July 25, 2016(Nyamilepedia) —– The long awaited South Sudan Peace Agreement, that was expected to end a 3-year civil war, has once again hit another dead end as President Salva Kiir takes unexpected U-turn against his Peace Partner, Dr. Riek Machar Teny.
The president dismissed Dr. Riek Machar today and replaced him with the sacked Minister of Mining, renegade Gen. Taban Deng Gai, the former Chief negotiator of SPLM/SPLA-IO.
According to John Prendergast, Founding Director of the Enough Project, this new move by president Salva Kiir is a “political suicide” that brings the young nation “close to a full-scale civil war”
“This move represents another marker in the South Sudan’s slow motion political suicide. It unnecessarily brings South Sudan a step closer to full-scale war, shutting another door to dialogue and trampling on democratic processes espoused by both South Sudan’s government and opposition SPLA-IO.” Prendergast said.
Responding from Nairobi, Kenya, Machar’s spokesman, James Gatdet Dak, stresses that the peace agreement has now collapsed, emphasizingg that the illegal appointment of Taban Deng does not have any popular grasspoots support in the movement and therefore it only amounts to declaring a full-scale civil war.
“Honourable Taban Deng Gai only has 5% support of the political leadership of the SPLM-IO and maybe, and just maybe 1% of support from the SPLA-IO army. So how will President Kiir implement the peace agreement with a defected person who does not control both the political and military wings of the SPLM/SPLA (IO)?” James Gatdet Dak said.
“We also have reliable information that President Kiir’s forces are on offensive today, July 25, 2016, to hunt down Dr. Riek Machar around Juba. However, our forces have the right to fight back in self-defence.” Dak continued.
According to  Brian Adeba, Associate Director of Policy at the Enough Project, President Kiir’s unilateral decision to remove Machar is seemingly influenced by the need to lure SPLM/SPLA elites to his side.
Brain believes that such decision is problematic because the pact of elites Kiir is luring to his side lack grassroots support and could only complicate the peace process.
“If President Kiir’s action to remove Machar and replace him with Taban Deng proves to be part of an elite pact without grassroots support, it could undermine the peace agreement. It is imperative that South Sudan’s leaders adhere to implementing the peace agreement and not allow inner-circle power plays to bring forth more violence and destabilization.” Brain said.
Machar’s spokesman reiterates that Kiir’s presidential decree has only proven to the whole world that he was behind the conspiracy that drove the First Vice President out of Juba two weeks ago.
“President Salva Kiir has proved to the whole world that he was behind the conspiracy implemented by Honourable Taban Deng Gai to illegally replace H.E. Dr. Riek Machar Teny-Dhurgon, from his positions. I believe President Kiir does not want to see peace achieved in South Sudan during his lifetime.” Gatdet said.
“By relieving his peace partner, H.E. Dr. Riek Machar who chairs the SPLM-IO party and commands the SPLA-IO army, and illegally appointing Honourable Taban Deng Gai as First Vice President in viiolation of the Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan (ARCISS), President Kiir means to destroy the peace agreement.” Gatdet continued.
Justifying the decision made by President Kiir, the Minister of Information and Broadcasting, Michael Makuei Lueth, said the president had to accept the decision because it was internally decided by the SPLM/SPLA through its hierarchy, a claim that has been bitterly denied by members of SPLM/SPLA-IO political bureau.
The move was also justified by Ateny Wek Ateny, the press secretary to president Kiir, who claimed that the government had no choice but to accept any leader presented by the opposition to implement the peace agreement.
Mr. Kiir’s decision came a few days after the First Vice President, Machar, called on him to relieve Taban Deng Gai from the Ministry of Mining since he defected to SPLM-Kiir.
The two leaders signed an agreement more than 11 months ago, however, nothing other than Machar’s return to Juba has been implemented so far.
The region and AU have agreed to send a deterrent force to act as a buffer zone to prevent another round of fighting and to allow for peace implementation, however, Mr. Kiir and his inner circle have refused the regional force deployment in the country.
28 comments
Stop shouting in Nairobi. Come to Juba and speak your nonsense here your language is always not of PEACE stop your nonsense Taban Gai is a Nationalist not like an animal,Kiir is a nationalist unlike your Machar who likes always to distablise people and getting defeated always stop yelling in Nairobi inciting your people to wage unnecessary war do you REALY understand the meaning of the words you use they are poisonous not of PEACE kindly stop shouting
You need to go back to school
we need peace only stop
We have being discriminated,while South Sudan for all of us. We will win because we don’t deny nobody.
Jaang, wait and see what you all been craving! The weakness shown by IO leadership has emboldened you so much so that you people can’t even see the consequences of your careless words and deeds.
Taban is only acting until Machar comes then he will step down, why are u grambling my people. do you like the position to remain vacant? then machar would have appoint any one on his behalf but he did not so leadership ha to go forward
Michael or whoever you are, Kiir has all ready melted himself into genocide, crimes and crimes against humanity of which he will spent his lifespan in Hague court. This brutal and non objective conflict is just for the sake of getting rich. Taban Deng Gai was just appointed for the benefit of them but not the country because south Sudan rely on the Oil revenue which is base in Bentiu Unity State. So forgive me for telling the truth. God bless south Sudan.
The more confusion comes, the more we are coming closer to peace accountability and justice. Non of your insults comments will bring change to SS. I will urge that let learn how to speak looking forward how this nation and the citizens will be. we need unity and those in the power now will not remain forever. Learn how to speak peace and responsibly. May God bless South Sudan
LONG LIVE PHILIPH
Am not South Sudanese But have worked with Sudanese for many years. In my experience, the current problem of South Sudan is just a Dinka complex. The Dinka believe they must rule. They want to get rid of Machar to achieve their objectives. To do this, they are using power and money hungry Nuers. But the whole thing will back-fire. Nuers are better fighters and the fact that Machar’s 1,370 soldiers withstood 20,000 Kiir soldiers is a proof. When the war comes back nest (I believe soon) the Dinkas will be attack not only by the Nuers but by all other ethnic groups from Equatoria to Bahar El-Gazal. But because of their pride, they cannot understand that they are danger.
if you know that you don’t belong to this nation, kind shut up mouth .
You’ve said it all Simon Reezer, jaang (dinka) are just trying what they will never achieve. they’re just barking here but let’s see how long this will last. The nuer people for their love of the country have forgiven and chose to take the country forward even under their killer Salva Kiir but still the jaang still feel their dominant is threatened. They’re now shamelessly celebrating having fought just a thousands men with just ak47. I believe this thing will be short lived celebration just like they falsely celebrated the death of the two opposition generals. I don’t really know how they felt after realizing the news was a lie anyway, we know they’re people who live is entirely lived through lies, propaganda and deception.
You really understood them well man
you have a point my brother I too travel there & that’s it Sinks r not willing to share Power coz what they think of is there stomach
Those Nuers who incite violent are not even in south sudan to witness the demerits of war otherwise keep barking while enjoying foreign aid in abroad & you wil regret one day when its time for national participation
I believe kiir is the president of south sudan …i am a kenyan but i feel very bad when i here machar being called commerder in chief of a certain group of armed militia …to disturb people peace …kiir should not entertain terrorism as president of south sudan
A ONE TIME SUDANESE FRIEND AND GEN .MNG FOR THEN MOBIL OIL SLEO NE,E K OMERI VCOMES TO MIND WHEN WAR BROKE OUT IN THEN ONE SUDAN
God bless SS is my prayer
The window of peace and reconciliation is slowly and surely closing if the political leaders do no put the interests of the CITIZENRY before anything else.Let them wake up to this FACT.
DINKA PEOPLE AREN’T SMART ,SALVA KIIR HAS BEEN A PRESIDENT FOR MORE THAN 8YRS AND NOTHING HAS BEEN CHARGED SO FAR EXCEPT CORRUPTION FROM TOP POLITICIANS IN THE GOVERNMENT WHO STOLEN PUBLIC FUNDS SO JIENG LOST THEIR CHANCES NO MORE.
George talks like a dog/ monkey as his brothers JCE
Peace is our destination, there is nothing like conflict between nuer and Dinka, don’t hunt for positions through tribes, Taban Deng will implement peace with Kiir, president has no problem with Riak, otherwise he would have allowed him to his body gaurds during fighting broke out in J1,so stop your nonsensical ideas in foreign country, we only want peace.
Peace is our destination, there is nothing like conflict between nuer and Dinka, don’t hunt for positions through tribes, Taban Deng will implement peace with Kiir, president has no problem with Riak, otherwise he would have allowed him to his body gaurds during fighting broke out in J1,so stop your nonsensical ideas in foreign country, we only want peace.
Appointing taban the glucton to that post is a coup ploted by the so called jieng council to distabilies this country but what i know is taban is not in control of the army and that is a failed coup as very many peoples did welcome it even his (taban) own peoples as some of you might have had the protest conducted against the decision by the cowboy kiir to replace a brave leader machar by this sell out nuer taban deng try your luck and we see who is who when time comes to meet face to face.
What we is piece in our County South Sudan
WHAT IS IGAD DOING???
it’s not about who is from our tribe for us to support in power struggle,it’s about what is right for our country,that’s of importance,…we don’t occupy S.Sudan,we own it brothers and sisters,and all natural resources in our nation were not meant for us to fight over them,they were rather meant for our well being as a country….natural resources are blessings from God and killing our brothers n sisters over a blessing is a fancy way of turning it into a curse……please let stop insulting each other and fueling war and hatred through our words….. lets leave the work of judgment to God,it’s not our work to judge which leader is wrong or right ….for God knows why they are leaders and for how long they will be.
I think I know non of your things you’re doing there
Time will come and everything will be settled
I think what these Nuer are doing is to divide South Sudan again to give them their own country and I think it’s what’s best for this war of theirs
Hi mates.
Thank you for your comments. unfortunately most are not objective, they’re simply insults between the Dinkas and Nuers. Remember South Sudan has over 64 tribes, not just 2.
I believe we have had enough of the fighting, we are tied of staying in neighbouring states simply because home is not secure. We the youth as the future of SS should come up with long term solutions to the current cause of fighting in SS.
As educated people, I believe we all understand that it’s more than a political issue, but rather tribal as both tribes believe they should rule SS, yet the more educated and exposed Equatorians are simply watching.
let’s forget about our tribal origins and only reason as one South Sudan.
cheers.