“The United Nations Security Council and the Transitional Government of National Unity agreed to work in a fresh spirit of cooperation to advance the interests of south Sudanese people particularly the aspiration for justice, liberty and prosperity”, said Cabinet Minister Martin Elia Lomuro, reading a prepared statement last night in the presence of Kiir and US Ambassador Samantha Power.
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“They were surprised by the tone of Russian Federation, and also of China, which acted like someone who lost two peacekeepers”.
The presidential palace was the scene of clashes on July 8 between President Kiir’s guards and troops loyal to his former deputy Riek Machar, shattering a fragile truce that has been breached several times.
Power said that, the delegation met many people who could recount bullets flying over their head in the crossfire of the crises that occurred about two months ago.
UNMISS faced considerable criticism over its failure to protect civilians during the July fighting.
Under increasing global pressure, South Sudan has agreed to accept 4,000 extra peacekeepers.
Those at Saturday’s meeting emerged on a conciliatory note.
The force composed of African troops who will have more mandate than the United Nations mission in the country was rejected by President Salva Kiir who argued that it violates South Sudan’s national sovereignty. The ambassador revealed that talks are under way to decide the details of deployment of the regional protection force.
Nevertheless, some of his supporters in South Sudan said it was a relief to know he was fine. “Some are facing famine-like conditions”. “I think this force will help us to further implement this (peace) agreement”. “We can not put our nation on the right track alone”. “And there is no humiliation in this need to be assisted”, he said. They are not going home because they want food or water but they are terrified.
“We cannot leave this camp without security and that security can be provided by the regional force”, she said.
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Anglican Archbishop Daniel Deng Bul backed the intervention call, saying “the United Nations is momentarily the father of the people of South Sudan”. Just over a year has passed since South Sudan’s warring sides agreed to a peace deal under intense worldwide pressure, but both sides “violated the agreement from day one”, according to Festus Mogae, the top diplomat in charge of monitoring the agreement. The UN vote came in the aftermath of renewed violence in the capital, Juba, that killed hundreds in early July and threw into turmoil a transitional government created to end the violence.
