September 30th 2019 (Nyamilepedia) – South Sudan government is behind recent fighting in the country’s Maiwut state, a senior member of the main armed opposition group, SPLM-IO, led by former First Vice-President Dr. Riek Machar has said.
In July, fighting between SPLA-IO and armed civilians led to a huge displacement with a senior main armed opposition commander defecting to the government of President Salva Kiir Mayardit a few months later accusing Machar of causing the insecurity in the area.
In a statement issued on Sunday, SPLM-IO governor of Imatong state, Nathaniel Pierino, who is also a member of the National Pre-transitional Committee (NPTC) said the government is responsible for what he said has been a violation of the revitalized peace agreement signed by Kiir, Machar and other opposition leaders in September 2018.
“Moreover, the government in Maiwut County is involved in systematic violations of Cessation of Hostilities Agreement CoHA [Cessation of Hostility Agreement] and Permanent Ceasefire,” Pierino said in a statement seen by Nyamilepedia.
Pierino said the situation is threatening the revitalized peace agreement while denouncing the silence of the region – IGAD in particular – as well as the international community on the matter.
“If the current situation persists as is, the parties are clearly on a collusion course comes November. It’s sad that IGAD and international partners are not seized of the situation in South Sudan,” he said.
