SPLM-IO commends cantonment of forces in Equatoria and Bahr el Ghazal

May 28, 2016 (JUBA) – South Sudan’s armed opposition faction of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM-IO) under the leadership of First Vice President, Riek Machar, has commended the council of ministers of the transitional government of national unity (TGoNU) for finally recognizing the presence of SPLA-IO forces in Greater Equatoria and Greater Bahr el Ghazal, saying it is a giant positive step in the implement of the security arrangements in the country.

Earlier, former government under the leadership of President Salva Kiir, vowed not to allow opposition forces to assemble in the two regions, arguing that they had no forces in there.

However, in a “heated” debate of the council of ministers on Friday, the cabinet finally approved to allow opposition forces to assemble, and their cantonment sites with names to be identified by the Joint Monitoring Ceasefire Committee (JMCC), a body that monitors implementation of the ceasefire and security arrangements per the August 2015 peace agreement.

Media official of the First Vice President, Machar, said the leadership commended the positive step despite previous delays.

“The leadership of the SPLM/SPLA (IO) commends this positive step by the new cabinet in recognizing the presence of our forces in Greater Equatoria and Greater Bahr el Ghazal regions,” said James Gatdet Dak, opposition leader’s spokesperson.

“It is important that our forces in the two regions should be cantoned in accordance with the implementation of the security arrangements,” he said.

JMCC was directed on Friday by the cabinet to immediately begin to identify locations and names of the cantonment areas for the opposition forces in Greater Equatoria and assess the level of opposition forces in Greater Bahr el Ghazal in order to locate cantonment areas as well.

Reacting to the development, General Dau Aturjong, Deputy Chief of Staff for Training in the command of the Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA-IO) said the decision of the cabinet, if implemented “without reservations and agitations, would be the only way the country could return to stability”.

The top armed opposition commander described initial attempts to deny the national outlook of the movement a clear demonstration of lack of commitment on the government side to implement the agreement.

He said it was not logical to deny the presence of armed opposition in the two regions when they know they have politicians and army commanders in the cabinet and in the joint command.

Commenting on the other contentious issues such as the status of the 28 states, Dak
also expressed hope that will as well be resolved in the next cabinet meetings in accordance with the peace agreement which is based on the current 10 states.

“I think it is important that all the parties in the agreement respect the terms of the peace deal and stop the unnecessary feet dragging in the implementation. Time is of essence,” he said.

He revealed that the reconstitution of the national parliament and provision of vehicles for the newly appointed ministers were part of the Friday’s cabinet agenda for resolution, but added that they were not discussed because a large amount of time was consumed on deliberations on cantonment of opposition forces in the two regions.

SPLA-IO FORCES NOT RESPONSIBLE

Dak dismissed accusations that the opposition forces could be responsible for the ongoing killings of people on the roads in Greater Equatoria.

Michael Makuei Lueth, minister of information in President Kiir’s faction in the cabinet on Friday told reporters that armed men who lynch people on the roads claimed to have belonged to the SPLA-IO.

But Dak said their forces are disciplined and would not target civilians on roads, but added that it was best that they should be cantoned in order to identify who the killers were.

“These could be criminals taking advantage of the fact that SPLA-IO forces have not been cantoned in Greater Equatoria region,” he said.

International partners and donors seem to have attached the condition of releasing funds for the new government on progress of implementing the peace agreement, forcing the parties to comply.

Observers however say it may take time for the donors to have full confidence and begin to provide financial assistance.

(ST)