Machar calls on South Sudanese people to consolidate peace
December 24, 2015 (ADDIS ABABA) – Former South Sudanese vice-president, Riek Machar, has congratulated the people of the world’s youngest nation on celebrating this year’s Christmas festive season in peace after ending the 21 months of war and suffering and called on them to consolidate peace through reconciliation and forgiveness.
“On behalf of the SPLM/SPLA and on my own behalf, I wish you a merry Christmas and a happy new year. We are celebrating this Christmas in peace. The war of the last two years has come to end,” he announced from his headquarters in Pagak in the message extended to Sudan Tribune.
“To reconcile we must also forgive one another. We must end the suffering of our people and work together to ensure the implementation of the agreement to make peace a reality,” he urged.
The top opposition leader said the arrival of his 150 officials of the advance team to the national capital, Juba, was a show of commitment to the implementation of the peace deal he and president Salva Kiir signed in August this year.
He also added that the remaining 459 members of the advance team would travel to Juba on 28 December or before the date to make a total of 609 members agreed by the parties. Majority of the advance team members, he said, would proceed to their respective states to mobilize for the implementation of the deal and kick off reconciliation among the people.
Machar applauded the fact that the institutions established by the peace agreement have started to work out the implementation of its provisions, paving the way for formation of an inclusive transitional government.
“The institutions for implementation of the agreement namely JMEC (Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission), JMCC (Joint Military Ceasefire Commission), and NCAC (National Constitutional Amendment Committee) held their first meetings on 22nd and 23rd. The implementation of the agreement is now on course,” he assured the people.
The implementation of the security arrangements in the capital, Juba, and other towns, he said, is also on course.
“We are in final preparations of the Presidential Guards, Guards for Joint Shared Command, Guards for Military Installations, National Security forces and Joint Integrated Police (JIP) for Juba, Bor, Malakal, Bentiu and to identify those other areas that may need special transitional security arrangements as per the agreement.”
Machar, who will command a separate army for at least 18 more months from now before completion reunification into one national army with those in the government, further added that forces that will be coming from Upper Nile region to Juba and Bor for deployment of joint forces will be transported by barges up to Shambe and move on land to Ramciel in Lakes state.
Other components that will be selected from Bahr el Ghazal region will move to Ramciel to join up with the other forces while other components of SPLA-IO in Equatoria region will directly move to Juba to join up with the incoming forces from Ramciel.
He commended his forces for respecting the permanent ceasefire in accordance with the peace deal.
The opposition leader who will become a powerful first vice-president per a power sharing deal with the government also wished the leadership of the government an enjoyable festive season.
“Finally, on your behalf, I wish President Salva Kiir Mayardit, the Government and the people of South Sudan a merry Christmas and a happy new year.”
Senior officials of the opposition have started participating in meetings from Tuesday, a day after their arrival, with JMEC chairman and representatives from the parties. They also met with president Kiir and discussed the way forward in the implementation of the deal.
(ST)