S. Sudan opposition leader warns against attacking western countries

March 31, 2015 (JUBA) – Leader of the South Sudanese opposition party of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement for Democratic Change (SPLM-DC) has cautioned president Salva Kiir’s government against threatening western countries, saying they were doing it at their own risk.

Lam Akol, who leads the main opposition party in government, said it was unwise for president Kiir’s government to try to avoid addressing the real issues that brought the mayhem to the country by resorting to blaming others for pointing out where improvement is required to further cooperation and support.

“The president is threatening the world and it is [not] the first time for him to do so. We actually know what had happened to leaders who used to threaten the world,” Akol said on Monday.

He was speaking at a news conference in Juba during which he called on the alliance of the political parties and civil society organisations to hold an all-inclusive peace conference to come up with the roadmap towards ending the more than 15-month-long conflict in the country.

Kiir in his recent speeches on many occasions backfired on criticism and possibility of sanctions by countries in the western world, saying he would do what he thought best for his government despite the concerns.

Information minister Michael Makuei Lueth also explained the government would not accept countries such as the United States of America, United Kingdom and Norway to ever participate in the mediation body that seeks to bring peace between the South Sudanese warring parties.

Lueth also said he didn’t want the United Nations to get involved in the peace process in Addis Ababa, saying this should be left to the East African regional bloc of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) which has been mediating in vain for the past 14 months.

However, Akolsaid such a stance was irresponsible and accused the governing Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) under the chairmanship of president Kiir of holding hostage the people of South Sudan and wanting to cling to power at all costs.

He warned the government to learn from the experience of the many past third world leaders who did not survive after they recklessly put their fist in the face of the West.

He added that there was need for cooperation and search for support from the western countries in order to assist in humanitarian interventions and achievement of sustainable peace.

The opposition leader also said that recent constitutional amendment to extend the term of president Kiir and the legislature for three more years violated Article 4 of the transitional constitution and should therefore not be accepted.

(ST)

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