July 19, 2016(Nyamilepedia) —- African leaders have backed plans to deploy regional troops to South Sudan after recent fighting between rival forces left hundreds of people dead.
Soldiers for the African Union (AU) force are to come from Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Sudan and Uganda.
A 12,000-strong UN peacekeeping force is already in the country, but the AU force would have a stronger mandate, officials say.
South Sudan’s government says it is opposed the deployment of the force.
“We are not ready for a deployment of even a single additional soldier,” South Sudan’s Information Minister, Michael Makuei Lueth, told the BBC’s Focus on Africa radio programme. “That does not solve the problem.”
President Salva Kiir and his rival, Vice-President Riek Machar, announced a ceasefire last week.
Clashes over several days between troops loyal to the two men had threatened a recent peace deal.
“The UN doesn’t have the mandate to impose peace,” the AFP news agency quoted AU Peace and Security Commissioner Smail Chergui as saying at the AU summit in Rwanda’s capital, Kigali.
“They are there where there is peace to keep. African troops are ready to engage in very difficult situations.”
He explained that the mission would be similar to the deployment of a 3,000-strong special force that took on the M23 rebels in the Democratic Republic of Congo in 2013.
Over the weekend, UN chief Ban Ki-moon expressed his support for the AU deployment.
But Mr Lueth blamed the recent fighting on the peace deal which, he said, was imposed on the country by regional mediators.
“As a sovereign state… this thing cannot be imposed on us without our consent,” he said, adding that it would not “serve the interests of the people of South Sudan”.
4 comments
Mr. Makui Lueta,
there is no way for criminals to rule South Sudan as they do rule cows. The Foreign force is on the way and I do not believe that you are able to stop them. Everybody needs this protection because the mathiang anyor loot, rape and kill People. Do you really think it is Logic to pretend that you protect People? You have been burning villages all these months. please keep on lying and no body hears you
baak and tolio, have you got it right?
Uganda’s none neutrality in the conflict of South since 2013 automatically disqualifies their troops from participation. The forces of Uganda fighting along side the tribal government and those going to South Sudan as IGAD’s intervention mechanism. Why should Uganda be allowed to a party to the conflict specially on the side of tribal oppressive regime while committing the worst cases of human right abuses and act as the mediator at the same time. This is what is exactly wrong with Africa.
How could Uganda serve two conflicting phenomena, being peace keeper and fighting along side Salva Kiir army? No way for Uganda to be in peace keeper camp
It’s a matter of time every thing will be solve OUT let keep CALM GOD KNOWS MORE about our FUTURE in our COUNTRY let keep PRAYING.