JUBA — South Sudan’s main armed opposition group, Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-in Opposition (SPLM-IO), led by First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar Teny, urged Uganda to stop meddling in the internal affairs of Africa’s youngest nation.
Pal Mai Deng, the SPLM-IO spokesman and Minister of Irrigation, said the presence of Ugandan troops in South Sudan has not only created instability but also committed war atrocities in the country.
“Uganda is the cause of the political mess that leads not only to instability in South Sudan but also to war atrocities committed by its own troops and the SPLM (IG)-led forces,” Deng said in a statement extended to Sudan Post on Friday.
Deng accused Uganda of causing what he called a “political mess” in South Sudan.
“The failure of the effort of the region and the international community to secure the release of the SPLM/A-IO leaders, including H.E. Dr. Riek Machar, and save the R-ARCSS from collapse is brought about by misplacement,” he said.
“Therefore, putting pressure on President Kiir’s SPLM without exerting the same on the Ugandan government is like treating/addressing a wound somewhere in the body where the wound is not present.”
He accused Ugandan political and military leaders of committing war crimes and crimes against humanity in the ongoing political and security situation in the country.
“Stop Uganda from meddling in the political affairs of South Sudan and leave it up to the people of South Sudan to decide who their leaders are or shall be in the future,” he said.
He called on the international community to impose sanctions, including an arms embargo, on the government of Uganda for meddling in the internal affairs of South Sudan.
He also urged the international community to pressure the Ugandan government to withdraw its troops from South Sudan.
“As it has evidently appeared that the arrest of the First Vice President H.E. Dr. Riek Machar had much to say from the president of Uganda, Yoweri Museveni, Uganda must be pressured to release H.E. Dr. Riek Machar and other leaders of the SPLM-IO from the detention cells.”
