February 2nd 2020 (Nyamilepedia) – South Sudan’s main armed opposition group, SPLM-IO, has updated its previous position on the formation of the revitalized unity government set for this month and has given new pre-conditions.
This comes less than three weeks from the deadline agreed upon by President Salva Kiir and SPLM-IO leader Dr. Riek Machar Teny during a meeting in Uganda in November after a previous deadline passed without action.
In the updated position, the SPLM-IO called for the arbitration of C5, namely, Algeria, Chad, Nigeria, Rwanda and South Africa to arbitrate over the number and boundaries of states.
A similar position by South African Vice President David Mabuza was rejected by the main armed opposition group last month.
The Machar-led movement also called for the collection of arms in the capital Juba and also for the deployment of UNMISS peacekeepers in hotspot and in the town center where government forces are currently located.
It said: “The parties to agree on areas for UNMISS deployment either to replace forces withdrawn or new deployment, for example the Tiger unit deployed in the former Ministry of Wildlife opposite J1, western Yei, Maiwut, and areas along Nimule – Road.”
According to the group arms collected in Juba “should remain in the custody of UNMISS until such time that the unified forces are deployed.”
