Top Kiir ally claims Machar ‘has declared war against Dinka’

JUBA, MARCH 20, 2023 (SUDANS POST) – A senior member of the ruling SPLM party led by President Salva Kiir Mayardit has claimed that first vice president and head of the ruling Sudan People’s Liberation Movement in Opposition Riek Machar has declared war against the Dinka.

Peter Lam Both, SPLM Secretary-General, told a group of President Salva Kiir’s supporters in Kuajok on Sunday that the Nuer people have also continued to rally behind leaders who have intentions to fight the Dinka people.

“Riek Machar declared war against Dinka. Any Nuer who declares war against Dinka, all the Nuer will follow him. I myself Peter Lam, if I declare war against Dinka, the Nuer will come out of UNMISS and follow me,” he said.

INCITEMENT FOT ETHNIC WAR

In reaction, South Sudan’s prominent activist Edmund Yakani said the statement amounts to incitement for an ethnic violence and can lead to the collapse of the revitalized peace agreement and may return the country to war.

“This statement made by brother Peter Lam is bad and it is a violation of the CoH, 2017. Further recently President Salva Kiir in his speech for the closure of the year 2022 and opening doors for year 2023 declared year 2023 to be year of forgiveness, reconciliation and development but this statement is totally contradictory to the declaration of the president as chairperson of the ruling party,” Yakani said in an email to Sudans Post.

“As signatory to the R-ARCSS with due respect and honor to brother Peter Lam it is good to apology to the nation as a leader. Mistake can happen but responsible person does take responsibility of apologizing to the nation with the spirit of president declaration for year 2023 to be year of forgiveness, reconciliation and reconciliation,” he added.

“It is time for our leaders to learn how to avoid making statements that may trigger return to violence or occurrence of ethnic war that may constitute genocide like of Rwanda in 1994. Political discipline is highly required to be exercise by our leaders and political elites at their various capacities anywhere.

The peace agreement can easily fail, and the current slow implementation all are associated with political indiscipline. Let us stop political indiscipline if we want to successful transition from violation to peace,” Yakani stressed.