UN warns militia groups in South Sudan to join SPLA or SAF
May 26, 2006 (JUBA) — A senior military official with the United Nations Mission in Sudan has warned militia groups in southern Sudan to either join Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) or Sudan Armed Forces or face military action from UN forces.
Despite the holding of South South dialogue conference and the signing of Juba declaration on 9 January between the SPLM and the SSUM of Paulino Matip who is current deputy chief of staff of the SPLA forces, the security situation in South Sudan remains volatile.
Speaking at a press briefing in Juba on Tuesday, UNMIS force Commander General Jazbir Singh Linda said that the armed groups were supposed to join either SPLA or the Sudan armed forces by March this year but up to now some groups are yet to do that.
He said these groups pose a serious threat to the implementation of the CPA, the Sudan Radio service reported.
He also said that a contingent of the SPLA forces in Homesh Koreb in eastern Sudan withdrew last month. The remaining forces will be withdrawn by the end of next month.
General Singh noted that delay in forming Joint Integrated Units has also allowed the other armed groups to violate the security arrangement of the
CPA.
Political disagreements, power struggles and rivalries over the bounties of war, as well as the ethnic makeup of the local militia, led to widespread inter-militia fighting.
Following the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA), the two main militia – the SSUM (South Sudan Unity Movement) in Bentiu and the SSIM (South Sudan Independence Movement) in Rubkona – continued to harass and tax the local population, traders and returning displaced southerners at various check points.
(ST/SRS)