IGAD-Plus urged to pressure Juba to revoke amended constitution

November 29, 2015 (ADDIS ABABA)- South Sudan’s armed opposition (SPLM-IO) chapter in Ethiopia on Sunday urged the Inter governmental Authority on Development (IGAD), European Union, African Unin, China and the troika nations to mount pressure on president Salva Kiir to revoke the recent unilateral amendment of the constitution by MPs.

In a statement extended to Sudan Tribune, the armed opposition chapter said the unilateral amendment of the constitution is an offensive act that would impede the spirit required for the implementation of the recently signed compromised peace agreement.

The group further warned that the recent unilateral amendment on the constitution and decisions on expansion of states are acts by government that will heighten tribal tensions and aggravate the existing community and tribal conflicts on resource sharing.

“The unilateral amendment that provides Kiir with unlimited powers to rule country with degrees as personal entity is by far an act of dictatorship that ought to be condemned and be isolated by the people of South Sudan”, said Koat Gatkuoth, the chairperson of the SPLM-IO chapter.

“We, the SPLM chapter in Addis Ababa do hereby extended this message to denounce what Kiir and his government did in Juba on Thursday is an act of clear violation of the peace agreement that is awaiting full implementation by the end of Dec 2015”, he added.

Gatkuoth urged the Juba government to refrain from acts likely to derail the implementation of the peace agreement seeking to end the conflict in South Sudan.

He extended appreciation to the Nuer, Shilluk and Equatorians MPs who “took bold and altruistic decision to have walked out of the parliament and the decision that would in a very near future flounder country into the next phase of imminent chaos and put tribes on loggerhead was made while out of the parliament hall”.

Meanwhile, the SPLM-IO charter congratulated the appointment of Dhieu Mathok Diing Wol as secretary general for the opposition faction of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM-IO) led by former vice-president, Riek Machar.

The chapter office in Addis Ababa hoped the newly elected secretary general would exert relentless efforts for the advancement of unity, equality and good governance during the three year long transitional period.

“The appointment of Secretary General is a paramount beginning in our political endeavor to grantee hope, foster unity and retains the lost political direction to our people of South Sudan,” partly reads the charter’s statement.

Wol was appointed secretary general at an election conducted at the opposition’s headquarters in Pagak. The armed opposition faction also elected membership of both its political bureau and the national liberation council.

(ST)