Africa-Press – South-Sudan. Two months ago, Khartoum Peace Agreement was signed between the government and Kit Gwang faction of SPLM/A-IO led by Simon Gatwech Dual to cease hostilities with SPLM/A-IO in Juba led by Dr Riek Machar Teny.The agreement was to pave way for the creation of a joint security committee that would comprise the Kit Gwang and affiliate Agwelek forces, ensuring the groups join the South Sudan People’s Defence Forces (SSPDF).But after two months, the process seems to have stalled, hence eliciting questions about what may have dragged the formation of the vital organ to actualise the peace agreement.
The Spokesperson of the South Sudan People’s Defence Forces (SSPDF), Maj. Gen. Lul Ruai Koang, yesterday told the City Review that no initiative had started so far in the implementation of the agreement.
“Integration was to be done within three months (but) no initiative has started,” he stated.However, he could not comment on the reasons dragging the formation of the Security Committee entrusted with the integration.
Kit Gwang is recently suffered massive defections to the South Sudan People’s Defence Forces (SSPDF), notably those of press secretaries William Gatjiath and James Kalany Mamuon.
Last month, before his resignation the then press secretary of the Kit Gwang faction, James Kalany Mamuon claimed that the peace agreement was taking shape, adding that the changes were military changes and could not be revealed till time was ripe.“There is a lot of progress with the regards of Khartoum Peace agreements, but we do not want to reveal them by now, since all the issues are military programmes, they will be revealed when the time is appropriate,” he added.
Khartoum Peace Agreement signed
On January 16, 2022, the government delegation led by the presidential security advisor, Tut Gatluak Manime, and the SPLA-IO Kit Gwang faction led by Simon Gatwech Dual signed an agreement dubbed “Khartoum Peace Agreement.”
The agreement entailed the integration of Kit Gwang and Agwelek forces into South Sudan People’s Defence Forces (SSPDF). The major step was the formation of a joint security committee which could work through the entire process of integration and relocation of Kit Gwang forces from Magenis in Upper Nile. President Salva Kiir Mayardit asked Kit Gwang faction to apologise to the people of South Sudan for wrongdoing after granting them amnesty.
The leader of the SPLM/A-IO in Juba, Dr Riek Machar Teny, ordered his forces to disengage from confrontations because Kit Gwang had signed what he called a “defection agreement”, and they were part of SSPDF with whom they were implementing the agreement.He warned that any confrontation against his forces by the Kit Gwang forces would be counted on SSPDF with whom they are implementing R-ARCSS.
Traded accusations
On February 10, 2022, Dr Machar’s movement (SPLM/A-IO) accused SSPDF of initiating attacks on their forces in Mirmir, after they had an engagement with Kit Gwang forces.
Speaking to The City Review, the SPLA-IO Spokesperson, Col Lam Paul Gabriel, claimed that the commissioner of Koch County commanded forces to attack their army base at Mirmir. Col Lam called it a violation of the Revitalised Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan (R-ARCSS) by SSPDF.
“Mirmir is a cantonment site under the command and control of the Joint Defence Board (JDB). Secondly, the Kit Gwang elements signed a defection agreement with the SSPDF in Khartoum last month. As a result, it is not only a violation from them but also a complete proxy war waged by our peace partner against the SPLA-IO in Mirmir cantonment,” Col. Lam stated.
He stressed that the full implementation of R-ARCSS would help in stopping war of proxy, and limit displacement of civilians.“Completion of the security arrangements is the only way forward. War of proxy cannot bring peace but more violence and displacement of innocent civilians,” he concluded.
SSPDF Innocent
The spokesperson of SSPDF, Maj Gen Lul Ruai Koang, noted that the Kit Gwang forces were yet to be integrated and could not be controlled by SSPDF. He added that SSPDF had its commanders and could not be commanded by commissioners.
“The commissioner of Koch County does not have forces under his command. We don’t have our own forces that are being commanded by the commissioner. We have our regular commander who commands our troops. So, in the first place, the accusation on that basis that our commissioner ordered forces to attack them is not true because we don’t have forces at Mirmir, our forces are in Leer,” Maj Gen Lul said.
He stated that those who were engaged with the SPLM/A-IO of Dr Machar were Kit Gwang forces backed by armed civilians in the area, adding that Machar’s forces were fond of attacking those who had defected from them.
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