Africa-Press – South-Sudan. A civil society activist expressed concern that with only a few months until the end of the transitional period, potential spoilers of the peace deal are emerging.
The Executive Director of Community Empowerment for Progress Organisation (CEPO), Edmund Yakani, said the chances that rival parties could derail even the already partial gain on peace implementation are very high.
He said this has been demonstrated by the waves of defections and subsequent clashes within the SPLM/A-IO factions.
“The frictions among the SPLA-IO rivalling factions is posing a real threat to securing peace and stability through the implementation of R-ARCSS,” Yakani said. He added: “The trend of defections among the SPLA-IO is dangerous and risky for the political process of transitioning from violence to peace through R-ARCSS implementation.”
Mr Yakani called on the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), the peace granter, to address violence between Dr Riek Machar’s forces and those of Gen. Simon Gatwech before it deteriorates since the latter has joined President Salva Kiir’s forces.
“IGAD Special Envoy to South Sudan should attempt to do something to resolve the tension among the SPLA-IO factions. This trend of actions among the factions of the SPLA-IO undermines the transitional security arrangements and is risk and threat, ” he said.
Dr Machar’s movement has suffered a series of defections in recent days, with the Ayod County Declaration being the latest blow, where thousands of forces joined the SSPDF camp.
The group accused their former leader of nepotism and deceptive politics, as well as of using his supporters as ladders, only to drop them after ascending to the top of the political seat.
It came just weeks after the advance team of the SPLM-IO Kit-Gwang arrived in Juba to kick off the implementation of the widely criticised agreement they reached with the ruling.
The relations between Dr Machar’s forces and his defectors have become sour with reports of clashes now seen by many as an SSPDF – Dr SPLA-IO fight which could amount to the violation of the 2017 cessation of hostility deal.
Alleged clash
Last week, at least 10 soldiers were reportedly killed in another fresh clash between Dr Machar’s SPLM-IO in Nasir in Upper Nile State.
Dr Machar recently directed his forces to cease armed confrontation with the SPLM-IO faction allied to Dual, arguing they were now part of the SSPDF.
“We urge the SPLM-IG to direct their forces not to attack our forces because if they do, we shall consider them as SSPDF forces which have attacked our forces,” he said in a statement.
In a statement on Monday, Mr Yakani said besides being a violation of the peace agreement, the condoning of defections undermines the implementation of Chapter Two of the security arrangement.
“Whoever is facilitating these actions is doing more harm on the process for securing successful transitioning from violence to peace. The act of defections should be discouraged by the parties since it is undermining the transitional security arrangements,” he stressed.
Mr Yakani urged the parties to the R-ARCSS to renew their pledge for genuine implementation of the agreement for better political transitioning from violence to peace in South Sudan.
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