South Sudan’s SPLM-IO advance team to travel to Juba in “few days”: official
November 29, 2015 (ADDIS ABABA) – The long-awaited return to Juba of hundreds of cadres from the armed opposition faction of the Sudan Peoples’ Liberation Movement (SPLM-IO) under the leadership of the first vice-president designate, Riek Machar, is expected to happen in days, according to the official spokesman of the opposition leadership.
Machar’s spokesman, James Gatdet Dak, has confirmed that the leadership of the opposition faction has on Saturday passed a resolution to send 550 cadres to Juba and to other states in the first phase of implementing the peace agreement which Machar and the South Sudanese president, Salva Kiir, signed in August to end the 21 months of civil war in the country.
“True, the advance team of 550 cadres to be led by our Chief Negotiator, Comrade Taban Deng Gai, may travel to Juba in the next few days if logistical preparations are made,” James Gatdet Dak told Sudan Tribune on Sunday.
He said the decision came as a result of a resolution passed by the SPLM-IO’s national liberation council (NLC) on Saturday, 28 November, in Pagak, the general headquarters.
Dak however revealed that “pressure was also amounting” on the opposition faction from the regional bloc, IGAD mediation and international partners that the opposition group should move to Juba to jump start the implementation of the peace agreement.
Earlier, SPLM-IO demanded that the matter on unilateral creation of 28 states by president Kiir’s order should first be reversed, saying it violated the peace agreement and undermined the basis for formation of the transitional government of national unity.
However, Dak said the decision to send the advance team was made in consultation with IGAD with the understanding that the whole world is against president Kiir’s unilateral creation of the 28 states and that he will not implement them but instead abide by the mechanisms provided for in the peace agreement.
PUBLIC REACTION
The sudden shift to send the advance team attracted public reactions from members and supporters of the SPLM-IO, with the majority of the discussants in the social media disapproving of the NLC resolution.
Thanker Tuany, a discussant residing in Australia said while it was important for the peace agreement to be implemented in order to end the suffering of the people of South Sudan, there was equally concern about the attitude of president Kiir’s government, which he said was a reason to worry about the safety of the members of the team.
“The suffering of South Sudanese is too much and must surely end. We also know that enormous pressure is being exerted by our friends, well-wishers and peace sponsors around the world. But this should not come with negligence by sending half a thousand of people into harm’s way,” he wrote in reaction to the news.
He argued that throughout the conflict which erupted in December 2013, it became clear that there are loose elements, organised criminals and loose soldiers who operate and execute criminal activities independently, adding this is why there are a sizeable number of organised gangs and unknown gunmen affiliated to the state patrolling and terrorising Juba killing doctors and potential leaders.
“SPLM-IO should know that the fate of this 500 advance team is not any different: the war is still going on, ceasefire is not holding, attacks on cantonment areas is spreading and military stockpiling is evident with the aim to crushing the rebellion. Rushing with indecisiveness by offering more than what the other peace partner offers is dangerous especially in a tribalised conflict,” he said.
“The NLC has then started with bad Resolution!” said David Mai Tang.
Louis Lado Nyarsuk, another discussant, said the decision was dangerous for the advance team to be in Juba while fighting was still going on. He however suggested that should the team go to Juba they should be accommodated either in the compounds of the Red Cross or the in the embassy of the United States of America for their safety purposes.
Meanwhile Walgak Chuol Bel blamed the international community for only exerting pressure on the SPLM-IO to send the advance team while leaving president Kiir’s government at large with the 28 states violation.
“International community pressure is working well on our side than Salva Kiir who is violating and keeps violating the peace agreement.”
Since security forces belonging to the opposition faction are not yet on the ground in Juba, the protection of the members of the advance team will be in the hands of the government and a third force.
Majority of the members of the advance team are supposed to spread to the other 21 states proposed by the SPLM-IO in order to disseminate the contents of the peace agreement and mobilize the populations to support its full implementation as well as organize for the reception of their top leader, Machar, by late December 2015 or in early January 2016.
Dak said the members of the team will remain in Juba and the states until when Machar arrives to the capital and the transitional government of national unity is formed.
(ST)