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February 12, 2020 (JUBA) - The SPLM-IO refuses to participate in the new transitional government before resolving the contentious issue of the number of states, said the main peace partner on Wednesday.
- South Sudan rebel leader Riek Machar (L) speaks to reporters after meeting President Salva Kiir in Juba, September 11, 2019 (JUBA)
The South Sudanese government led by President Salva Kiir rejected a compromise proposed by the IGAD Council of Minister to establish 23 states in South Sudan saying the 32 states are a popular demand.
Manawa Peter Gatkuoth SPLM-IO Deputy Chairperson of the National Committee for Information and Public Relations considered Kiir’s rejection of the IGAD proposal as a confirmation of his unwillingness to implement the revitalized peace agreement and an attempt to maintain the current situation.
"We do not expect that there will be stability in South Sudan or even a return of refugees from neighbouring countries because people have lost confidence in this regime and want change and democracy in the country as well as fair elections after the end of the transitional period," he told Sudan Tribune.
South Sudanese Information Minister Michael Makuei and government spokesman they will form the government in all the cases on 22 February and proposed that the states’ issue be discussed during the constitution-making process or to consult people directly via a referendum.
Manawa for his part stressed that it was crucial to settle this contention before to move forward.
"President Salva Kiir’s insistence on the (32) states to satisfy and create jobs for his aides would bring the country back to war," he warned.
"The position of the SPLM-IO leadership is not to participate in the revitalized transitional government before implementing what was agreed (...), especially the deployment of an estimated number of unified forces that will ensure the security tasks beside an agreement on the number of states and their boundaries as provided in the revitalized peace pact and the Entebbe Agreement," he emphasized.
The Troika countries called on the South Sudanese make the needful efforts and to compromise on the critical issue of the number of states.
"A credible unity government needs to be inclusive as specified in the R-ARCSS and cannot be formed based on unilateral action," further stressed the joint statement by the government of the United States, the United Kingdom and Norway on Tuesday.
Constitutional amendments
The SPLM-Io official further pointed to the inclusion of the revitalized peace agreement in the current constitution.
The Transitional National Legislative Assembly should ratify the amendments to the TCRSS 2011 as amended and other Legislation relevant to this agreement, he said
"The SPLM-IO wondering how the regime wants to form the RTGUN without incorporating the agreement into the Transitional Constitution of the Republic of South Sudan.?" He further said.
The SPLM-IO official regretted that the government of President Kiir seeks to mobilize public support for the 32 states
He said they expect in that President Kiir, his aides and ministers work nowadays to move the country towards reconciliation and healing. However, the peace spoilers within the regime are just busy dividing the country, he said.
"All demonstration we’re seeing here in Juba and some states are the only one organised and allowed by the SPLM IG because they are supporting the government Position".
"SPLM IO knows that’s there’s no political space for public and parties to express their views because the last anti-government protest was in Wau 2012 and people were killed," he added.
(ST)
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