BREAKING: Opposition official says Pagan no longer a member of SSOMA

WASHINGTON – A senior opposition official of the South Sudan Opposition Movements Alliance (SSOMA) has said that the Real-SPLM led by former SPLM Secretary-General Pagan Amum Okiech is no longer a member of the holdout opposition consortium.

Speaking to Sudans Post this afternoon, Emmanuel Ajawin, the leader of National Democratic Movement Patriotic Front (NDM/PF) and senior member of the SSOMA said Pagan’s Real-SPLM is no longer a member of the Alliance because he has not adopted the group’s charter which he said was adopted by other members in late September.

“Well SSOMA leadership adopted its charter on 26 September and signed it on Saturday 3/10,” Ajawin said. “Real SPLM didn’t sign and hence anybody who didn’t sign is no longer a member of SSOMA.”

The comments by the holdout opposition official comes a week after Pagan said he objects to the surprise suspension of South Sudan United Front/Army (SSUF/A) led by General Paul Malong Awan from teh Alliance.

A statement by SSOMA in September said Malong’s group was suspended because he was involved in activities that undermine the spirit of comradeship and the upcoming peace talks between the Alliance and the government.

SSOMA is a consortium of several opposition groups which did not signed the revitalized peace agreement in September 2018.

These groups includes the Real-SPLM, South Sudan United Front/Army (SSUF/A) and groups making up the South Sudan National Democratic Alliance (SSNDA).

A talk between the group and the unity government was scheduled for next week in Rome, Italy, but as divisions looms, it remains unclear if talks would resume as planned