South Sudan Signs Cease-Fire With Rebels
A cease-fire deal has been reached between the government of the nascent country of South Sudan and rebel forces to end five weeks of fighting that has claimed more than 10,000 lives.
The agreement for a countrywide cease-fire was signed Thursday in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa. NPR's Gregory Warner, reporting from Bukavu in the neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo, says the deal marks a breakthrough in peace talks that stalled for weeks over the fate of 11 political prisoners under house arrest by the South Sudanese government.
The government agreed to grant the prisoners amnesty:
H.E. Kiir: There will be amnesty for the political detainees, but it will be after investigations...
— Gov of South Sudan (@RepSouthSudan) January 23, 2014
...When the investigations are done, they will know which article they are being charged with because they will be taken to court...
— Gov of South Sudan (@RepSouthSudan) January 23, 2014
... After that, there is room for the President to issue an amnesty, but that can’t happen before the court’s judgment. #SouthSudan
— Gov of South Sudan (@RepSouthSudan) January 23, 2014