Juba, South Sudan
March 23, 2022 —The Sudan People’s Liberation Army-In-Opposition (SPLA-IO) has suspended its participation on peace mechanisms including Security Mechanism and R-JMEC meetings.
This comes after SSPDF under President Salva Kiir attacked the position of the SPLA-IO in both Upper Nile State and Unity State, and Kiir’s SSPDF representatives not showing seriousness in attending the mechanism meetings.
In a joint statement addressed to the Interim Chairperson of R-JMEC on Tuesday, Lt. Gen. Gabriel Duop Lam, the SPLA-IO Acting Chief of Staff, Maj. Gen. Zhiling Keah, the Acting SPLA-IO Chair of JTSC, and Gen. Kong Gatwech Kerjiok, the SPLA-IO Chair of JMCC says they have been telling the R-JMEC the gross violations of ceasefire agreement perpetuated by the SSPDF forces and NSS in many parts of the country despite being peace partners in the Revitalized Peace Agreement.
“.. In light of the above stated facts, Hon. Interim Chair, the SPLA-IO members of the Security Mechanisms, have been presenting violations of Cessation of hostility Agreement (COHA) made by our peace partner (IG, NSS, and SSPDF) in various CTSSAM and RJMEC (Forums) Plenary Meetings since the beginning of the implementation of the Transitional Security Agreement (TSA)”,the statement reads.
According to the statement, the RJMEC is mandated by the agreement to address the violations of the peace agreement but it hardly do.
“.( 1.).. Continues unprovoked attacks on the SPLA-IO/SPLM-IO areas, cantonment sites and the Unified Forces Training Centers “, the statement explains.
The statement added that the unprovoked attacks on the SPLM-IO/SPLA-IO areas by IG NSS and SSPDF had been an ongoing throughout starting with areas like Morota training center in Keji-Kaje County, Kaljak training center in Rubkona County, Turu Cantonment Site in Maiwut, Liengji Cantonment Site in Maban County, Pieri Cantonment Site in Uror County, Namatina Cantonment Site in Najero County, Mir-Mir Cantonment Site in Koch County, and recently ( March 20, 2022) where the SSPDF forces from Pangak, attacked, captured and occupied the SPLM/SPLA-IO GHQ of Jiokow in Maiwut.
The SPLM/A-IO blames Kiir’s side for “Facilitation and encouragement of defections”.
The SPLA-IO in a joint statement accused the SPLM-IG of instigating defection of its members which as a result caused negative impact on civilians.
“.. This policy has been used by the SPLM-IG as a proxy war that results into violent clashes and displacement of civilian government in the affected areas mentioned above”, the statement emphasized.
According to the joint statement, the use of defected soldiers/officers by the SPLM-IG against the SPLM/SPLA-IO forces amounts to continuation of war with destructive results to the civil population in the areas affected by this destructive policy.
“. (3.). Irregular attendance of Security Mechanisms members from SPLM-IG to Security Mechanisms meetings: ” In most of the Security Mechanisms Meetings, the members of the Security Mechanism from the SPLM-IG (SDSR, JDB, JTSC, JMCC etc) attends these meetings irregularly and sometimes send officers who are not members of the Security Mechanisms to represent them in these meetings. Only members of the Security Mechanisms from the Opposition (SPLM-IO/SPLA-IO and SSOA) usually participate in these crucial meetings “, the statement elaborated further.
The leadership of the SPLA-IO felt no genuine reason to continue participating in meetings of R-JMEC when in fact the pressing issues raised are not addressed by the mandated body tasked with a such responsibility but instead the armed opposition has decided to suspend its participation in the mechanism meetings.
“.. We therefore see no point in participating in none productive meetings where issues are raised but not resolved. As such we are stopping our participating in the RJMEC meetings from today, March 22, 2022, until the above-mentioned issues are addressed” The statement continued.
“We see no logical reasons to participate in meetings when our areas are under attacks from our peace partner without action from those mandated to hold them accountable for such violation” the statement concluded.
