Dr Machar hands over nominees for unification
The Sudan People’s Liberation Movement/Army-in Opposition (SPLM/A-IO) yesterday submitted its list of nominees to President Salva Kiir to ratify the unification of the command structure.
The Director for Information and Public Relations and the Acting Press Secretary in the office of the First Vice President, Dr Riek Machar Teny, Puok Both Baluang, told The City Review yesterday that they would be waiting for the graduation of forces whose timeline is two months according to the matrix.
“Today, the SPLM/A (IO) submitted its list of nominees for the Unified Command Structure to President Salva Kiir as stipulated in the agreement signed by the parties on Sunday that ended a stalemate over the command structure of the unified forces,” Puok noted.
Meanwhile, the South Sudan Opposition Alliance (SSOA) Spokesperson, Samuel Shan, stated that they would soon submit their lists because they needed to finalise the distribution of nominees among the nine parties that comprise the SSOA.
He said their list might be ready on Monday, when the nine parties agreed on the nominees swiftly.
“SSOA has not yet allocated the positions to various constituent parties. Very soon, I think in the near future, or even on Monday, they will work on it and the list will be submitted,” Shan noted.
According to the statement shared by the office of the President, the two leaders agreed that the confrontation that is ongoing in some parts of the country must end for the people to enjoy peace and harmony.
The statement further noted that the president would meet again with the First Vice President Dr Riek Machar, and the Vice President for Service Cluster, Hussein Abdelbagi Akol, so that they could come up with the final list of the unified command structure of security organs across the country.
Unification timeline
He stated yesterday at a joint press conference of the SSPDF, SPLA-IO, and SSOA that the unification of command would be completed next week, as the government would issue decrees regarding the formation of the unification of command.
“In the wisdom of the leaders or the principals, they agreed that within the week, they would work on the issue of the unification of command, so by next week we hope that there will be a unified command,” Tabule said.
Positions shared
On Tuesday, the Ministry of Information, Communication Technology and Postal Services, shared the details of the sharing of the unified command in SSPDF, Police, internal security, external security, wildlife and prisons.
In the SSPDF, the SPLM-IG was given the position of Chief of Staff, Training, Administration and Finance, Ground Forces, Air Force, Military Intelligence, and Operations.
The SPLM-IO was given the positions of Deputy Chief of Staff, Inspector General of the Army, Moral Guidance, and Logistics, while SSOA was given the position of Assistant Chief of Staff of the Riverine Forces.
In Police, SPLM-IG was given the position of Inspector General, Operations Administration and Finance, Passports, Immigration and Civil Registry, Customs, Logistics, Criminal Investigation, and Public Relations.
The SPLM/A-IO was given the position of the Deputy Inspector General, Social Services, Training, Traffic, and Medical Services, while SSOA was given the border.
In Internal Security, SPLM-IG was given the position of Director General, States Security Authority, Specialized Files Authority, Operations Authority, Central Security, Administration and Finance, and Information Authority.
The SPLM-IO was given the position of the Deputy Director-General, Economic Security, Protection, and Petroleum and Minerals Security while SSOA goes with training.
In external security, the SPLM-IG was given the position of the Director-General, Information Authority, Technical Intelligence, Counter-intelligence, Administration and Finance.
The SPLM-IO was given the position of crisis management, foreign intelligence, and counter-terrorism, while the SSOA is the Deputy Director-General.
In the Wildlife Forces, SPLM-IG was given the position of Director-General, Training, Administration, and Finance, Protected Areas.
The SPLM-IO was given the position of Deputy Director-General, Assistant Director-General for Wildlife Law Enforcement, while SSOA has the position of Assistant Director-General for Environmental Conservation and Education.
In the prisons department, the SPLM-IG was given the position of Director General, Procurement and Supply, Administration and Finance, Operations, Training and Human Resources, Communications and Information, Investment.
The SPLM-IO was given the position of Deputy Director-General, Labour and Technology, Social and Medical Affairs, while SSOA takes the position of Assistant Director-General for Inmate Affairs.
“We chose peace“
On Monday, the Director for Information and Public Relations and the Acting Press Secretary in the office of the First Vice President, Puok Both Baluang, said they backtracked on the 50:50 sharing ratio because they chose peace instead of the country sliding into violence again.
“The ratios are a minimum of 60:40 to 55:45 in all structures. The country was at a crossroads of reverting to violence or continuing on a peace course. We choose peace, “he explained.
He promised that there was no further chance of confrontation between the SSPDF and SPLA-IO because the parties to the agreement were content with the agreement signed on Sunday for unification of command and the possible graduation of forces.
“No point in further confrontation since the parties have agreed to these percentages.” From our part, we are committed to it and the whole agreement. “
But 48 hours after the agreement was signed, there was a reported confrontation between SPLA-IO and the SSPDF, in Koch County, which was blamed on the Commissioner of Koch County. However, the SSPDF had been stressing that their forces were not commanded by a commissioner and that they lacked a presence in Koch County.
