South Sudan peace talks that were close to reaching an agreement have hit a major roadblock as opposition groups demand the removal of a newly passed bill that permits the detention of individuals without an arrest warrant before they agree to sign the proposed deal.
Kenya has been hosting high-level discussions since May between South Sudan government representatives and rebel opposition groups that were not part of the 2018 agreement, which ended a five-year civil war that resulted in approximately 400,000 deaths and millions of displacements.
Despite the agreement, violence has frequently erupted in the nation of 9 million people.
Pagan Amum Okiech, representing the South Sudan Opposition Movement Alliance, stated to the Associated Press on Tuesday night that it would be “meaningless to sign any agreement if the draconian National Security Act is signed into law by the president.”
Last week, parliament voted in favor of the 2015 bill, and President Salva Kiir will have 30 days to approve it for it to become law. This development comes ahead of the country’s first-ever election scheduled for December 22.
“This law violates the fundamental rights and freedoms of South Sudanese citizens, it eliminates civic and political space,” Amum said. “There can be no peace or democracy under such a law.”
Edmund Yakani, the executive director of the Community Empowerment for Progress Organization, a non-profit that works with university students and recent graduates, is participating in the peace talks. Yakani criticized the security bill, stating it “created a negative spirit for the negotiations.”
Human Rights Watch has also urged President Kiir to reject the controversial bill, arguing it will further undermine human rights and empower national security agencies with a history of rights abuses.
The talks, known as Tumaini (Swahili for hope), have produced a draft agreement suggesting an extension of the country’s transitional period and a delay in the upcoming election. This postponement would allow time to finalize the country’s constitution and electoral laws, establish constituency borders, and create a unified security force as outlined in the 2018 peace talks.
Some Western envoys have also recommended delaying the election to ensure it is free and fair. However, President Kiir has been firm on holding the election in December and has criticized the envoys for their stance.
