Machar says rivals may need to decide on future of peace deal as implementation stalls

JUBA – South Sudan’s First Vice President and leader of the main armed opposition Sudan People’s Liberation Movement in Opposition (SPLM-IO), Dr. Riek Machar Teny, has said that there is need for the parties to fast-track the implementation process of the revitalized peace agreement or agree on future of the peace agreement in case of failure to fully implement the deal before end of transitional period.

This comes following a day after the arrival of the Chairman of Transitional Sovereign Council of Sudan Gen. Abdelfattah Al Burhan in Juba where he met President Salva Kiir Mayardit to discuss the status of the implementation of the revitalized peace agreement to which Sudan is a guarantor.

In a letter sent to Gen. Burhan by Machar following his arrival in Juba, the SPLM-IO leader said his group’s political bureau convened a meeting in Juba prior to his arrival to discuss the status of the implementation of the agreement as the end of the transitional period is approaching.

“The SPLM/SPLA (IO) Political Bureau met on 11^th-14^th March, 2022, in Juba, Republic of South Sudan to review the status of the implementation of the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan (R-ARCSS) 2018,” Machar said in the communiqué attached to the letter addressed to Al Burhan.

“The Political Bureau consulted reports from the Peace Implementation Mechanisms namely: RJMEC, NCAC, SDSR, IBC, CTSAMVM, JDB, JMCC, JTSC, SSM and DDR. The Political Bureau also received presentations from the members of SPLM/SPLA (IO) assigned in the RTGONU,” the statement said.

In the communiqué, Machar accused Kiir of “Rejection and refusal to appoint nominees of SPLM/SPLA (IO) to positions allocated to SPLM/SPLA (IO) in RTGONU and State levels” setting examples for “Governor of Upper Nile State, Presidential Advisor, Deputy Minister of Interior, Minister of Health, Commissioner of Kajo-keji County in Central Equatoria State.”

The powerful opposition leader also accused Kiir’s party of spearheading “Unconstitutional suspension by Governors of State Ministers and Commissioners in Central Equatoria, Unity, Lakes and Jonglei States without prior information to their respective parties.”

He also accused security forces loyal to President Kiir of carrying out “Arbitrary arrest of Commissioners of Yirol West County in Lakes State and Tonj East County in Warrap State by the Governors,” as well as “Intimidation of constitutional post holders from other parties particularly in the states.”

He said the SPLM-IG under Kiir has also refused the “participation of SPLM/SPLA (IO) and other parties in the governments of the three Administrative Areas.”

As a way forward, the SPLM-IO communiqué said there is need for the parties to engage themselves to fast-track the implementation of the revitalized peace agreement which he said would need a meeting of the parties to decide on its future if the signatories fail to implement it fully before end of the transitional period.

“In light of the Transitional Period ending 22^nd February 2023, when most of the chapters in the Agreement have not been implemented, the way forward is for the parties, stakeholders and guarantors to the Agreement to fast track full implementation of the Agreement and in lieu of fast tracking the parties, stakeholders and guarantors must deliberate and decide on the future of the status of the Agreement,” the communiqué said.