South Sudan: Govt Rejects Proposal for Separate Armies During Pre-Interim
Period
November 26, 2014 (JUBA) - The South Sudanese government has rejected a
proposal by the armed opposition allied to the former vice-president Riek
Machar which sought to allow the existence of two armed forces during the
pre-interim period should there be a consensus for the proposed government
of national unity.
The opposition group says allowing two armies would enable them assemble and
organise their forces in designated areas ahead of the reintegration
process.
However, government officials have interpreted the demand as an attempt by
the opposition to prepare for a referendum in the event the agreement is not
fully implemented.
Defence minister Kuol Manyang Juuk told reporters on Tuesday that the
leadership meeting had agreed for one national army, saying it rejected the
proposal to allow another group to operate under a different command.
"The leadership has agreed that there will be one army under one command. It
was also resolved that those who defected will be reintegrated at the same
rank [held] when they left," he said following the meeting on security
arrangements.
"The other issue which was also discussed and agreed was that the
integration process should only be limited to those who defected. Those who
joined the rebels and were not in the SPLA (South Sudanese army)
[previously] shall not be accepted," he added.
Cabinet affairs minister Martin Elia Lomuro also confirmed to reporters on
Monday that the consultative meeting, which brought together senior
government and party members from across the country's 10 states, had
unanimously agreed to reject the existence of two armies.
"The unanimous decision of the conference is that we are one country and we
have 64 communities or tribes. Therefore there is no way one community can
demand to have 50 per cent or 70 per cent of the army," said Lomuro.
Government and rebel forces have been locked in an armed struggle since
mid-December last year after a political split in the ruling Sudan People's
Liberation Movement (SPLM) turned violent.
Peace talks in Ethiopia between the rival parties, which are being mediated
by the Intergovernmental Violence Authority on Development (IGAD) have been
marred by ongoing delays and political differences.
Previous ceasefire deals agreed by both sides have failed to hold amid fresh
outbreaks of violence between the warring factions on the ground.