“Our hopes are still firm that South Sudan will revive out of this disaster, will reunite itself, will heal itself as a nation and go back to the right path to be a peaceful and prosperous South Sudan. ”, said Pagan Amum, one of the former 11 detainees.The eleven South Sudanese politicians who were released from detention last month have met with the leader of the SPLM-SPLA in the Opposition, Dr. Riek Machar in Addis Ababa.

The suspended SPLM Secretary-General, Pagan Amum, said they met with the former Vice President and urged him to end the crisis in South Sudan.

“Having met with Dr. Riek Machar Teny, we are also looking forward to meeting President Salva Mayardit to encourage him, persuade him and possibly pressure him to end this war”  Mr. Amum said, hopeful that there will be peace in South Sudan, and that the country will be a free and democratic nation.

“Our hopes are still firm that South Sudan will revive out of this disaster, will reunite itself, will heal itself as a nation and go back to the right path to be a peaceful and prosperous South Sudan. ” He added.

It is expected that President Salva Kiir and his former deputy, Dr. Riek Machar, will have their first face-to-face meeting in Addis Ababa today since the conflict started in December last year.

The IGAD Special Envoys who are mediating the talks have called the meeting between President Salva Kiir and Dr. Riek Machar as “critical”.