Machar calls on JMEC to act in favour of peace agreement
January 17, 2016 (ADDIS ABABA) – South Sudanese former Vice-President, Riek Machar, who leads an armed opposition faction, has called on the chairman of the Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission (JMEC), to act and save the peace agreement he signed in August with President Salva Kiir to end 21 months of civil war in the country.
He said the National Constitutional Amendment Committee (NCAC) could not succeed in incorporating the peace agreement into a new constitution on the basis of which a transitional government of national unity (TGoNU) could be formed.
“As for now, we have come to conclude that the NCAC has reached a deadlock to produce a final draft of the new transitional constitution. It is time for JMEC to act,” Machar said in a letter, dated 13 January, directed to the former president of Botswana, who chairs JMEC.
He said the government had been attempting to insert into the transitional constitution the controversial 28 states which it unilaterally created on 2 October after the peace agreement was already signed based on the current 10 states.
The former vice president, who would become the first vice president in the transitional government, said without the constitution being amended and passed by parliament, there is no way to form a transitional government.
He added that the current transitional constitution does not recognize TGoNU as it has no provision in it, hence the need for a new constitution.
The opposition’s top leader however added he would return to Juba if a transitional constitution is in place to form a transitional government.
“I am ready to go to Juba to assume my responsibilities as stipulated in the agreement as soon as the new constitution is in place,” he said.
Machar has therefore recalled his senior members of the advance team from Juba to Pagak, his headquarters in order to consult with them in the way forward.
Besides scrapping 28 states and endorse a new constitution, the agreement also provides for demilitarization of the capital, Juba, and deployment of joint police and military forces from the two sides before a government can be formed.
Mogae, who heads the overseer JMEC body, is expected to present his reports to both the African Union (AU) summit and to the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) on progress made and obstacles faced in the implementation of the peace deal.
The government also said it will not be able to continue to accommodate over 300 members of the advance team of the opposition group in hotels in Juba, saying the responsibility lies with the Troika countries who suggested the dateline of 22 January for the accommodation.
(ST)