South Sudan’s President Kiir meets with Nuer leaders

President Salva Kiir Mayardit met this morning with top leaders of the Nuer tribe and appealed to them to help calm tensions in the capital, his spokesman said.  Presidential spokesman Ateny Wek Ateny told Radio Tamazuj that the president’s message for the leaders was that the recent conlict in Juba was the result of an attempted coup, not a tribal war. “There were coup leaders who also included Dinka,” said Ateny, downplaying the tribal nature of the conflict and naming several alleged plotters of Dinka origin. Two governors, the speaker of the assembly, and at least one minister spoke with the president this morning.   Ateny Wek identified the leaders who met with the president as Minister of Education John Gai Yoh, Speaker of the Assembly Magok Rundial, Unity State Caretaker Governor Joseph Nguen Monytuel, and Upper Nile State Governor Simon Kun Puoch. Also said to have met with the president are an MP in the national assembly and a presidential advisor, both hailing from the Nuer tribe. The meetings took place at the palace, according to the presidential spokesman. (Source: www.radiotamazuj.org) File photo