January 22nd 2019 (Nyamilepedia) – South Sudan government violated the revitalized peace agreement for welcoming former SPLA-IO commander who defected from Machar last year.
Speaking during the 14th meeting of the Ceasefire and Transitional Security Arrangement Monitoring and Verification Mechanism (CTSAMVM) held in Juba on Tuesday, Teshome Gemechu Aderie, CTSAMVM Chairman, blamed the government for welcoming Gen. Ochan Puot.
“The change of allegiance to the Government (side) did not act in the spirit of the (Revitalized Peace) Agreement, Aderie said.
He said the welcoming is considered a recruitment which is prohibited under the revitalized peace agreement signed in September 2018 by the government and opposition groups in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
“As the strength of the SSPDF was increased as a result, this can be considered as recruitment,” he said.
The SPLA-IO in recent weeks have been accused the South Sudan army of peace violation as Ochan Puot was attacking several rebel positions in Maiwut state – his hometown where he defected to the government.
The peace monitoring chairman further said investigations were “hampered by repeated denial of access by the SSPDF in violation of the R-ARCSS.”
