South Sudanese rivals to command separate armies during transitional period
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November 8, 2014 (ADDIS ABABA) - Rival factional leaders in South Sudan have
agreed to command separate forces in the would-be government of national
unity during a transitional period in a bit to end the 11-month old civil
war in the young country.
The two parties made the progress on Friday in a face-to-face talks between
president Salva Kiir and his former deputy, turned opposition leader, Riek
Machar, at the Addis Ababa summit of the heads of state and government of
the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD).
Opposition leader's spokesman, James Gatdet Dak, has confirmed to Sudan
Tribune on Saturday that the president and the prime minister will command
separate forces of the government and rebels, respectively.
"Yes, it is agreed that the president shall be the commander-in-chief of the
armed forces currently in government and the prime minister shall be the
commander-in-chief of the resistance army, SPLM/SPLA," Dak explained.
He said the separate commands per the draft agreement sanctioned by IGAD
will continue or come into effect from the pre-transitional period into the
transitional period until the integration process of the two armies is
completed.
Dak however added that mechanisms for integrating the two forces as well as
their territories of control, provision of services and functions are yet to
be worked out in the security arrangements.
Even though the two principals failed to strike a deal and provide a
breakthrough, IGAD officials praised them for agreeing on most of the draft
agreement on power-sharing arrangements.
Proponents of the deal said the separate armies would address concerns
particularly among the supporters of the rebel group and serve as a
confidence building measure during the transitional period.
Observers however fear that the arrangement would be a recipe for another
disaster with more devastating consequences should there be a serious
disagreement between the two principals in the course of implementation of
the would-be peace agreement.
OTHER AREAS OF AGREEMENT
In the draft document seen by Sudan Tribune, the two principals also agreed
that the president shall chair the council of ministers, but may delegate it
to the prime minister.
The president shall also appoint ministers and presidential advisors "in
consultation with and consent of the prime minister in accordance with the
peace agreement."
He shall also chair both the national defence council and the national
security council, but to be deputised by the prime minister.
The president shall also direct and supervise foreign policies and ratify
international agreements with the approval of the national legislative
assembly.
On the other hand, the prime minister shall direct the work of government
and oversee preparation and consideration of government business and
programs.
The prime minister shall also be in charge of coordination of the
implementation of the peace agreement and institutional reforms.
He shall also appoint undersecretaries of the ministries as well as head of
public corporations and executive directors of commission, senior civil
servants under the undersecretaries, and will ensure implementation of
resolutions of the cabinet by relevant ministries, chair cabinet
sub-committees as well as present government's programs and budget to the
national parliament.
JOINT EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONS
The draft agreement also outlined what it said are joint functions between
the president and the prime minister, suggesting the two principles will
exercise a joint power to appoint constitutional post holders including
state governors, ambassadors and remove governor or dissolve a legislative
assembly in an event of a crisis and declare war, among others.
AREAS OF DISAGREEMENT
The main area of disagreement is the leadership structure during the
transitional period. While the government wanted positions of vice-president
and two deputies to the prime minister.
The opposition group wanted the leadership structure to be the president and
the prime minister.
In an event that the two principals seal the deal on the leadership
structure and the power-sharing, the parties would then continue to
negotiate on the system of governance, security arrangements, reforms as
well as issues of accountability and reconciliation.
Meanwhile regional leaders at the summit on Friday gave the two principles
15 days to consult with their constituencies and finalise an agreement on
the topic of the leadership structure and power-sharing.
In a resolution passed on Friday, IGAD leaders have threatened the two
warring factions with direct regional military intervention and targeted
sanctions that would include freezing of individual's assets, travel ban in
the region as well as arms embargo.