South Sudan vice-president Igga meets Machar, Pagan in New York
October 3, 2015 (NEW YORK) – Incumbent vice president, James Wani Igga, has assured opposition leaders, Riek Machar and Pagan Amum, of the government’s commitment to full implementation of the peace agreement signed in August to end the 21-month long civil war in the country.
According to vice-president Igga’s press secretary, David Mayen Ayarbior, the three leaders held separate talks in New York on Friday initiated by Igga to assure themselves of their respective commitments to the peace agreement.
Ayarbior who attended the two meetings on Friday said in a statement extended to Sudan Tribune that Machar asked Igga in the meeting to inform his government to help the opposition in soliciting funds to provide food, shelter and medicines for his forces, saying provision of such items would “attract them to assemble quickly” in the assembly points and make them ready for unification.
He said Igga assured him of the government’s desire to help assemble his forces sooner than later. The vice president’s press secretary also said Igga asked Machar to sign the minutes of the workshop which was conducted recently in Addis Ababa so that implementation of other security arrangements can commence.
Machar, he added, equally appealed to the government to drop the reservations in the peace deal, saying his group had to also let go 21 reservations for the sake of peace. Igga instead defended how the reservations came about without assuring to drop them.
Ayarbior said Machar agreed to send Taban Deng Gai to Juba to lead an advance team very soon in implementing the peace deal.
The meeting was attended by foreign minister Barnaba Marial Benjamin, South Sudan envoy for the United Nations, Francis Mading Deng, ministre of environment Deng Deng Hoc . from Machar’s side there was Alfred Lado Gore, Taban Deng Gai, Ezikiel Lou Garkouth, and Agnes Nyoka.
The vice-president also met with Pagan Amum, secretary general of the ruling Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM). Amum, who signed the agreement on behalf of the former detainees, complained to Igga that he was being targeted by the government for signing the peace agreement with Machar, adding that his personal security in Juba needs to be assured in case he returns to the national capital.
He appealed to Igga to convey the message to president Salva Kiir so that he reigns in those among his officials who threaten him.
According to Ayarbior, the vice-president assured Pagan that “he is certain that neither he nor President Kiir held a grudge against him, despite what has happened.”
He further called to open a new page of genuine reconciliation starting by ending violence and implementing the signed peace agreement.
(ST)