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Home | News Monday 17 March 2014
Lead rebel negotiator questions IGAD's intention to deploy troops in S.
Sudan
March 16, 2014 (ADDIS ABABA) - South Sudanese rebels chief negotiator,
Taban Deng Gai, has questioned the decision and intention of the
Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) members states to deploy
additional troops to the war-torn region.
He said the decision was "ill-advised" and unnecessary since the United
Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) has a force of over 12,000 fully
mandated to protect the civilians in times of crisis such as the current
violence between the government of president Salva Kiir and the rebels led
by the former vice president, Riek Machar.
The IGAD member states resolved to deploy to South Sudan unknown numbers of
forces from Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda and Burundi to protect the oilfields
and other vital installations which President Salva Kiir's government may
fail to protect.
The leader of the SPLM/A-in-Opposition, Riek Machar, also condemned the
proposed deployment of the troops.
"This is an unfortunate decision by IGAD to interfere in the internal
conflict. We reject it and condemn it in the strongest terms. It is an
attempt to regionalise the internal conflict," he told *Sudan Tribune* on
Friday by phone from one of his bases in Upper Nile state.
The former vice president, turned rebel leader, said the decision casts
doubt on the neutrality of the IGAD member states in the conflict.
"If IGAD member states who mediate the peace talks want to interfere
militarily in the conflict, we may rethink our participation in the talks,"
he warned.
Uganda, another IGAD member, deployed thousands of troops initially to
protect what it called "vital installations", but ended up joining
government's forces fighting the rebels.
The rebels' chief negotiator further echoed his leader's rejection of the
troops deployments.
"This force would be operating parallel to the United Nations Mission in
South Sudan (UNMISS) peace keeping operation...The UN is an overarching and
an inclusive body. Why should another force be created and deployed, if it
has the same intentions as the UNMISS peace keeping force?" Deng said in a
statement seen by *Sudan Tribune*.
He criticised IGAD for coming up with a decision which was neither part of
the cessation of hostilities agreement nor consented by the opposition
group.
Deng as a result questioned the neutrality and capacity of IGAD in handling
the peace process.
"The SPLM Delegation in the peace negotiations that have been taking place
since early January 2014 expresses deep concerns with the handling of peace
and security matters by the regional block - the Inter-Governmental
Authority on Development (IGAD)", he said.
He further said that instead of coming up with new controversial decisions,
IGAD should have made sure that the agreements signed by the two parties
were implemented, including the withdrawal of the Uganda People's Defence
Forces (UPDF), which he said failed to take place.
The rebels chief negotiator also criticised IGAD for its silence while
President Kiir's government is further violating the agreement on release
of political detainees, saying instead of releasing the other four
detainees, Kiir drags them to court while calling for return of the other 7
released political leaders to go back to Juba for trial.
Deng did not, however, indicate whether his delegation would boycott the
expected resumption of the peace talks on 20 March, but said his rebel
group will not continue to endure the violations and contradictions.
"IGAD should either be sincere in its mediation efforts or tell us in no
uncertain terms that it is with the Government of General Salva Kiir
Mayardit", he said.
(ST)
Received on Mon Mar 17 2014 - 07:24:41 EDT