South Sudan: President Kiir Sets Conditions for Ugandan Military Withdrawal
10 July 2014
Juba - South Sudanese president Salva Kiir has set the conditions for the
withdrawal of Ugandan troops from the country, saying the latter will only
leave if a permanent peace agreement is attained.
President Kiir made the remarks on Wednesday at an occasion marking the
third anniversary of the country's independence from neighbouring Sudan,
from which it seceded on 9 July 2011.
Kiir said the Ugandan troops had been deployed via a "sovereign agreement"
and would remain in the country until their mission was achieved.
The comments have raised concerns about the commitment of the Kiir-led
administration to respect a peace deal he signed last June with former
vice-president-turned rebel leader Riek Machar.
"We are committed to bringing peace as the government. We are committed to
negotiating a peaceful settlement to end this conflict. We are not sparing
any resources and time," Kiir told a small crowd, mostly comprising of
members of his cabinet and business associates.
POOR TURNOUT
The Independence Day function was poorly attended, unlike celebrations in
previous years, which saw several heads of state and government
representatives in attendance.
This year, Ugandan president Yoweri Kaguta Museveni was the only the foreign
head of state to attend, with the leaders of Sudan, Kenya, Ethiopia,
Eritrea, the Central Africa Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, Somalia
and Djibouti all absent.
The reason for the poor international showing remains unclear, with
officials from the organising committee and the office of the president
saying invitations were sent out in time.
"We have sent out all the invitations to all the expected guests in advance
and we did not receive any notification indicating other commitments of the
people who were invited," Abdon Agau, the government's secretary-general,
told reporters at the conclusion of the function, adding that the event had
nonetheless gone well.
"Our people came and they heard the messages of peace and unity from the
president of Uganda and our own president," said Agau.
Kiir himself also questioned why the leaders of the Intergovernmental
Authority on Development (IGAD), which is mediating the peace process
between the two rival parties, and former political detainees did not attend
Independence Day celebrations.
"I don't know why Pagan Amum and Deng Alor did not come. They said when they
met in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, last month, that they would come to attend
[the] independence celebration," he said.
He said he would have asked the leaders of the intergovernmental authority
on development (IGAD) how long government troops would continue to remain in
their trenches when they have continued to face offensive from the rebel
groups he accused to have violated the peace deal.
"I would have the IGAD leaders if they had come how long our forces would
continue to remain in trenches in the light of these violations by the
forces loyal to Riek and his group," he asked.
PUBLIC REACTS
Members of the general during interviews with Sudan Tribune on Wednesday
expressed dissatisfactions with the performance of the government and the
governing leadership
"The attendance itself explains the dissatisfactions with our people. I did
not bother to go myself because I was not expecting any new statement from
the same leaders today. They were going to repeat the same things we have
heard time and again, claims of liberation struggle and claims we have done
this and that even though they lack trace, Deng Mathuc, a native of Warrap,
told Sudan Tribune on Wednesday.
Mathuc said citizens thought independence would come with a lot of changes
in form of development activities, more employment opportunities, building
roads and schools.
"The expectations our people had in minds have dashed. They thought that a
lot of changes would come. The young people like me were expected more
things in form of employment opportunities and the people in rural areas
were expecting more development activities like the construction of roads,
building more schools, funding agricultural projects," he said.
"They thought that if we get this country, then everyone will enjoy life.
But as you know, these hopes have been dashed and the life has been made
difficult. So people feel unhappy and this is why many are not celebrating.
You can see how many people are here and the celebration is continuing," he
added.
FRACTURED LEADERSHIP
The auxiliary Roman Catholic Bishop of Juba diocese, Santo Laku, said he was
not whether they leaders were serious with their messages about peace,
pointing out that leaders appear more interested in preaching peace to buy
time than showing leadership to end the conflict.
"Well, it is always to give fitting comments and say what you have seen. I
say this country needs peace urgently and it must be brought so that this
suffering is brought to an end," said Laku.
The religious leader described the political leadership of the country as
"fractured", pointing out that the division within the governing leadership
of the Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM) had left their followers
and supporters alike wandering between who should be followed.
"Our political leader at this particular moment is fractured. People do not
know who to follow," he said.
"As we talk, the agenda of peace is not very clear. As we talk peace, there
are people mobilising for war, which sends out another different messages to
the people being affected by these activities and leave them confused of the
current peace talks," he added.
The influential Bishop, who was speaking to the faithful at the church, said
the country was too young to be disunited, saying it was time to come
together to call for peace," added the young influential Bishop while
speaking to the faithful at the church.
POLICY OF APPEASEMENT
Former Sudanese oil minister Lual Acuek Deng, now managing director of a
Juba based local think tank, says that a policy of "buying peace" with a
huge army and government explains why the economy of the oil producing
nation has fallen into "intensive care" and sent fighters tired of waiting
for services back to the bush.
Meanwhile, a release by the former political detainees extended to Sudan
Tribune said the country was celebrating the third anniversary under
circumstances warranting no jubilations.
"We mark this third anniversary of our independence not under circumstances
of jubilation nor with the sense of pride and achievement, but in pain and
sense of shame. Not only have the leadership failed our country and betrayed
the ultimate and selfless sacrifice of our martyrs, but also failed our
friends in the region and around the world", a statement bearing the name of
former justice minister John Luk Jok read in part.
Jok, whom many people believe contributed to the fomenting of the crisis,
due to his chairing of a constitutional review committee which drafted the
interim constitution that broadened president Kiir's powers, said the
occasion should be used for reflection on current events in the country,
rather than spreading hateful messages.
"This independence anniversary should be a day for all to reflect on the sad
and troubling events unfolding in our country; [it's] not a day for
revelry," he said.