Ethiopian Premier Frustrated Over Kiir’s Unwillingness To Work With Machar: Sources

June 24th 2018 (Nyamilepedia) – Ethiopian Prime Minister Dr. Abiy Ahmed who hosted the face-to-face meeting between Salva Kiir Mayardiit and South Sudan’s SPLM-IO leader Dr. Riek Machar Teny-Dhurgon reportedly expressed frustration over Kiir’s unwillingness to work with his former deputy, sources told the Nyamilepedia from Addis Ababa on Sunday.

One source in Addis Ababa said the Prime Minster did not referred to Kiir by name, but uttered remarks that described Kiir using his actions such as refusing to work together with rivals and enemies.

“I am really really frustrated. In my political life, I am always disappointed by leaders who do not like to work together for the sack of their people. Do you thing you will make peace with your friends in your camps? No, if it is as such, you won’t have come a long way from South Sudan and South Africa to Addis Ababa,” the official quoted Dr. Abiy as saying.

Kiir for his part reportedly blamed the regional and the international community for imposing a peace agreement which he said resulted in to the death of hundreds of South Sudanese adding that his position in rejecting working with Machar was encouraged by the past experience.

“The international community imposed the peace. The peace agreement imposed by the so call supper powers killed hundreds of South Sudanese instead of bringing them together. So, my position regarding Riek Machar is not just a mere rejection, but a result of the past experience imposed on us by the regional and the international community,” Kiir reportedly said during the face-to-face meeting responding to Ethiopian Prime Minister’s remarks.

In August 2015, Kiir signed a peace agreement with Machar after the later signed it about nine days early. Upon signing, Kiir expressed reservations about the peace proposal and said a peace agreement that is imposed is a recipe for a future war.

Few months later, the peace agreement collapsed following clashes at J1 and a UN report published in September 2016 blamed Kiir and his then army chief who is now leading a armed rebellion against Kiir for the violence.