Machar Finalizes His Official Return To South Sudan

Nov 26, 2016(Nyamilepedia) —— South Sudan’s former Vice President, Dr. Riek Machar Teny, is expected to return home in the next few days.

According to credible sources, Machar has obtained visas to Ethiopia and Sudan as part of his journey to South Sudan.

Machar and five others were denied access to Khartoum Sudan via Ethiopia last weekend due to what officials believe was a routine security crackdown by the Sudanese authorities whenever President Omar el Bashir is outside the country.

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An insider explains that to conceal Bashir’s absence and to prevent opposition from politicizing his absence, the acting authorities have to restricts officials visits to Sudan.

“Some people in the army and opposition can easily exploit the absence of President Bashir, that is why the authority declares selective emergency security curfew on officials’ visit” the insider said.

“Riek Machar was not prevented to land in the airport it is just that President Bashir was not in the country” The insider continued.

Speaking to New Arab news, Col. William Gatjiath Deng, the spokesman for SPLA-IO confirmed that Machar is preparing for his return.

Gatjiath believes that Machar will return to his headquarters in unspecified region of South Sudan very “soon”.

The spokesperson for the South Sudanese rebel forces told The New Arab that Dr Machar had travelled to South Africa on an official visa in order to receive medical treatment, which is now completed.

“We are preparing for Dr Machar’s arrival in the coming weeks,” William Gatjiath Deng, a spokesperson for rebel forces, told The New Arab.

“He went there for official treatments, but now he has completed those treatments and is planning his return.” He continued.

“Many people say that has been detained in South Africa, but this is not true.” Gatjiath denies the allegations.

Machar fled South Sudan in July following heavy fighting in the capital Juba where at least more than 1000 people were killed in 4 days.

To avoid further fighting Machar walked for 37 days to DR Congo where he was airlifted to the capital, Kinshasa and later to Khartoum, Sudan.

Back in Juba, his main rivals and defected officials have been campaigning to ban him from South Sudan politics through Easter African region and DRC, however, fighting has continued to intensify in many parts of the country.

After treatment in Khartoum, Machar, who is still considered the Legitimate First Vice President of the Transitional Government of National Unity, flew to South Africa on 12th October, allegedly in order to receive a routine medical check up, however, his journey back home has been prolonged by rivals who declare him as the “warmonger”.

While some officials in Juba argue that Machar should not be allowed to return to South Sudan, some believe that he should return to the capital on condition that he abandons rebellion, which to SPLM/SPLA-IO is just a mere wishful thinking.

According to Defence Minister Kuol Manyang Juuk,  Machar could be allowed to return to South Sudan with a pardon, if he first renounces his fight against the government.

Other officials like Taban Deng Gai, who controversially replaces Machar as the First Vice President of TGNU, are mobilizing troops to fill Machar’s position in SPLM/SPLA-IO but whether they have any significant support in the SPLA-IO army remains a misery

As a consequence of war, more than 2.8 million people are displaced and inflation has hit 835.7 percent, according to national Statistics Ministry.

Many thousands have been killed and gruesome human rights violations are committed but the region and the international community seem to be giving up on a viable political solution to the conflict.

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