South Sudan condemns women announcement to receive SPLM-IO advance team
November 30, 2015 (JUBA) – In an unexpected move on Monday, South Sudanese government has condemned an announcement by women bloc in Juba to turn out in big numbers at Juba International Airport in order to accord a warm reception to the advance team from the armed opposition faction of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM-IO) under the leadership of the first vice-president designate, Riek Machar.
The announcement however prompted the government’s minister of information and broadcasting, Michael Makuei Lueth, to immediately rush to the SSTV to revoke the call by the women bloc, condemning it and challenging the women bloc.
“I am here to inform you and to revoke that the announcement is very unfortunate, is not in place, SPLM-IO are not coming tomorrow, and we don’t know the source of this so-called women bloc,” counter-announced Lueth on Monday night over SSTV.
He said the information was “misleading” and should not have been announced by the women bloc in the capital.
From the tone of the government’s official spokesman, it was not clear whether he disliked the would be organized warm reception of the SPLM-IO or was simply reacting to the wrong day (Tuesday) which the women said was the arrival of the advance team.
The team would kick of the implementation of the peace agreement signed in August between president Salva Kiir and the opposition leader, Machar, and to organize for the reception of their top leader when he comes to form a transitional government of national unity with president Kiir.
The reaction from the government which sounded agitated by the announcement of the women bloc however indicated that they would not be happy with a heroic welcome of the SPLM-IO’s advance team.
Lueth, who is also the acting chief negotiator for the government, neither confirmed the date for the arrival of the team nor indicated the need for an organized warm reception. He however said the government will inform accordingly when the team will have arrived, without hinting the date for their arrival.
Earlier on Sunday, opposition leader’s spokesman, James Gatdet Dak, told Sudan Tribune that the advance team to be led by their chief negotiator, Taban Deng Gai, would travel to Juba “in the next few days” without confirming the date, but added that this would depend on whether “logistical arrangements are made.”
SPLM-IO’s chairman for external relations committee, Ezekiel Lol Gatkuoth, announced through the Voice of America that the team of 550 cadres would travel to Juba on Tuesday. However, the announcement by the government said the team will not arrive on Tuesday.
Opposition sources say the earliest date for their travel would be on Wednesday or Thursday should IGAD, the United Nations and South Sudanese government complete the logistical arrangements.
(ST)