SPLM/A-IO, other parties snub crisis meeting
At least five opposition parties, among them SPLM-IO, Other Political Parties, Former Detainees, and SSOA, on Thursday, boycotted the Reconstituted Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission (R-JMEC) meeting, leaving only the SPLM-IG as the only participant in the meeting hall.
The four other signatories to the agreement gave the meeting, the 22nd R-JMEC monthly meeting held in Juba yesterday, a wide berth as questions emerged on their whereabouts. Only the SPLM-IG representatives, Michael Makuei (the Minister of Information), Dr Elia Lomuro (Minister of Cabinet Affairs of National Agenda Political Parties Alliance) and representatives from the IGAD, AU, Troika and UNMISS were present.
Addressing members at the meeting, the Interim Chairperson of RJMEC, Maj. Gen. Charles Tai Gituai, revealed that it was unfortunate that five representatives from other signatories to the peace accord had boycotted the meeting.
“Due to the absence of five individuals from other political parties, there will be no resolutions,” he said.
The chair said the RJMEC had taken note of all the concerns raised by the SPLM/A-IO and their earlier decision to suspend their participation in the Revitalised Agreement for the Resolution of Conflict in South Sudan (R-ACRSS) Security Mechanisms and R-JMEC meetings.
Maj. Gen. Tai said it was encouraging that the SPLM/A-IO had reiterated its continuous commitment towards full implementation of the agreement and was willing to avail themselves to discussing matters with R-JMEC.
“I would, however, like to stress that the Joint Defence Board is a key mechanism composed of the Chiefs of Defence Forces of the three parties, responsible for their respective forces, and, as such, its role is imperative in addressing security-related issues,” he emphasised.
He added that addressing specific concerns that the SPLM/A-IO raised—about attacks on its bases in Upper Nile and the Unity States—requires that the security mechanisms be fully composed of representatives from all the parties, meaning full participation of the SPLM/A-IO.
Persuading parties
“I urge the leadership of the SPLM/A-IO to reverse the suspension of its participation in the security mechanisms to allow redress of the matters raised,” the RJMEC Chair said.
He further stated that they have invited the concerned parties to a meeting to be held on Friday, March 25, 2022, to discuss their concerns.
“I would like to emphasise that the full engagement of all the parties and inclusive dialogue within the framework of the agreement is the only way of resolving disagreements,” Maj. Gen. Tai said.
On Tuesday, the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement and Army in Opposition, (SPLM/A-IO) tendered their letters of suspension to the Chairperson of the Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission, (RJMEC), suspending their participation in the meetings of the ceasefire monitoring body, CTSAMVM, including the RJMEC.
The main opposition party released a report alleging violations carried out by the incumbent government forces against their positions.
It further cited alleged facilitation and encouragement of defections used by the SPLM-IG as a proxy war that resulted in violent clashes and displacements of the civilian population in the affected areas mentioned above.
The SPLM/A-IO accused the SPLM-IG of using defected soldiers against the SPLM/A-IO positions, alleging that it amounts to a continuation of war with destructive results to the civil population in the areas affected by the destructive policy.
The main opposition party also cited irregular attendance of security mechanisms meetings by members of the SPLM-IG to the security mechanisms as one of the concerns provoking their decision to suspend their members’ participation at CTSAMVM meetings.
“In most of the security mechanisms meetings, the members of the security mechanisms from the SPLM-IG (SDSR, JDB, JTSC, JMCC, etc) attend those meetings irregularly and sometimes send officers who are not members of the security mechanisms to represent them in these meetings. Only members of the opposition (SPLM/A-IO and SSOA) usually participate in these crucial meetings” partly read the letter addressed to RJMEC.
“We, therefore, see no point in participating in none productive meetings where issues are raised but not resolved as such we are stopping our participation in the RJMEC meeting from today, March 22nd 2022, until the above issues are addressed” the official statement stressed.
It added that “we see no logical reason to participate in meetings when our areas are under attack by our peace partners without action from those mandated to hold them accountable for such violations.”
But yesterday, SSPDF Spokesperson Maj Gen Lul Ruai turned the tables on the SPLM/A-IO, accusing its military wing of aggression and ‘declaring war’’
‘‘Today, March 24th, 2022, at dawn, SSPDF Forces, under the command of Major General James Khor Chuol Giet, in Malual-Gathoth, Maiwut County, Upper Nile State came under deliberate attacks,’’ he noted in a statement. He added: ‘‘The attacking forces are under overal command of Lt. Gen. Duit Yiech. By the time this brief statement was posted, active combat was ongoing against government forces.’’
Despite raising their concerns, the SPLM/A-IO stated that they will avail themselves of discussion on the aforementioned issue at the request of the R-JMEC leadership.
