SPLM-IO denies Machar travel to Juba with Sudan’s Bashir for peace celebration
September 26, 2018 (KHARTOUM) – The Sudan People’s Liberation Movement -In-Opposition (SPLM-IO) denied reports that its leader Riek Machar will go to Juba for a celebration of the signed revitalized peace agreement with President Omer al-Bashir.
Press reports in Khartoum said that Sudanese President al-Bashir convinced Machar to go o the peace celebration with him in the same plane and return back to Khartoum together.
Manawa Peter Gatkuoth SPLM-IO Deputy Chairperson of the National Committee for Information and Public Relations denied these “unfounded and baseless” reports saying it was disseminated by the anti-peace elements.
“Dr Riek Machar called on President Silva Kiir to lift the state of emergency so that South Sudanese have the opportunity to feel the meaning of peace and stability, but it was not for his personal safety,” he stressed.
The SPLM-IO official said the SPLM-IO leadership is ready to go now to Juba not only to attend an even but also save the peace agreement and protect it from the enemies of peace within. the regime.
“We are aware of the plans drawn by some elements within the government to thwart this agreement in order to maintain themselves in power and maintain the state of war,” he added.
President Kiir has appointed the members of the pre-transitional committee entrusted with the oversight and coordination of the preparations of the transitional period. Among others, this committee will organize how the opposition leaders will be protected when they return in March 2019.
As a guarantor of the peace agreement, Khartoum hosts the leaders of the opposition groups before their return to Juba for the transitional period.
The opposition official welcomed the directive given by President Kiir to observe the ceasefire and stop any breach of the peace agreement.
“This is a right step towards the full implementation of the peace agreement and paves the way for building confidence between the parties to the conflict in South Sudan,” he said.
He called on President Kiir to curb the activities of anti-peace elements who reject the establishment of cantonment sites for the fighters of the SPLA-IO in the Equatoria region along the border with Kenya and Uganda.
“On this respect, we consider the silence of the Troika and the international community as an encouragement for these elements to continue this crime and to sabotage the peace agreement before the start of its implementation,” he said.
(ST)