SPLM-IO advance team return to Juba postponed until further notice

December 10, 2015 (ADDIS ABABA) – South Sudanese armed opposition faction, SPLM-IO, led by first vice-president designate, Riek Machar, said the Friday’s scheduled return of 262 members of the first group of their advance team to the national capital, Juba, has been postponed until further notice due to “intransigence” of President Salva Kiir’s government which rejected the “huge” number.

Earlier, both the government and the opposition group announced that 262 of the first group of the SPLM-IO’s advance team would arrive in Juba on Friday, 11 December, and the rest of them, 339, would follow a week later on 18, 21 and 22 December, respectively, per the list approved by IGAD.

However, minister of information and broadcasting, Michael Makuei Lueth, said the government would not accept what he called “huge” number of the opposition’s returning officials, saying it constituted a “security risk.”

Lueth demanded that the government should receive only 30 officials of the opposition group in order to negotiate some of the outstanding issues in the peace agreement before the rest could be allowed to return to the capital and to the other state capitals and towns.

“We are ready to receive you (SPLM-IO) but only 30 people. No more,” said Lueth, quoting a letter written by the government in response to the list containing 609 delegates sent by the faction of former vice president, Riek Machar.

“If you [SPLM-IO] want to bring in more, bring them there after we sat, discussed all the outstanding issues and agree and there after we will be ready to receive them,” he added.

Lueth reminded that there are some states “still breathing fire”, referring to the fragile permanent ceasefire declared in August between the two rival forces led by president Kiir and opposition leader, Machar.

“This is very clear and the government is trying its level best to create the necessary conductive atmosphere,” he said.

Opposition’s spokesman said due to the “non-cooperation” attitude by the government, their team will not travel to Juba on Friday.

“We are stunned by the new situation of intransigence from the side of the regime. Although the first group comprising 262 members of our advance team is ready to travel to Juba on Friday, the regime in Juba has not cooperated. They have refused to receive the team,” said James Gatdet Dak, spokesperson of the opposition leader.

He said the East African regional bloc, IGAD, which has been facilitating the peace process and the expected return of the advance team, informed them about the new demand coming from president Kiir’s government, and may take more days to resolve the situation, therefore postponing the Friday’s return to Juba.

He wondered why the government was not interested in receiving the over 600 officials of the SPLM-IO who wanted to return as part of the implementation of the peace agreement to end the 21 months of civil war in the country.

The team which consists of senior political leaders and local representatives of constituencies in the country is supposed to spread to the other state capitals and towns to mobilize the populations in full support of the peace agreement.

(ST)