South Sudan says not ready to receive SPLM-IO advance team
November 12, 2015 (ADDIS ABABA) – South Sudanese government said it is not ready to receive the advance team from the armed opposition faction of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM-IO) under the leadership of the first vice-president designate, Riek Machar, saying the leadership in Juba is yet to make the necessary preparations for the reception of the team.
The team would be led by a number of the armed opposition’s senior political leaders with membership of cadres selected from the country’s states.
It would further prepare for the reception of the top opposition leader, Riek Machar, who is expected to return to Juba either by the end of December 2015 or January 2016 to form a transitional government of national unity with president Kiir.
However, in a letter of response addressed to the SPLM-IO chief negotiator, Taban Deng Gai, and former detainees’ representative, Pagan Amum Okiech, the government’s acting chief negotiator, Michael Makuei Lueth, told SPLM-IO to delay for two more weeks, saying they were not ready to receive the team by mid-November and would only be ready after 26 of November.
“Reference the “Outcome of the Meeting of the Principal Signatory Parties to the Agreement on Planning Implementation of the Provisions in Chapter II of the Agreement (21 October – 3 November, 2015); this is to inform you [SPLM-IO and former detainees] that the Government of the Republic of South Sudan (GRSS) is yet to conclude preparations for the arrival of your respective advance teams by the middle of November 2015. Instead, we shall conclude all the necessary preparations by the 26th of November, 2015,” partly reads the letter signed by government’s acting chief negotiator, Michael Makuei Lueth.
“In the meantime, we request that you kindly make available to us the full list of members of your respective advance teams expected in Juba by the 26th of November, 2015,” further reads the letter.
It was not clear what made the government’s preparations to delay in this important stage of implementing the peace deal. Sources close to the decision making processes in the government however told Sudan Tribune that there appears to be disagreements among the government’s inner circles on how to handle the matter.
SPLM-IO REGISTERS DISAPPOINTMENT
The opposition faction of SPLM-IO said they were disappointed in the delay in the implementation of the peace agreement, saying their team was ready to travel to Juba by mid-November.
“SPLM/SPLA (IO) advance team has been ready to travel to Juba by mid-November. However, this will not be possible as planned if the government is not ready to receive the team,” said James Gatdet Dak, opposition leader’s spokesman, in a statement he issued on Thursday.
“While the Movement has been preparing to send an advance team to Juba, the government has responded, saying it is not ready to receive the team,” he said.
Dak also said the SPLM-IO leadership expected president Kiir to revoke his order creating “illegal” 28 states before the advance team could travel to Juba so that it did not become an obstacle to the implementation of the peace agreement which was signed on the basis of the current 10 states.
He said the opposition group was committed to the full implementation of the peace agreement without delays and violations.
(ST)