South Sudan presidential adviser denies conspiracy to harm rebel leader
December 8, 2017 (JUBA) – An adviser to South Sudan president Salva Kiir on Friday denied a report claiming there was a conspiracy to harm the leader of the main rebel group in the country, Riek Machar.
The presidential aide called on the public to not engage in such activities, saying the leadership of the country under president Kiir was now looking for how to end the conflict, not killing.
“People know what war has done to continue to preach such negative messages. It is time to work for peace instead of continuing to advocate and spread divisive and polarizing messages. The government is committed to ending this situation and it is the time those who advocate for war denounce violence, stop these negative messages and join peaceful efforts,” said Gatluak.
The presidential aide was reacting to a question about reports claiming there was a conspiracy to harm Riek Machar Teny by the government using foreign agents outside the country.
Col. Lam Paul Gabriel, SPLA IO Deputy Military Spokesperson released a statement on Friday morning saying they received information from inside the government that president Salva Kiir and the first vice president Taban Deng Gai were planning how to assassinate Machar.
“Source from inside Salva Kiir and his First Vice President Taban Deng Gai’s offices who are against the assassination plan confide to the SPLA-IO that Gen. Taban Deng Gai has contacted Eric Prince of Blackwater through Lol Gatkuoth to assassinate Dr Riek to avoid his imminent return to South Sudan for fear of his (Taban) current position and political career,” the statement reads.
The deputy opposition spokesman on military affairs said they were surprised by the reports of the plot they have received at the time regional leaders were preparing to bring together government and the opposition figures to discuss ways to end the conflict in the country.
“The Juba regime wants to spoil it through the usual evil plan directed towards Dr Riek Machar during the time the region and the world are seeking for peaceful solutions to the current war in South Sudan,” the statement reads. “The government is busy wasting money on killing instead of paying civil servants and buying food for its citizens who are dying every day due to starvation”.
The statement called upon the South African government where Machar is held in confined and the IGAD countries that supported his incarceration in South Africa to stand responsible to protect him and take accountability if anything happens to him.
It warned that attempts to harm the leader of the group will be an end of any chance of peace talks and the beginning of a full-scale war in South Sudan.
(ST)