Press Release from the SPLM/A (IO) in Uganda
February 10, 2015
1. The office of the SPLM/A (IO) and the presence of its diplomatic representation that was established under the Kampala outcome of the 21st August 2014 is operational and has never been closed down by the Government of Uganda.
2. The top level political and security leadership of the Government of Uganda, whom I have contacted today, have given us full assurance of the cooperation from the Government of Uganda and told me to treat the rumor with a serious contempt.
3. The Government of the Republic of Uganda and the SPLM/A (IO) is fully aware that we have established protocol and communication channels in place that is guiding our diplomatic relations with the Government of the Republic of Uganda, if there is any outstanding issues to be communicated by either party, it is done through the established protocol not the social media.
4. We have been made aware that some desperate elements within the Juba regime with selfish motives, through their usual desperate diplomatic schemes have been piling unnecessary pressure on President Museveni and the Government of Uganda to close down our diplomatic satellite station in Uganda. These desperate dollar diplomacy and maneuvers from Juba have been decisively defeated and henceforth the desperate schemers in Juba have resorted to social media to nurse their desperation and frustration.
5. Kampala is fully aware that the SPLM/A (IO) have been very consistent in its diplomatic conduct with the Government of Uganda unlike the desperate regime of President Salva who comes to Kampala during the day and at night is in Khartoum-Presidential Palace and at dawn in Cairo Republican Palace. We in the SPLM/A (IO) have consistently demanded for the withdrawal of the UPDF from South Sudan whom President Salvaand his henchmen have abused in order to cling to power at the expense of peace and the peoples of South Sudan.
6. On behalf of the SPLM/A (IO), I call upon the regime in Juba under the leadership of President SalvaKiir to limit concentration on social media but instead prepare adequately to go back to Addis a baba to negotiate with the SPLM/A (IO) in good faith in order to bring a sustainable peace to South Sudan. The pursued of good governance, democratization, and transformation of the South Sudanese society under the leadership of Dr. RiekMacharTeny is un stoppable.
7. On behalf of the SPLM/A (IO), in Uganda I would like to take this opportunity to reiterate and avail myself to correct the wrong impression created by the various social media, media houses and some online networks that the SPLM/A (IO) office in Uganda has been closed and I hereby avail myself to inform our esteemed members of the media, our supporters and the general public that our diplomatic representation is open and operational.
Otim David is the principal pepresentative of the SPLM/A (IO) in Kampala, Uganda.