Ambassadors and Chargé d’ Affaires of TROIKA countries say they are concerned that some members of the political parties’ delegation have been prevented from travelling to join IGAD talks in Ethiopia.

In a joint press release, Ambassadors of the United States, the UK, Norway, European Union, Germany and the Netherlands, decried the barring of some politicians from attending the peace talks.

On Saturday, the leader of the SPLM-DC, Dr. Lam Akol and four other political leaders were barred from travelling to Ethiopia to participate in the peace talks.

The politicians had been invited to the peace talks by the IGAD mediators.

“This does not sit well with an inclusive and representative process that takes into account the views of all constituencies and all stakeholders,” read the statement.

“Preventing an individual from travelling may also violate his or her right to freedom of movement.”

The ambassadors also say they remain deeply concerned about the political and humanitarian crisis in South Sudan, what they call an entirely man-made catastrophe.

They urged the leaders on the sides of the government and the SPLM-SPLA in Opposition to recognize the need for compromise, to put their people first and to make peace a reality as a first priority.

‘No harmony’

In response, the spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign affairs, Ambassador Mawien Makol, told Eye Radio that Dr. Lam Akol was prevented from traveling to Addis Ababa because there was ‘no harmony’ between him and the government’s delegation.

“Recently, there has been very difficult for this delegation to be one because Dr. Lam Akol who has actually split from the main stream, that is the government delegation, has been reported to have own his own way of seeing things,” said Amb Makol.

“He couldn’t’ go [to Addis Ababa] because we expected the delegation to have one voice representing one government.”

Ambassador Makol said representatives of the other political parties were not prevented from participating in the ongoing negotiations in Ethiopia.

The phase two of the sixth round of South Sudan Peace Talks started yesterday in Bahir – Dar town, the capital of the Amhara region of Ethiopia.