BY TESFA-ALEM TEKLE
South Sudan’s People’s Movement/Army (SSPM/A) on Sunday accuses president Salva Kiir of failure to adress and resolve to an increasing political violence, tribal conflicts and polarization between communities across the world’s youngest nation.
Instead, SSPM/A said president Kiir has continued to tighten a “divide and rule” strategy in a bid to maintain his grip on power.
According to UN Commission on Human Rights report issued last February, the lack of progress in implementing to key provisions of a 2018 peace deal contributes to the persistent insecurity and impunity which allows violations to occur.
“SSPM/A believes the recent hostilities in Greater pibor administrative area, Great Akobo and Abiye people were mire political instigation of tribal conflicts, this has been kiir regime’s political tactics of keeping South Sudanese busy while running his deteriorating government” Maj. Gen Gondor Timothy Tutlam, Spokeperson of SSPM/A told The East African Daily.
“The truth about the conflict in jongalei and Abiye was infact government making” he said further reminding on a similar scenario on the recent conflicts between Gen. Olony of chollo and Nuer of Ayod.
“The people of Akobo, Bor and Eastern Nuer has been terrorized for years by Murle armed groups in killing innocent people, kidnapping children, rapping women’s and cattles riding” Maj.Gen Gondor said.
However, Kiir regime has never made an effort to end murle’s aggressions, instead he used them to enrich his political objective of dividing and rule, he added.
“The people of Murle must be tough to live in peace and harmony with their neighboring and it’s government prime responsibility”
The people of lou nuer, Eastern Jikany, and Bor community will always responses to Murle aggressions if need be, he warns.
WAKE UP CALL
According to the opposition official, the ongoing Jongalei insecurity should be seen as a wake up call to the government, hence all these little tribal conflicts, left unresolved, will eventually could catch Kiir government by surprise when South Sudan slides back to a new civil war.
“SSPM/A would like to alert international community and R.JMEC the insecurity in Jongalei and else where in South Sudan has infact been kiir government making, the evidents are there available should you need them” Gondor stated.
The SSPM/A said that the South Sudan peace singed in 2018 is on its way to hills.
South Sudan’s 2018 peace deal is deeply flawed, and many of its key provisions remain unimplemented.
“President Kiir and his deputy Dr. Riek Machar are dragging their feet on already failed peace, many of the peace protocols has never been implemented and Dr.Riek still in his confinement home. what a joke!” he added.
REGIME CHANGE
“SSPM/A under Commander-in-Chief of Gen. Stephen Buay Rolnyang believes there is nothing left for kiir regime than a total regime change, SSPM-IG is too decayed to be repaired, which has left South Sudanese for only one option and that is regime change” SSPM/A said in a statement it shared to The East African Daily.
“What kiir has done was infact an insults to all liberators”
“One thing we would advice kiir is to stop playing with fire. South Sudanese that you ran like fools, could one day got awake match to Juba for your removal, when they say enough is enough, you mark our words” it added.
RJMEC FAILED TO SECURE PEACE
Maj. Gen Gondor further mentions about another existing problem in South Sudan, RJMEC, a body tasked to monitor and oversee all aspects of the implementation of the peace agreement including the Pre-transitional and transitional institutions and mechanisms created by the agreement.
“RJMEC has been in place for years not doing what they should do, instead they are there only to enriched themselves and to please president Kiir’s interest. This is proven, their mandatory to secure peace in South Sudan has failed miserably, the Africa Union who suppose to monitor RJMEC should monitor how this body is doing in Juba” Major Gen. Gondor underscored.
Otherwise he said “a replace of their head leader should be initiated”
Planned since 2018 as part of a peace agreement between the South Sudanese president and his arch-rival and vice president Riek Machar, the unification of the militias has never taken place.
This is no surprise given that the army is the backbone of Salva Kiir’s power.
Instead, “power-hungry” Salva Kiir has relied on a series of defections from rival camps to bolster his position.
SLATED 2024 ELECTION
In December, South Sudan’s ruling party has endorsed President Salva Kiir as its candidate for another term in the country’s delayed election set for the end of 2024.
The president, 71, has then accepted the ruling party’s endorsement for the 2024 election.
Kiir has been the only president since South Sudan gained its independence from Sudan in 2011.
The world’s Newest nation has since grappled with a five-year civil war and the slow implementation of a peace deal signed in 2018.
(The East African Daily)
