Two SPLM (IO) officials already in Juba for coordination of advance team arrival: official
December 3, 2015 (ADDIS ABABA) – South Sudanese armed opposition faction of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM-IO) said it has for the first time dispatched to the national capital, Juba, two senior staff from the office of the opposition leader, Riek Machar, in order to assist the government in the preparations for the reception of the expected over 550 members of the advance team.
He said the two, who included Gabriel Gabriel Deng, former undersecretary in the ministry of parliamentary affairs in Juba, and Elijah Tut, for protocol, were reportedly warmly welcomed by the government.
The officials, he said, will be coordinating the necessary preparations with the government and other relevant bodies on the ground in Juba for the reception and accommodation of the advance team upon their arrival.
“Yes, they have reported back to us a warm welcome upon their arrival to Juba,” Dak told Sudan Tribune when asked to describe how the two were received by the government.
He said the two officials on the day of their arrival met with senior officials of president Salva Kiir’s government including the minister of finance and the minister in the office of the president.
Many supporters of the SPLM-IO have been discussing in the social media security concerns about the advance team traveling to Juba, with speculations that the two officials already on the ground were allegedly not accorded a warm reception upon their arrival.
The two officials are the first SPLM (IO) cadres to return to Juba after two years of the violent conflict in the country.
ADVANCE TEAM DELAYED
Dak further clarified that the over 550 members of the advance team of SPLM (IO) have been already selected and ready to travel to Juba, pending completion of logistical preparations including their transportation.
He said it was important for the whole team to return to Juba and to other state capitals and towns to play the role of dissemination of the peace agreement in the national capital and across the country.
The opposition’s spokesman however revealed that the international community particularly donors to the IGAD Plus mediation and the United Nations have dragged their feet in availing the necessary logistics for the team to return to the capital, resulting to the delay.
Earlier, it was reported that the United Nations (UN) had agreed to afford transporting only 50 members of the advance team.
But the opposition faction said returning the 550 team is crucial for this initial stage of the implementation of the peace agreement.
He said he could not confirm the exact date for the arrival of the team to Juba as this, he said, will now depend on the arrangements being made by IGAD and the UN.
(ST)