S. Sudan denies violations in Unity state after declaring permanent ceasefire

October 16, 2015 (JUBA) – South Sudanese government on Friday denied its troops have acted in violation of the terms of the peace agreement which it signed in August with the armed opposition faction under the leadership of the former vice president Riek Machar.

“The government has moved beyond expectations to implementing the agreement. Our forces received the orders from the general chief of staff based on the directives of the commander in chief and they complied with the orders but the rebels have taken this as advantage to continue their unwarranted attack on the positions of our forces,” president Salva Kiir’s advisor on security affairs, Tut Gatluak, told Sudan Tribune on Friday.

“We told forces no, don’t go after them but you have the right to fight back in self [defence] only if you are attacked in your positions,” he added.

Gatluak claimed that government forces had respected the directives given to them and had not attacked the opposition bases.

Unity state government also issued a statement denying that government troops in the area carried out the attack on the position held by the armed opposition forces.

“Some loose talkers and propagandists are spreading hate messages and calling people names including Dr. Joseph Nguen Monytuil, the Governor of Unity who had decided to accept to give the state seat of the governorship to the rebels as long as this will bring peace to South Sudan,” said Lam Tungwar, Unity state’s minister of youth and sports, in direct reference to the statement issued on Thursday by the rebels state press secretary, Major Weirial Baluang.

Earlier, Baluang accused the state government under the leadership of Joseph Monytuil of being anti-peace agreement and was attacking civilians and looting their cattle in defence of president Kiir.

But Tunguar said governor Monytuil should instead be applauded for accepting the peace deal which gives the rebels the power to nominate governor for the state.

“That is a very bold decision which could only be done by few, because he defeated the rebels totally and now he accepts to give them the seat for governorship in the state according to the agreement which is a sign of a peaceful leader and we must all applaud him as the people and the citizens of Unity state in the government and outside the government for the best leadership,” he claimed.

The armed opposition forces, according to the statement, have no bases from which they are claimed to have been attacked by the government forces in the area. It asserted opposition fighters have been pushed out of the area to the periphery.

“There are no any specific bases the rebel owns that we are trying to dislodge them from. In actual fact the rebels were defeated and completely pushed out of Unity state since the month of May this year where every strong hold of the rebels was dismantled by the Government after they have been constantly attacking the capital Bentiu and other SPLA bases in Unity State,” Tungwar explained.

“They were defeated in Nhialdiu, Unity, Panakuach, Guit, Koch, Leer and in some areas of Mayom County,” he added.

He called on the international community to monitor and verify the violations committed by the parties.

(ST)