August 9th, 2018(Nyamilepedia) — South Sudan’s main armed opposition, the SPLM/A(IO) rejects an amnesty that was issued yesterday by President Salva Kiir to their chairman and commander-in-chief, Dr. Riek Machar Teny.
The leadership of the SPLM/A in Opposition condemns the amnesty as a fragrant violation of the Cessation of Hostilities Agreement(CoH) and the recently signed Khartoum Peace Agreement.
Responding to President Kiir’s amnesty, SPLA(IO) deputy spokesman, Col. Lam Paul Gabriel, said their leadership was dismayed by the statement which he calls an insult on the SPLM/A(IO) leadership.
“The SPLA IO is dismayed by the statement of Salva Kiir trending media yesterday the 8/8/2018, that he gave Amnesty to Dr. Machar.” Col. Lam Paul Gabriel said.
“This is not only gimmick but an insult in the face of the signed CoH and permanent ceasefire which Salva’s militias have been violating since December/2017.” He continued.
The SPLM/A(IO) leadership believes that it should be president Kiir and his leadership that should be amnestied by the South Sudanese people for weighing unnecessary war against Dr. Machar and the people of South Sudan.
“Salva Kiir is the one who declared war against the people of South Sudan not Dr. Machar. Salva feels so inferior politically against Dr. Machar that’s why he believes in military solutions” Reads part of SPLM/A(IO) statement.
The main armed opposition accuses president Kiir of having committed war crimes and crimes against humanity right from the beginning of the conflict in 2013 by killing thousands of Nuer civilians in Juba and he should therefore seeks forgiveness from South Sudanese people.
“He started it in 2013 when he massacred thousands of Innocent Nuer civilians in Juba, then he staged a coup against the ARCSS when he attempted to assassinate Dr. Machar in J1 in 2016, followed by him giving $5,000,000 to Gen. Malong to kill Dr. Machar on his way to DRC.” the SPLM/A(IO) statement continued.
“The truth is, a leader who committed crimes against humanity is not qualified to give Amnesty to anybody. Salva should instead seek for forgiveness from Dr. Machar in particular and South Sudanese in general. The SPLA IO and Dr. Machar are for peace and it is this peace that will take us to Juba not Amnesty.” the statement adds.
The armed opposition also calls on president Kiir to control his forces who are attacking their areas in violation of the CoH and the newly signed Security Arrangement.
“Instead of talking about the so-called Amnesty, Salva should control his militias who don’t know what CoH or ceasefire means.” Lam Paul said.
“The SPLM/A(IO) calls on president Kiir to control his militias who have continued to fight on despite that Kiir signed and pledge to implement the CoH and the new security arrangement. ” He continued.
