SPLM-IO unlikely to be part of new unity government: Machar
October 20, 2019 (JUBA) – South Sudan’s armed opposition faction (SPLM-IO) is unlikely to be part of the transitional national unity government to be formed on November 12, its leader told the visiting United Nations Security Council delegation in Juba on Sunday.
“The aspect needed for the establishment of such a [transitional] government is not there.” We in the SPLM-IO won’t be there because we don’t want to put the country into crisis,” said Riek Machar.
The opposition leader, in Juba for second time since September, said the warring parties have failed to agree on how the army will be integrated, a key requirement of the September 2018 peace deal.
“What do you think is likely to happen should we form a government on the 12th [November],” he asked, drawing a likely scenario that violence could break out in an event a government is hastily formed.
Machar told the Security Council delegation that an extension of the November 12 deadline will allow the parties resolve some of the outstanding issues needed for a unity government to be formed.
South Sudan’s warring factions signed a peace accord in September 2018 to end a civil war that killed nearly 400,000 people.
An estimated 7 million people, aid agencies recently warned, will be in need of food assistance in the young nation this summer, with some 860,000 children expected to suffer from acute malnutrition.
Meanwhile, the Security Council team downplayed Machar’s fears, saying outstanding issues can still be resolved before November 12.
“What Dr. Riek Machar is asking is not impossible to do in the next three weeks, but the political leaders need to say they will do it,” said Jerry Matthews Matjila, South Africa’s ambassador to the UN.
He urged both the government and the opposition not to extend the formation of the new government anymore, while assuring that the Security Council members would offer any assistance and demands that would expedite the formation of the unity government on time.
The United States ambassador to the UN, Kelly Craft said the Security Council it will not accept more delays to the formation of a new government and will re-evaluate its relationship with South Sudan.
“Now it is time to make a compromise necessary for the formation of the transitional government of national unity,” Craft said, urging the parties to put aside their disagreements for the sake of peace.
South Sudan descended into war in December 2013 when Kiir accused Machar of plotting a coup, allegations the latter dismissed.
In September 2018, the rival factions involved in the conflict signed a peace deal to end the conflict that has killed tens of thousands of people and displaced over 2 million people in the country.
In May, the two sides agreed to form a unity government in six months and in September said that they will establish a transitional government by November 12 as part of the deal.
(ST)