SPLM denies sponsoring defections in Machar’s party
President Salva Kiir’s Sudan People’s Liberation Movement in Government (SPLM-IG) has distanced itself from the rampant defections within Dr Riek Machar’s camp that have thrown the fate of the peace deal in doubt.
In a statement issued to the media on Monday, the Acting SPLM Secretary-General, Peter Lam Both said the defectors have nothing to do with his party but the frustration and desire for ‘lucrative political positions’ among the SPLM/A-IO ranks should be blamed.
“We have been saying that the war in South Sudan is a war for power-sharing. If some leaders do not see themselves in their party as getting lucrative political positions they defect and join another group in protest of the decision of their party leader,” Lam said.
“Dr. Machar, of all people, knows this more than anyone and had hoped that he would not blame disintegration of his of his party on other people or political parties,” Mr. Lam added.
Mr. Lam was responding to the recent communique of the SPLM-IO Political Bureau accusing its peace partner– SPLM-IG of influencing defection among its members, which they said violated the provision of the revitalised peace agreement.
The SPLM-IO also accused the SPLM-IG of violating several other provisions of the agreement including the cessation of hostility, attacking its cantonment sites, and training centres in some parts of the country.
These prompted the main armed opposition, to suspend its participation in the RJMEC and CTSAMVM last week, saying they could not continue taking in the mechanism’s meetings where reports of violation are supposed to be handled but failed.
In response, Mr. Lam said the SPLM-IG has never blamed Dr Machar’s party for sponsoring defections of its senior cadres to SPLM-IO, adding that the September 2018 peace agreement did not provide for the prevention of defection from one party to another during the interim period.
“The fact is that frustration is in every party. SPLM has also lost senior cadres to SPLM/A-IO which are known by names. However, we never blame SPLM/A-IO leaderships because such is an individual [decision] to join another party.”
“And there is nothing written in R-ARCSS that people should be prevented from joining any other party until the interim period is over. Why would the internal SPLM/A-IO fighting be blamed on the Government or SPLM?” Lam questioned.
South Sudan currently approaches the end of the interim period, which comes in February 2023 with more than 50 per cent of the peace provisions remaining outstanding amidst blaming games among the parties.
