Mabior Garang says President Kiir’s government continues with violations

March 22, 2016 (JUBA) – Chairman of the national committee for information and public relations in the opposition faction, SPLM-IO, Mabior Garang de Mabior, said President Salva Kiir’s government has continued to violate the Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan (ARCISS).

The leadership of the SPLM/SPLA in opposition deplores the increasingly belligerent position being adopted by our partners in peace. The Movement particularly condemns the arrest yesterday (21/03/2016) of three SPLM/SPLA (in opposition) DDR team members, two UN national staff (from UNMISS and UNICEF) and one international staff at Malakal Airport,” Mabior said in a press statement extended to Sudan Tribune on Tuesday.

“This is another blatant violation of the ARCISS and the SPLM/SPLA (in opposition) shall not continue to tolerate this state of affairs,” he warned.

He said the lack of political will by the “Salva Kiir Administration” is currently the main obstacle to peace implementation in the country.

Mabior accused the government of what he said was the continued military offensive on innocent civilians and opposition’s cantonment areas in Bhar el Gazal and in Equatoria, further demonstrating lack of political will.

“The failure of the Salva Kiir Administration to recognize the reality of SPLM/SPLA (in opposition) cantonment areas in Bhargazal and Equatoria is frustrating the security arrangements, which would facilitate the safe return to Juba of the First Vice President Designate – Dr. Riek Machar Teny and the much anticipated formation of the Transitional Government of National Unity (TGoNU),” he said.

He called on President Kiir to “rein in on all the hardliners in and out of the government, adding the opposition faction was fully committed to the letter and spirit of the August 2015 peace agreement.

(ST)