Africa-Press – South-Sudan. Members of the South People’s Liberation Movement in Opposition (SPLM-IO) boycotted a technical meeting of the Ceasefire Transitional Security Arrangement Monitoring and Verification Mechanism on Monday.
The members of the opposition outfit left the conference hall in a huff protesting what they termed as counter-attacks on their bases in the upper Nile region, with one of their bases being overrun by the government’s South Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM), the minister of mining alleged.
Maj. Gen. Martin Abucha, the Mining Minister, who led the charge for his colleagues to leave the meeting, alleged to the monitoring security mechanism that forces loyal to the SSPDF had launched a series of attacks on their bases, which he described as a violation of the ceasefire agreement.
“As we speak now, the forces of TGoNU are in Gecou. Unfortunately, that is not what is according to the ceasefire. For this reason, we will not be able to proceed with this meeting, “he told the Ceasefire Monitoring body.
In response to the complaints expressed by the SPLM-IO, Lt. Gen. Asrat Denero Amad, chairperson of CTSAM-VM, postponed the meeting until the situation is resolved saying he would also discuss it with the chairperson of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD).
Meanwhile, SPLM-IO military spokesman Lam Paul Gabriel confirmed to The City Review that their base in Gecou was seized by SSPDF soldiers in Sunday’s fight and that they are yet to ascertain whether there were any casualties that occurred. He revealed that the SPLM-IO forces are dispersed.
“What led to the committee or the CTSAM team of SPLM-IO boycotting their meeting was the attack that happened yesterday in Jacou, Lolnyang, Wankoribe, and Kurikek. So these four places were attacked by the forces loyal to SSPDF that came from Pagak plus the forces of Gen. Chankouth and Maj. Gen. Kor Chwang who defected with the SSSPDF recently”.
“They managed to overrun Gecou, and currently they are in Gecou, but they were repulsed in Wankuribei, Lolnyang, and Kurikek. So these situations happened in the Upper Nile region and SPLM-IO control areas.
While contacted for comment on the claims of the SPLM-IO, the spokesperson of SSPDF Maj. Gen. Lul Ruai Koang, told the City Review that military spokespersons of the parties to the agreement are not permitted to comment on issue unless directed by the Joint Defence Board (JDB) to avoid accusations.
However, in June 2018, the parties to the revitalised peace accord signed a permanent ceasefire agreement in the Khartoum Declaration, which went into effect in July 2018 and halted hostilities across the country.
The parties reiterated all their commitments under the Cessation of Hostilities (CoHA) signed on December 21, 2017, by observing the permanent ceasefire and transitional security mechanism under Chapter of the revitalized peace deal.
Article (2.1) (5) also gives the parties 72 hours after signing the agreement to complete all ceasefire arrangements, such as disengagement and separation of forces in close proximity, withdrawal of allied troops, and the opening of humanitarian corridors.
It further states that no vengeance, retribution, or revenge will be carried out and that no violation of the permanent ceasefire would be tolerated under any circumstances.
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