NUER STUDENTS’ UNION IN KENYA CAST DOUBT ON THE NEUTRALITY OF IGAD IN THE PEACE TALK PROCESS

By the Nuer students’ Union in Kenya

IGAD heads of states during its 21-Extra-Ordinary Submit(Photo: DNM)

March 19 (Nyamilepedia) — The IGAD assembly of heads of states and government held its 25^th Extra-ordinary summit on 13^th March, 2014 in Addis Ababa, under the leadership of H.E Hailemariam Dessalegn, the Prime minster of the federal democratic republic of Ethiopia and current chairman of IGAD assembly of heads of states and government.

–       In the summit, the IGAD heads of states and governments applauds the UPDF of the republic of Uganda under the leadership of Yoweri Museveni for securing the installations and stability in the republic of South Sudan during the crisis.

–       They also resolved to deploy protection and deterrent force (PDF) as part of Monitoring and Verification Mechanism (MVM) to protect installations and infrastructures in South Sudan

–       Decided that all IGAD member states may participate in the monitoring and verification mechanism.

Given, the above resolutions by the IGAD assembly of heads of states and governments, WE the Nuer Students’ Union in Kenya condemned the moved taken by the IGAD as an institution entrusted to promote peace and stability in the region by deploying more troops in the name of protecting installations and infrastructures in the republic of South Sudan while around 12,000 troops are already in South Sudan doing the same thing and if the IGAD felt that number is not enough, why can’t they instead increased the number of UNMISS force to protect the installations and infrastructures in South Sudan as suggested by the UN security council, we felt that such move is intended to help Kiir and his forces to fight the SPLM/A in opposition.

When the Ethnic cleansing occurred in Juba on 15^th March, 2013 last year under the directives of President Kiir, UPDF invaded the republic of South Sudan in the name of protecting the installations and infrastructures in juba but ended up fighting alongside Kiir forces and commit a lot of atrocities to the South Sudanese in opposition in particular Nuer civilians by bombing their homes and destroyed their properties. This acts of inhumane was never condemned by the regional countries that made up IGAD, more so President Museveni appears on Television several times stating his position very clear that he is fighting the SPLM/A in opposition alongside the Kiir forces, and even when Bor was taken by the SPLA from the SPLM/A Museveni appeared on TV attributing the victories to UPDF all these signs of invasion of sovereignty of the republic of South Sudan by Uganda under Museveni were never condemned.

 In the Extra-ordinary summit the IGAD under the influence of Museveni and other interested heads of states afforded to applauds UPDF under the directives of Museveni that they have done good job while everybody thought Museveni was to be questions about all atrocities committed by his army in South Sudan including use of cluster bombs to the civilians in jonglei state.

 We also heard some members of IGAD assembly strongly commenting that Kiir will not resign from the presidency, in such contradictions and controversies from the institution which was entrusted and fully mandated by the worrying parties to mediate and negotiate peace raise a lot of questions on whether IGAD is a serious body to successfully bring peace to South Sudan, or it is just a body instituted by BIG BOYS to blackmail those they perceived as small boys.

 WE, the Nuer students’ Union in Kenya cast doubts on the neutrality of IGAD in the peace talk given the influence of Uganda under the leadership of Museveni, we demand the undersigned body demands the following from IGAD;

–       Excluding Uganda from the Monitoring and Verification Mechanism members

–       Immediate withdrawals of UPDF in the republic of South Sudan

–       Inclusion of all stakeholders of South Sudan in the peace talk and voice their concerns .i.e Youth, Women, Civil society and other concern groups on both sides

–       No deployment of Protection Deterrent forces, instead increased the number of UNMISS forces if need be

–       Full implementation of cessation of hostilities as were signed by the two parties

–       Fair and transparent process of Monitoring and verification mechanism policies

–       Release of 4 political detainees

–       Stop the kangaroo court in juba

We are also concern with the stand of international community on the fate of the 4 political detainees in juba as their absent will always backfire the peace talk in Addis Ababa

May God give us the strength to overcome the difficulties of live

By the Nuer students’ Union in Kenya

1-    Bona Kueth Machar                   Chairman

2-    Madow Johnson                         vice chairperson

3-    Gatmai Nelson                           Secretary General

4-    Gatdel Riek                                Treasury

5-    Gaywech Kutei                          Secretary for information and publicity

6-    Simon Gatkhor Gattuor             Member

7-    Gatkuoth Tekjiek                       Member

8-    Chuol Gatluak                            Member

9-    Kueth Garjiok                             Naath Youth Chairman and member

10- George Lony Kai                         member

11- Matthew Bachuy                          member

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