MACHAR, GATWECH FORCES IN BLAME GAMES OVER ALLEGED NASIR CLASHES

MACHAR, GATWECH FORCES IN BLAME GAMES OVER ALLEGED NASIR CLASHES

Alleged attacks in Nasir have caused blame games between the SPLM/A-IO Kit Gwang, led by Simon Gatwech Dual and the SPLM/A-IO Juba led by Dr Riek Machar Teny.

The Press Secretary of Kit Gwang splinter group yesterday said that they had repulsed the attackers in Nasir, who he said were from the SPLM/A-IO forces of Dr Riek Machar Teny. He did not give details of the alleged attack.

Kalany said that they were committed to the Khartoum Peace Agreement and the Chairman of Kit Gwang splinter group, Simon Gatwech Dual, was already on the ground in Magenis to brief Kit Gwang and Agwelek forces about the Khartoum Peace Agreement.

“Since the signing of the Khartoum Peace Agreement, our forces yesterday clashed with SPLM/A-IO forces in Nasir, they were repulsed,” Kalany said.

“We are committed to the peace agreement and the chairman is now on the ground to brief forces about the contents of the agreement, and after that, he will return to Khartoum.”

Not us

However, Col. Lam Paul, the SPLM/A-IO Spokesperson in government forces, stated that the attack was a result of a confrontation at their base in Nasir and that they were not the ones who initiated the attack.

He stressed that their forces were already briefed by their chairman Dr. Riek Machar Teny and therefore could not violate the order from their commander-in-chief. He added that the SPLM/A-IO Kit Gwang faction was part of SSPDF and therefore, they expected a complaint from SSPDF not Kit Gwang faction any more.

“The SPLA-IO forces cannot violate an order from their Commander in Chief. The Kitgwang faction is already part of SSPDF and we are implementing peace with the SSPDF,” Col Lam Paul said.

“So, if there is any violation, we expect complaints from the SSPDF. Secondly, the clashes that happened in Nasir, were in IO territory, not SSPDF’s.”

Machar, after the signing of the Khartoum Peace Agreement, warned of violation, saying they would consider it as being done by SSPDF.

Clumsy agreement

The Executive Director of the Community Empowerment for Progress Organisation (CEPO), Edmund Yakani, said the agreement was a great development to end the conflict.

Yakani showed a concern that the implementation of the Khartoum Peace Agreement might interfere with the Revitalised Agreement on the Resolution of Conflict in South Sudan (R-ARCSS) since parties to R-ARCSS were not part of it.

He clearly stated that it was a violation of Chapter Two of R-ARCSS on security arrangement which forbids new recruitment, training and graduation of forces.

“The signing of the ceasefire agreement without the full participation of the R-TGoNU contradicts the cessation of hostilities agreement 2017 provision in article 2.1.8 on the prohibition of recruitment during the period of implementing the Revitalise Agreement on the Resolution of Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan,” Yakani noted.

Signed agreement

On January 16, 2022, the SPLM/A-IO Kit Gwang splinter group led by Simon Gatwech Dual signed an agreement with SPLM-IG to end the conflict in northern Upper Nile between the Kit Gwang faction and SPLM/A-IO led by Dr. Riek Machar.

It was agreed that Agwelek forces would be included in the South Sudan People’s Defence Forces (SSPDF), but that Agwelek forces would remain independent and respect the ceasefire. The government also agreed to grant amnesty after the agreement was signed, possibly within one week.

The parties to the Khartoum Peace Agreement also agreed that Agwelek forces would be granted political positions through negotiation and the community boundaries to be returned to that of January 1, 1956.

The agreement with Kit Gwang had six parts including issuing of amnesty, commitment to the Khartoum Declaration Agreement 2018 as well as supporting the resettlement of internally displaced persons (IDPs).

A joint security committee was to be formed to start the process of implementation of the agreement within three months. The Kit Gwang forces were to be relocated to Manyo, Southern Malakal and Eastern Jonglei.

The police would be deployed in Magenis to secure citizens as logistical support is supplied by South Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF).

Source: City Review SS ©

SPLA-IO Commander-in-Chief Riek Machar and arch rival Simon Gatwech (photo credit: courtesy)