South Sudan accepts JMEC proposal over additional weapons for SPLM-IO
April 22, 2016 (JUBA) – The head of the Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission (JMEC), Festus Mogae, announced on Friday that the government has accepted his proposal on the number of weapons permissible to be brought to the national capital, Juba, before the return of armed opposition leader, Riek Machar.
The acceptance to transport 195 soldiers and their weapons including PKMs and RPGs broke the deadlock which led to the three days of delay to the return of Machar to the national capital.
“I am in receipt of a letter from the Government’s Chief Negotiator, in which the Government accepts that the SPLM/A (IO) transport from Gambella twenty PKM machine guns and twenty RPG rocket launchers, in addition to the individual weapons of the 195 accompany personnel,” announced Mogae.
This comes a day after minister of information and broadcasting Michael Makuei Lueth, announced on Thursday that the government “has not accepted the proposal.”
The government never denied or confirmed the acceptance or retraction of the previous position in which it rejected additional weapons to be carried by armed opposition forces destined to the national capital prior to the arrival of the opposition leader.
The former Botswana president, now the head of JMEC, sought a compromise between the government and the armed Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM-IO).
Mogae drew up a proposal seeking a compromise between the two main peace partners after a dispute over how many soldiers and weapons could accompany the opposition leader Riek Machar on arrival to Juba.
Based on conventional military system which permits a certain number of soldiers to possess a given weapons proportionate to the command structure, Mogae and his team, proposed on Thursday that the two parties should accept that the opposition leader would be accompanied by more than 195 soldiers carrying 20 PKMs and 20 RPG-7s in addition to their AK47 rifles.
The weapons and the number of soldiers will be verified by the ceasefire monitors in Gambella and on arrival in Juba.
On their part, SPLM-IO officials at the JMEC meeting in Juba on Thursday accepted the proposal immediately in its entirety, but the government spokesman and information minister was initially critical of the proposal, saying they would only accept seven RPGs and seven PKMs.
The head of the monitoring commission commended the government for accepting the “compromise arrangements” on Friday which he had proposed for the return of the opposition leader.
He also urged for an immediate return of the opposition leader in order for the transitional government to be formed as soon as possible.
(ST)