South Sudan armed opposition rejects declaring unilateral ceasefire
April 30, 2017 (JUBA) – The military command of armed opposition faction loyal to the exiled former First Vice President Riek Machar has dismissed as “nonsense” voices calling for a declaration of unilateral ceasefire between the warring parties in South Sudan conflict.
Lt. General Wesley Welebe Samson, the SPLM/A-IO Deputy Chief of Staff for Training said in a statement released on Sunday that the basis of declaring ceasefire would be determined by the situation after the leader of the opposition is allowed to return to the headquarters.
“There will be no unilateral ceasefire from the side of the SPLM in Opposition if Dr Riek Machar, the leader of the largest armed movement in South Sudan is not relocated to his Pagak GHQs to convince his forces the logic behind the so-called ceasefire that President Salva Kiir always violates to the letter,” said Gen Samson
The armed opposition commander accused the global community of appeasing President Salva Kiir with the calls for a ceasefire, saying it would only allow him to reorganise his forces to launch more deadly attacks on civilians.
“Salva Kiir was not condemned when he indiscriminately committed atrocities on civilians in Parjok, Wau and Waat, and recently in Wau Shilluk and Kodok in Upper Nile. He should retreat from all these areas he occupied from 8 July 2016”, he added.
He called for an immediate deployment of a Regional Protection Force to the country so that civilians can move without fear in the government-held territories because they would be protected by the protection force.
Gen. Samson also accused Amadi State governor of allowing government forces to loot properties from civilians, citing the alleged recent looting of up to 50 goats, large crop storages, and livestock from villages in Mundri East County this month.
The rebel commander said the only way to restore peace is to renegotiate the peace agreement of August 2015 without the involvement of the East African block of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), claiming it has lost neutrality in the conflict.
He described the travel ban imposed by the region’s governments on Machar as the gateway to a better and faithful of the negotiation of the peace process.
Also, he called for unfettered humanitarian access to civilians trapped in the rebel-controlled areas.
“Whenever a war breaks out, civilians run to the side of the SPLM-IO because they know we protect them, unlike the other side that kills based on ethnicity. We want the government of South Sudan to allow humanitarian services to reach the civilians without hindrance,” he pointed out.
(ST)
(ST)