South Sudanese government suspends deliberation on cantonment of forces
May 20, 2016 (JUBA) – The newly established transitional government of national unity in South Sudan has again suspended discussions on the long awaited resolution on cantonment of rival forces in the country.
The Council of Ministers in its sitting on Friday tabled the agenda for discussion in order to resolve on the cantonment of forces of the opposition faction of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM-IO) in Equatoria and Bahr el Ghazal regions. No resolution was passed.
While the document was presented to the cabinet by the deputy minister of defence and veterans affairs, David Yauyau, the cabinet in the course of the discussions chaired by President Salva Kiir decided to suspend it for further consultations with the minister of defence, Kuol Manyang Juuk, who was absent.
Unity government’s minister of information and official spokesperson for the cabinet, Michael Makuei Lueth, told reporters after the Friday’s cabinet meeting that there was need for “clarifications” from the defence minister on the issue.
Lueth charged that the report on cantonment of forces which was served to the cabinet by the Joint Monitoring Ceasefire Committee (JMCC) was partial as it did not contain the agreed positions of the rival army generals who composed the monitoring body from the two parties.
However, he could not clarify the points of disagreements or which party was having reservations in the JMCC report.
Nevertheless, from the tone of his voice and body language in the statement also broadcast over the South Sudan Broadcasting Corporation (SSBC), the minister who represented President Kiir’s faction in the coalition government, seemed not to be happy with the outcome of the report on the cantonment of opposition forces in Equatoria and Bahr el Ghazal regions.
Lueth however briefly reiterated former government’s previous position, saying the agreement did not recognize to assemble forces who were not part of the crisis in December 2013.
A resolution was not made, he said, due to the absence of defence minister Juuk who is said to be on official mission to Ethiopia.
Opposition sources say there could be delaying tactics in denying cantonment of SPLA-IO forces in the two regions, further complicating the implementation of the security arrangements in the country.
Earlier, President Kiir’s former government expressed rejection in allowing the opposition forces to assemble in the two regions, arguing that they had no forces there.
(ST)