SOUTH SUDAN-SECURITY South Sudan's parliament approves peace deal

Record ID: 141256

  • Title: SOUTH SUDAN-SECURITY South Sudan's parliament approves peace deal
  • Date: 10th September 2015
  • Summary: JUBA, SOUTH SUDAN (SEPTEMBER 10, 2015) (REUTERS) PARLIAMENTARIANS CLAPPING AFTER ENDORSING THE AGREEMENT PARLIAMENTARIANS SITTING PARLIAMENT IN SESSION VARIOUS OF SOUTH SUDAN SPEAKER ADDRESSING PARLIAMENT SOUTH SUDAN VICE PRESIDENT JAMES WANI IGGA ADDRESSING CITIZENS FROM BEHIND LECTERN (SOUNDBITE) (English) SOUTH SUDAN VICE PRESIDENT, JAMES WANI IGGA, SAYING: "Our people know that the last two wars subjected them into untold sufferings and they wouldn't want again to undergo that this time round. So it is only logical and correct and patriotic that we quickly end this war before the war ends all of us." (SOUNDBITE)(English) SOUTH SUDAN OPPOSITION MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT, ANYOTI ADIKU, SAYING: "I'm very happy that the government has already dropped the reservation which they had made last time which is very good. In the council of ministers there were no reservations talked about, in this house there were no reservations which I congratulated the government for taking out this observations in this agreement. It is now time for the people of IGAD, [Intergovernmental Authority on development] for the people of South Sudan to start implementing this agreement accordingly." VARIOUS OF JUBA STREETS (SOUNDBITE)(Dinka) JUBA RESIDENT, ANNA JUK, SAYING: "We are happy there is progress towards peace. We congratulate our president for signing the agreement despite his reservations and now the parliament passed it. We know the president only signed the agreement for the sake of peace. And we are so happy." TRAFFIC SCENE
  • Embargoed: 25th September 2015 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: South Sudan
  • Country: South Sudan
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVA26HLYS9Q11HIP1BPMN0MIDWIJ
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: South Sudan's parliament unanimously voted on Thursday (September 10) to adopt a peace deal agreed last month by President Salva Kiir and rebel leader Riek Machar, amid mounting pressure for both sides to lay down their arms.
    The world's newest country has been ravaged by war since December 2013, when soldiers loyal to Kiir clashed in the capital Juba with troops loyal to his former deputy, Machar.
    Kiir signed the deal on Aug. 27 but complained about the details and said he had faced intimidation from other nations prior to signing.
    Sporadic fighting has continued since then, with both sides blaming each other for ceasefire violations.
    South Sudan Vice President James Wani Igga said the deal is the only logic to end the war.
    "Our people know that the last two wars subjected them into untold sufferings and they wouldn't want again to undergo that this time round. So it is only logical and correct and patriotic that we quickly end this war before the war ends all of us," said Vice president James Wani Igga.
    A south Sudan military spokesman said there was no fighting on Thursday but added that the rebels were mobilizing to attack Malakal anytime soon.
    Opposition Member of Parliament Anyoti Adiku said they were also happy the deal has been passed in parliament.
    "I'm very happy that the government has already dropped the reservation which they had made last time which is very good. In the council of ministers there were no reservations talked about, in this house there were no reservations which I congratulated the government for taking out this observations in this agreement. It is now time for the people of IGAD,[Intergovernmental Authority on development] for the people of South Sudan to start implementing this agreement accordingly," said Anyoti Adiku.
    On the streets of Juba, residents welcomed the move by parliament to vote for peace with resident Anna Juk saying she hopes everyone will now abide by the agreement.
    "We are happy there is progress towards peace. We congratulate our president for signing the agreement despite his reservations and now the parliament passed it. We know the president only signed the agreement for the sake of peace. And we are so happy," she said.
    The conflict has reopened ethnic fault lines that pit Kiir's Dinka people against Machar's ethnic Nuer people.
    The clashes have prompted the United Nations Security Council to warn both sides that it could impose sanctions if the August deal collapses.
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