Oct 18, 2019(Nyamilepedia) — Puzzled by blames and pressure from the region, international community and South Sudanese civilians, who need peace back home in South Sudan, the SPLM/A(IO) Deputy Chairman explains how “a political will” should be determined in regards to ongoing but extremely slow implementation of the revitalized peace agreement.
On his part, the deputy chairman believes that the armed opposition has made every single compromise in its position, however, the regime is not making any reasonable compromises at all.
Hon. Odwar counts several events in which the government, and president Kiir in particular, have failed to make compromises in the best interest of peace agreement.
“President Kiir refused to sign the previous [2015] peace agreement when he was expected to do so in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. One week later he signed the peace agreement in Juba with conditions that his attachment preconditions must be made” Odwar explains.
Odwar explains that President Kiir and his group eventually started another war in 2016 and expelled them from Juba leading to collapse of the previous peace agreement.
“Kiir violated 10 states in 2015 and kicked us out of Juba in 2016” He continued.
Last September President Kiir signed the Revitalized ARCISS on time in Addis Ababa but shown lack of political will by refusing to exchange greetings with his opponent, Dr. Riek Machar.
“Then the government refused to released the funding even after six months extension. So no progress is made” Henry Odwar said.
Asked if the government could just be lacking funding to fund the peace agreement, Odwar explains that South Sudan is producing more than 180, 000 barrels of oil a day as a result of the current peace agreement compared to less than 120, 000 barrels a day when Unity States oil fields were shut down by the SPLM/A(IO).
According to SPLM/A(IO), the extra 60,000 barrels a day could be enough to fund the peace agreement if the parties have political will to invest in the peace agreement.
Hon. Odwar further explains that the reason the number of states become an epidemic issue is due to lack of political will from the government side.
Despite the lack of political will, Odwar explains that the SPLM/A(IO) leadership and other leaders will not leave the current problems to the next generation to solve.
“We do not want to leave problems we have created for you, young people. That is why we will not form a government that will create more problems for you.” Henry Odwar speaking in Calgary, Alberta, Canada
“We will not form the government until the number of states issue is resolved” He further emphasized.
