others.

But SSOMA suspended participation indefinitely accusing pro-government security of carrying out the attack on Gen. Abraham which led to his death later at the hospital in Uganda.

 “The killing of Gen. Abraham bears the hallmarks of the elements and their hired assassins of South Sudan National Security.”