SSNLM commander walks out of meeting in protest in Yambio
June 11, 2016 (YAMBIO) – The commander of South Sudan National Liberation Movement (SSNLM) on Thursday walked out of a meeting held by a committee formed comprising government officials and organized forces for the implementation of the peace agreement the group signed in April this year.
Speaking to Sudan Tribune, James Kabila, a senior commander of the SSNLM, said he walked out of the meeting in protest of the attitude of the government’s representatives over the implementation of the deal.
SSNLM is formed by a group of armed youth in Western Equatoria state who fought the government for one year but ended up in a shaky peace deal when they were promised by the former government in Juba that they will be integrated into the national army.
But Kabila accused member of the government of the state in the committee of not being committed to the implementation of the peace agreement or to involve them in the process.
“We will not attend meeting with them again until we see the governor to present this issue to him because it [is] like we have been put as cover in the committee. We need proper implementation of the peace agreement,” Kabila said.
He added that no medicines are given for his forces which they said is making it difficult for them to get treatment on time, adding the Yambio Referral Hospital has no medicines and food.
He also added that they were supposed to go and see president Salva Kiir to present their concerns to him according to the information given by President Kiir’s Security Adviser but added “no one is serious to arrange for them to go to Juba.”
Kabila also said they are not happy because members of South Sudan National Liberation Movement were ignored when they requested to go and transport their forces from Tombura to the cantonment site at Birisi in Yambio county. He said this made some of the soldiers to refuse to come to Yambio because they did not see SSNLM members among the officers who went to Tombura.
Meanwhile, the chairperson of the committee formed to implement the peace agreement, Victor Edward, assured that the government would address the concerns which the SSNLM raised, saying this should also be in writing and to be presented to him.
He denied claims that the government was intending to sideline SSNLM members during the implementation process, explaining the situation was dictated due to the economic situation the country has been facing.
When the news about the walk out from the meeting of the SSNLM was aired over Yambio Fm, a local radio in the town, it created fear and panic among the populations, coupled with gunshots at night.
(ST)