June 8, 2014(Nyamilepedia) — In a historic BBC Hardtalk, anchored by Stephen Sackur in Juba, the Commander – in – Chief of the armed forces, Salva Kiir Mayardiit, accused his former vice president, Dr. Riek Machar Teny Dhurgon and the former governor of Unity State, Gen. Taban Deng Gai, of authorizing the Ugandan forces and Sudanese rebels, JEM, to operate in South Sudan.
When asked whether the president was fully in control of the allied forces fighting in his name, Salva Kiir denied, saying that the forces are not fighting under his name.
“NO. They are not fighting in my name and they were brought in by Riek Machar and his colleague, Taban Deng Gai” Said the Commander in Chief of SPLA forces.
Despite Salva Kiir’s government admitted paying the cost of the Ugandan operation in South Sudan, the president believes that the forces were brought to South Sudan by Dr. Riek Machar and Taban Deng Gai in 2006.
During his grand visit to Nairobi, Machar was asked if he authorized the Ugandan army that turned against him in December. In respond, Machar differentiates the roles of the presidency and went ahead to justify that it is the duty of a president to authorize foreign forces into a sovereign state.
“In 2006 I was not the president, Salva Kiir was the president. Foreign issues are under the desk of a president. When we signed the Naivasha Comprehensive Peace Agreement, LRA rebels were operating in South Sudan. We had three options: (1) to fight the LRA and push them out of our country; (2) Ask them to leave the country peacefully; (3) mediate between the LRA and the Ugandan government.” Machar explained.
“As a government, we chose to mediate. So, from July 2006 [actually the contract started a little earlier, Nov 2005 …] we launch the mediation. For two years, Kony, in May 2008, after a complete agreement was worked out, Kony did not signed the peace agreement. Then on December 14, 2008, the Ugandan forces went on operation with the knowledge of the president [Maybe I was the one, surprise; because I was not told, I was still trying to find out whether Kony could be persuaded to sign the agreement” Said Machar, widely smiling.
“In any case, an operation was launch by Uganda in DRC, in South Sudan, in Central Africa to get rid of Kony. After that the AU met in Addis Ababa and composed a regional task force. That regional forces composed of Uganda, DRC, Central Africa Republic and We in South Sudan. The headquarters is in Anzare, in Western Equatoria. That is a regional task force” Machar continued.
Despite that Machar negotiate the Juba peace talk between the LRA and the Ugandan government, Machar in his position as a vice president did not participate in the Addis Ababa convention, Salva Kiir did.
Conspiracy by Salva Kiir and Museveni:
Machar explains that there was an advanced conspiracy, which was reflected by an earlier deployment of Ugandan forces in the country. Machar believes that more Uganda forces were deployed on December 13, two days before the dreadful event on the night of December 15, 2013.
“Actually more forces came as of December 13, 2013, and the conflict in South Sudan, in Juba, started on the 15, actually it tells you there was a conspiracy, a plot, done by president Salva Kiir and president Museveni, to cause the incident of the 15 December, which now has wrecked the country. The country is split, its army is split, its organized forces are split, the ruling party is split. The Salva has admitted genocide in Juba.” Machar stated.
Machar reiterate that it would be illogical to bring in an army that fights you.
“By the way, I was out of power. So, why would I bring forces to fight me, what logical [argument]…?” Machar continued.
An anonymous insider, named as James Moises, shade a light into “secret deals that were signed between the two presidents” before the December. In his article, entitled Uganda president has a deadly hand in South Sudan’s poltical crisis, released on July 27, 2013, the “former national security agent” reported that Museveni deployed battalions near Juba before president Kiir sacked his cabinet in July 2013.
“President Museveni recently sent Uganda’s soldiers into South Sudan to help Kiir deal with the ongoing political crisis. These army personals are now in Juba assemble in north-western side of Juba, some 57 Km away from Juba. The other division is stationed in South of Juba, a distance of about 81 Km. South Sudan National intelligence Agency must check out these locations to verify these evidences. Believe me; you will be stunned when you reach in those locations. The international community and South Sudanese must know that the Ugandan president is the one who gave all these ill-guidance to Kiir and he is now assisting him with covert military assistance intended to kill anyone who oppose Kiir’s leadership. South Sudan national army, SPLA, must be vigilance about Ugandans who are no living in South Sudan.” James Moises leaked the secrets to South Sudan News Agency.
The two governments of South Sudan and Uganda have presented different accounts. Juba has focused on explaining that the Ugandan forces were deployed in the country during the CPA to fight their LRA rebels. However, very little report addresses how the Ugandan army quickly got involved in an internal conflict in December. UPDF started participating in the conflict within the first 5 days of the incident, a report that was revealed by dead bodies of Ugandan soldiers returned home for burial.
Kampala, on the other hand, claims that their forces intervened to evecuate their citizens from South Sudan, however, they continued to fight alongside Salva Kiir forces after evacuation. Uganda has given others versions that claim to protect either the Ugandans’ economic interests or the Salva Kiir’s government, however, Museveni has recently admitted that the operation is costing his country millions of dollars. In the latest report, Uganda’s GDP dropped. Although the report blames external forces, especially the South Sudan conflict, it doesn’t explain if the economics downfall would have been less or higher if Uganda did not militarily intervene in the conflict.
Related stories:
Ugandan President Has a Deadly Hand in South Sudan’s Political Crisis
Ugandans will incure the cost of military intervention in S. Sudan, reads the ghost agreement!
S. Sudan: Bodies Of UPDF Soldiers Brought Home, December 19
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