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Message: [QUOTE="Nehanda, post: 30737, member: 2262"] South Sudan's armed opposition has demanded that regional and international mediators relocate peace talks outside the capital, citing an unsafe and biased environment for negotiations. The SPLA/M-IO movement argues that Juba has become hostile and threatens potential participants with arrest and intimidation. Oyet Nathaniel Pierino, the opposition's deputy chairman, sent a formal appeal to African Union representatives describing an atmosphere of fear that prevents meaningful dialogue. The group wants talks moved to a neutral location where members can speak freely without risking detention or persecution. International pressure continues to mount against President Salva Kiir's government. The United Nations Secretary General, diplomatic missions from multiple Western countries, and regional bodies have called for the immediate release of First Vice President Riek Machar, who has been under house arrest since Wednesday. The Intergovernmental Authority on Development expressed serious alarm about Machar's detention, warning that his arrest gravely undermines the fragile 2018 peace agreement. Some nations have already begun reducing diplomatic presence, with Germany and Norway closing their embassies in Juba. An African Union panel led by retired Kenyan Justice Effie Owuor is scheduled to arrive and attempt diplomatic intervention. The opposition specifically requests that this panel meet directly with Machar to understand the full context of the current political crisis. The escalating tensions highlight the precarious state of South Sudan's governance. With international mediators increasingly concerned and opposition leaders feeling unsafe, the prospects for peaceful resolution appear increasingly uncertain and complex. [/QUOTE]

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