South Sudan President Directs Free Movement of SPLM-IO Advance Team Members

December 22, 2015 (JUBA) - South Sudanese president, Salva Kiir, has directed all security organs and military personnel to facilitate and permit free movement of the members of advance team of the armed opposition faction of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM-IO) who have returned to Juba in preparation for implementation of the peace agreement signed in August by warring partied to end the over 21 months of civil war in the country.

A presidential guards commander, Major General Marial Chanduong Yol, said on Tuesday that the government and the president welcomed the coming of the advance team of the members of the armed opposition and are free to move.

“The president and the government welcome and assure them the commitment to work with them and other partners in peace process for full implementation of the peace [agreement]. They are free to move and meet with their families, relatives and friends as well as their former colleagues in government and in the army,” said Yol when asked to comment on reports some security forces and military personnel have allegedly been restricting movement of some of the opposition officials.

Yol whose forces of Tiger Division presidential guards fought between themselves on 15 December 2013, sparking the war, was seen at the airport on Monday taking part in the reception of the advance team from the opposition faction led by former vice-president, Riek Machar.

The army and rebels have repeatedly traded blame, accusing each other of breaking an internationally-brokered August 29 ceasefire deal, the eighth such agreement to have been signed since civil war broke out in December 2013. Despite the fighting, both sides say the political deal remains in place.

Facing the threat of international sanctions, president Kiir signed the deal but annexed a list of reservations that he said would have to be addressed for the deal to take hold in the world’s newest nation.

But Yol, who is one of the military commanders on the government side believed to have played a role in the conflict and has been banned from travelling to European countries said the deal would be implemented.

“We hope that the coming of the advance team from the other [party] will eventually contribute to efforts aimed at bringing the last peace so that order returns to the country and people begin to resume their normal lives as before,” he said.

Presiden Kiir, who is the commander in chief of the pro-government soldiers, he said, had directed all the security forces to exert more efforts to provide maximum security and protection to members of the advance team.

“We have standing orders from the top leadership under President Salva Kiir to provide maximum protection and adequate security to members of the advance team who have come. They are free to move and meet their relatives, friends and colleagues,” he said.

PRESIDENT KIIR MEETS SPLM-IO DELEGATION

In a related news development, a delegation of the SPLM-IO which returned to Juba on Monday met president Kiir on Tuesday, opposition leader’s spokesman said.

“A delegation of SPLM/SPLA (IO) led by Chief Negotiator, General Taban Deng Gai, met with President Salva Kiir today,” opposition leader’s spokesman, James Gatdet Dak, told Sudan Tribune on Tuesday.

Dak commended the government for a warm reception of the advance team, saying the meeting with the president focused on the way forward in the implementation of the peace deal.

He said the opposition faction is committed to the full implementation of the peace agreement so as to restore peace and stability to the country.

(ST)