Malakal PoC on Sept. 9, 2018. Photo/Baz Ratner/Reuters.

A leader of the Internally Displaced Persons in Malakal town says they have not received an invitation to participate in the planned Upper Nile state conference in Juba.

Last month, the Presidency announced it will facilitate a peace and reconciliation forum of the communities of the state to iron out their differences.

“Honestly, we only heard about this through the media and other channels in South Sudan that there will be a dialogue for the people or residents of the Upper Nile state,” Sebit Khamis said.

The conference, spearheaded by the Office of the First Vice President will be attended by 496 participants comprising of political and community leaders from Upper Nile State.

They will be drawn from Sudan, Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda, Juba, and Malakal IDP camp.

The participants are expected to discuss cohesion among the five communities, and unity among the political leaders of the Upper Nile state.

Dr. Riek Machar’s office is expected to invite all the delegates to Juba for the conference on a yet-to-be-announced date.

But the leader of the Malakal Protection of Civilians site says he has not been officially informed about the conference.

“Until today, we as leaders present at the Protection of Civilians Site in Malakal have not been officially notified or we have not gotten a notification to confirm to us that we will be part of the dialogue or not,” Mr. Khamis told Eye Radio Wednesday afternoon.

On December 16, 2020, Dr. Riek Machar announced the postponement of the Upper Nile state conference which was scheduled for the same week.

He said the event was suspended due to delays in preparation arrangements.

A new date for the event has not been publicized.