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VATICAN-SSUDAN-POPE-DIPLOMACY
S.Sudan warring rivals meet at Vatican ‘peace retreat’
VATICAN CITY, April 10, 2019 (BSS/AFP) – South Sudan’s warring rivals
President Salva Kiir and rebel leader and former vice president Riek Machar
began a retreat at the Vatican Wednesday aimed at finding a path to peace.
The arch-rivals met at the Casa Santa Marta within the Vatican’s walls, a
residence for visitors and home to Pope Francis, who chose it over the
traditional papal palace on his election in 2013.
The unimposing hotel was the scene of historic peace talks between Israeli
President Shimon Peres and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in 2014.
Kiir and Machar last saw each other in October last year, shortly after the
signing of a power-sharing deal, when Machar made a brief return to Juba for
the first time since fleeing on foot in a hail of gunfire in July 2016.
Machar was Kiir’s vice president until a falling out in 2013 which
kickstarted a civil war just two years after independence from Sudan.
Battles between those from Machar’s Nuer community and Kiir’s Dinka people
were characterised by brutal violence, rape and UN warnings about “ethnic
cleansing”.
Kiir met with Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte earlier Wednesday
before heading to the Vatican, where he was set to meet with members of a
unity government which is meant to be in place in May.
The Vatican confirmed the arrival of Machar, who under the new deal will be
reinstated as vice-president.
The other vice-presidents expected at the retreat are James Wani Igga,
Taban Deng Gai and Rebecca Nyandeng De Mabior.
Ecclesiastical authorities will be represented by the eight members of the
South Sudan Council of Churches.
The meeting will end Thursday with a speech by Pope Francis at 5pm (1500
GMT), followed by a dinner.
BSS/AFP/RY/1948 hrs