Angelo Beda, chairperson of the National Dialogue steering committee addresses participants during the opening session of the last conference in Juba on Tuesday, Nov 3, 2020 | Credit | Lou Nelson/Eye Radio

The Chairperson of the National Dialogue steering committee says the national conference will create constitutional freedoms that have been curtailed by the government.

The national conference commenced in Juba on November 3 under the theme: “Come lets dialogue, come let’s heal our nation.”

The chairperson, Angelo Beda, believed that the Kiir administration has infringed on the rights and freedoms of the people of South Sudan.

“The government of South Sudan derailed from its democratic commitment long time ago,” he said at the opening session on Tuesday.

He argued that the SPLM today is a complete opposite of its democratic principles that were envisioned during the liberation struggle.

“It is a system that is a complete opposite of what was envisioned that is now in place and it is our belief,” he said.

He says the deliberations of the conference will seek to find ways of creating a peaceful and stable South Sudan where constitutional freedoms shall be preserved.

The national conference which started yesterday is expected to end in two weeks.

The participants are expected to deliberate on some issues affecting the grassroots communities – including communal conflicts, cattle wrestling, and revenge attacks.

President Salva Kiir initiated the national dialogue in December last year, saying it was a means to unite and reconcile the people after years of a brutal conflict since December 2013.