Troika to stop accommodating SPLM-IO advance team in Juba
January 21, 2016 (JUBA) – The United States embassy in the South Sudanese capital, Juba, has issued a statement on behalf of Troika member countries (United States, United Kingdom and Norway), confirming that it will stop by Friday the accommodation in Juba of hundreds of members of the armed opposition faction, the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM-IO), under the leadership of former vice-president, Riek Machar.
It said the purpose for facilitating the movement to Juba and accommodation of the opposition officials was to secure that the peace would be implemented per the timetable provided by the Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission (JMEC), which suggested 22 January as the dateline.
“During the last two weeks of December 2015, we witnessed the successful return of SPLM-IO to Juba. The United States and Norway, in coordination with the UK and the EU, contributed very substantial financial support for this complex operation, including buses to Gambella [Ethiopia], flights to Juba and accommodation for 240 people. The purpose of this support was to secure the implementation of the Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan (ARC), and the full operationalisation of the various committees as proscribed by the Agreement,” partly reads the statement extended to Sudan Tribune on Thursday.
The statement further explained that the Troika support to SPLM-IO members was an exceptional, temporary one-time programme of assistance.
“As stated very clearly in our dialogue with both the Government of South Sudan and the SPLM-IO, the assistance will terminate [on] 22 January, the date by which the Transitional Government of National Unity (TGoNU) is scheduled to be formed. This means that support for all those now being provided accommodation in Juba will end on that date,” it reads.
The statement further called on the parties to act in accordance with the provisions of the peace agreement and its timelines.
“It is with deep regret we take note of the current developments, where the process seems deadlocked. We urge all parties to do their utmost and act in accordance with the letter and the spirit of the peace agreement in order to meet the deadline [22 January] and establish the TGoNU,” it says.
“The establishment of the TGoNU is the responsibility of the South Sudanese parties, and the financing, facilitation and security must therefore be the responsibility of the Republic of South Sudan,” it reads.
It however said the decision does not mean their support to the peace process will end, adding it is an opportunity for the parties to demonstrate their commitment and find a solution that allows implementation to continue.
“Please be assured that the Troika and the EU will continue to support the successful implementation of the Peace Agreement, working closely with regional and international partners. We will do so through support to JMEC and the instruments established by the agreement.”
Troika continue to remind that they will only be able to mobilize additional external support and assistance if a TGoNU is formed and there is a sincere commitment by all parties to implement the agreement.
The government of South Sudan had last week informed that the members of the opposition will be evicted from their hotels, citing lack of further commitment from Troika to accommodate them.
It is not clear where the opposition members will go for accommodation should they be evicted by Friday, 22 January.
The parties have failed to amend the constitution which should have been the basis for formation of a transitional government.
The opposition faction has blamed the government for making new demands outside the peace agreement and wants to impose such demands on the agreement such as the 28 states it unilaterally created on 2 October and factionally incorporated into the transitional constitution.
Observers are keen to say the decision might be part of the frustration of members of the international community with the way implementation process of peace agreement has been progressing lately.
They say it could be part of the pressure on armed opposition leadership to make compromise and drop their demand seeking President Kiir to revoke his unilateral decision creating 28 states and revert the country back to 10 states in compliance with the terms of peace agreement which had signed with armed opposition and other stakeholders in August 2015.
(ST)