Africa-Press – South-Sudan. The leader of the main armed opposition party—the Sudan People Liberation Movement/Army in Opposition (SPLM/A-IO)—has urged the ceasefire monitoring mechanism to investigate the clashes in the two states of the Upper Nile region.
The call by the First Vice President, Dr Riek Machar, came following armed violence between his forces and those of the South Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF) in some parts of the region.
In Unity State, attacks have left several unarmed civilians dead, and displaced many others. Fighting has also been reported in the Mirmir cantonment site with fresh clashes in the Biyien, and Jekow areas.
Both parties are still trading accusations, with neither side claiming responsibility for the attacks. However, unconfirmed reports on Tuesday alleged that the situations in Biyien and Jekow were deteriorating as armed confrontations continued.
The Director for Information and Public Relations, who also serves as Dr Machar’s Press Secretary, Puok Both Baluang, said the party wants the leadership of the Ceasefire Transitional Security Arrangement, Monitoring and Verification Mechanism (CTSAMVM) to investigate those clashes and reveal the perpetrators.
“We are appealing to the CTSAMVM and R-JMEC to double their efforts to investigate the incidents and ensure perpetrators are known. This time around, we should not entertain the violation and allow the perpetrators to walk away with a violation of human rights, “said Baluang.
Previous efforts
On Friday last week, leaders agreed to send a joint team to investigate the incidents. Baluang told The City Review on Tuesday that Dr Machar had submitted two names as per President Salva Kiir’s request to represent SPLM/A-IO in the team.
“We do not know when the committee will travel. The president had requested two names and the First Vice President had submitted the two names, “Baluang said.
The state Deputy Governor, Tor Tungwar Kueiguong, called on President Kiir and Dr Machar to intervene and stop the fight.
He said the fighting in Leer County had been going on since February 14 with recurring looting, killings, and torching of houses. He said this had forced civilians in the villages to flee to swampy areas for safety, and they were in dire need of humanitarian aid.
President Kiir and the First Vice President, Dr. Machar, reached an agreement on the unification of command of the unified forces on April 3. The deal was yet to be implemented.
Activists and the international community have called on parties to implement the deal to end all forms of hostility and violation in the country. Last week, the European Union said in a statement, said: “The EU urges the parties to genuinely and swiftly implement the agreed steps, to contribute to a de-escalation of the tensions in the country.”
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