"He, however, said Eritrea has the right to voice concern like any other
African countries over the situation in South Sudan.
He dismissed allegations of receiving any military support from Eritrea"
http://www.sudantribune.com/spip.php?article50354
Thursday 20 March 2014
Eritrea denies supporting South Sudan rebels
By Tesfa-Alem Tekle
March 19, 2014 (ADDIS ABABA) - The Eritrean government has dismissed
reports alleging that the Red Sea nation has been providing military
support to South Sudan rebels led by former vice president, Riek Machar.
Recently, Eritrean citizens living in Bor, the capital of South Sudan's
Jonglei state, alleged that they have been receiving threats because
Eritrea is backing the insurgency, which began other three months ago.
Eritreans who fled to neighbouring countries in protest to political
oppression in the homeland are considered to be traitors by the government
in Asmara and could face lengthy prison terms if returned home.
In late February, American human rights activist, John Prendergast
addressed the United States Congress subcommittee on Africa about the
alleged military support and the concern raised by Eritreans in Jonglei.
In a statement issued few days ago, the Eritrean government said the
country has in the past been falsely accused of supporting Khartoum in the
April 2012 battle between Sudan and South Sudan over the contested oil-town
border town of Heglig.
Asmara also said that they have wrongly been accused of backing David Yau
Yau, who has been leading rebellions against the Juba government on and off
for almost four years.
"Today they are peddling a preposterous lie accusing the Government of
Eritrea for supporting Machar" the statement said, adding "No one is
surprised by this outrageous lie".
The Eritrean government further said its relation with the government and
people of South Sudan is an indelible historical fact. Asmara supported the
now government (SPLM) and national army (SPLA) of South Sudan during the
civil war that led to independence from Sudan in 2011.
"Eritrea's unequivocal stance in regard to the new realities was not
influenced by, and occurred irrespective of, the factors and protagonists
that impinged on the unfolding developments," the statement said
A negotiator with South Sudan's SPLM-in-opposition in Addis Ababa similarly
rejected the rebel group has ties with the Eritrean government.
"We have no relation with Eritrea. Neither have we ever talked to them nor
they ever talked to us," Puot Kang Chol, one of the representatives of the
16-member rebel delegation, told Sudan Tribune.
He, however, said Eritrea has the right to voice concern like any other
African countries over the situation in South Sudan.
He dismissed allegations of receiving any military support from Eritrea.
A new round of regionally mediated peace talks talks between South Sudan's
government and SPLM in Opposition is due to resume in the Ethiopian
capital, Addis Ababa, on Thursday.
So far IGAD - the Intergovernmental Authority on Development - has only
managed to get the two sides to a agree to a weak ceasefire deal that both
sides were unable to keep.
It is hoped that the next round of talks will address the root causes of
the conflict which was triggered by a power struggle within the SPLM back
in December.
Some observers have told Sudan Tribune that the resumption of the peace
talks are unlikely, arguing that rebels are unhappy with the regional
bloc's decision to deploy East African troops in South Sudan in addition to
the peacekeepers deployed as part of the United Nations mission, which is
in the process of increasing to over 14,000 personnel.
(ST)
Received on Thu Mar 20 2014 - 08:24:31 EDT