South Sudan rival forces attend workshop in Juba
May, 12, 2016 (JUBA) – South Sudan army (SPLA) factions including those loyal to president Salva Kiir and first vice-president, Riek Machar, attended a workshop in Juba on Thursday on how to provide security to the capital, Juba, where the General headquarters of the two co-national armies are based.
The workshop was facilitated by peace monitors and members of the international community.
Speaking at the opening of the training, SPLA Chief of General Staff, General Paul Malong Awan, said converging under one roof builds more confidence among the former foes.
“The only way to realize long lasting peace in our country is cooperation and discipline in the armed force,” said Malong.
On his part, SPLA-IO Chief of General Staff, General Simon Gatwech Dual, said such training will provide the soldiers and police with skills needed, including how to maintain security in towns across the country.
First Vice-President Machar returned to Juba last month, ending two and a half years of long conflict that has divided the country along ethnic lines.
Machar will maintain his SPLA-IO forces as commander in chief for eighteen months according to the peace agreement before integration into the national army. Equal number of police and army will provide security to Juba and towns in Greater Upper Nile region for the next thirty months.
Half of the required SPLA-IO soldiers are already deployed in Juba but forces for Bor, Bentiu and Malakal are yet to arrive.
There will be a combined police force of 3,000 in total, 1,500 from each side of the former warring parties to provide security for the national capital, Juba.
Each side will also deploy 400 police personnel to other state capitals and major towns such as Bor, Malakal, Bentiu, among others.
Also, the peace agreement has provided for two separate armies, with separate commanders-in-chief and separate chiefs of general staff for the much period of the two and a half years of the transitional government, pending reforms and elections in the country.
While President Salva Kiir is the commander-in-chief of the SPLA, his first deputy, Riek Machar, is the commander-in-chief of the SPLA-IO.
There are two chiefs of general staff in the country, in accordance with the agreement, with General Paul Malong Awan, as chief of general staff of the SPLA and General Simon Gatwech Dual, as chief of general staff of the SPLA-IO. Both of them are based in Juba, with separate headquarters.
The two co-national armies are expected to maintain their separate structures and separate administrations throughout the country until when the process of reunification is done during the period of transition.
(ST)