October 22nd 2019 (Nyamilepedia) – The decision by South Sudan’s main armed opposition leader Dr. Riek Machar Teny to stay out of a unity government due to be formed by President Kiir in November will cost him an opportunity, a South Sudan academic said.
Machar said on Sunday that he will not join the unity government Kiir said he will form on November 12th because a dispute on security arrangements and number of states and their boundaries should be resolved first.
Kiir for his part insists the new government will resolve all the outstanding issues saying Machar’s grievances are not necessary at the movement.
In a statement on his social media Facebook page, Biong wrote: “The decision by Dr Riek not to join the government until the security arrangements are fulfilled and number of states is resolved is right but his call for three month extension and threat of return to war may project him as anti-peace.”
“Dr Riek should have insisted on the formation of the government by Nov 12 but with conditions such as resolution of number of states, entrusting funding for training and amalgamating of forces to a third party while RPF [Regional Protection Force] and UNMISS [United Nations Mission in South Sudan] to fill security gap, release of political detainees, amendment of constitution and establishment of hybrid court.
“With his current position, Dr Riek May run the risk of bearing blame and Juba may take the show.”
