April 23rd 2019 (Nyamilepedia) – A senior member of the main armed opposition movement, SPLM-IO, led by the country’s former First Vice President, Dr. Riek Machar Teny, said on Tuesday that an early appeal by President Salva Kiir Mayardiit to Machar to return home is premature.
During his Easter message, President Kiir made another appeal to Dr. Riek Machar – following another one the week before – to ‘urgently return’ to Juba to prepare for the formation of the revitalized government of national unity stipulated for in the revitalized agreement signed by Kiir and Machar last year.
Machar had earlier proposed a 6-month extension of the pre-transitional period to allow for implementation of unimplemented security arrangements insisting that he will not return to Juba until such provisions are in place.
“The calling by President Salva Kiir for the leader of the SPLM-IO to come to Juba for the formation of the government is premature.” Agok Makur, a member of Machar’s group was quoted by the Eye Radio on Tuesday as saying.
“We are not against the formation of the transitional government, but we are against the security arrangements, because we saying that the security arrangements are fundamental and the backbone of the formation of the next government,” Makur added.
He reiterated the main armed opposition leader’s commitment to peace pointing to his October 2018 return to Juba where he participated in the peace celebrations organized by the government of President Salva Kiir.
“Dr. Riek Machar came to Juba before and participated in the peace celebrations that was held here in Juba and this was a prove [that] he is committed to the peace,” he stressed.
