November 19th 2019 (Nyamilepedia) – Two senior South Sudan opposition members have denied that they refused to leave hotel rooms following directives by SPLM-IO leader Dr. Riek Machar.
Last week, Machar directed members of his group who are not assigned to peace implementing mechanism to leave hotel accommodation provided by the National Pre-Transitional Committee (NPTC).
Social media users circulated a rumors alleging that two members of the SPLM-IO National Liberation Council (NLC) Col. Aborcup Akuer and Tut Jock refused to vacate hotel rooms as directed by Machar.
In a statement issued this afternoon and extended to Nyamilepedia, the two men said the allegations are “fake” and that they didn’t refuse to leave following Machar’s directives.
“We have learned with great concern that some media outlets, such as South Sudan TMZ and their associates, have with their ill-intentions, manufactured political viruses to distort the simple and right procedure taken by the SPLM/A (IO) leadership to screen its members accommodated by NPTC in Juba, South Sudan,” the two senior members said in the statement issued this afternoon.
“The article bearing John Aborcup and Tut Jok’s names is fake and shouldn’t be given any attention by anybody. We neither refused to leave the Hotel nor spoke to any out-sider/media about our accommodation matters. The decision of the SPLM/A (IO) leadership to screen its members accommodated in Juba is perfect and as young leaders, pregnant with reform agenda, we highly welcome it. We encourage our other peace partners to follow this path,” they added.
The two men also rubbished speculations that members of the SPLM-IO assigned to peace implementing mechanisms are relatives of Machar saying they came from across South Sudan’s different regions.
“The members of the mechanisms representing SPLM/A (IO) in Juba are not relatives of the Chairman and Commander-In-Chief, as claimed by the writer of that article, but members of the Movement drawn from across South Sudan,” they said.
They further called for apology over the “false allegations in our names.”
