Accept ceasefire or face defeat, Ugandan leader tells Machar
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December 30, 2013 (JUBA) – Ugandan president Yoweri Museveni said on
Monday that regional leaders would join hands against forces allied to
South Sudan’s ex-vice president Riek Machar, if he fails to honour
last week’s ceasefire agreement.
JPEG - 28.5 kb
Ugandan leader Yoweri Museveni (L) and his South Sudan counterpart
Salva Kiir (AFP/Getty)
Museveni, who held a closed-door meeting with his South Sudan
counterpart Salva Kiir in the capital, Juba, said the region would
“defeat Machar” to avert further escalation of violence in the new
nation.
“We gave him [Machar] four days and [agreed that] if he doesn’t
[comply with the agreement], then we shall have to go for him. That is
what we agreed on”, the Ugandan leader told reporters in Juba.
He did not, however, elaborate on how the region intends to quell down
the rebellion, which has quickly spread to the country’s key towns.
Museveni, a close ally of Kiir, also admitted that he sent Ugandan
troops to “help restore hope” in South Sudan, confirming his
military’s involvement in the conflict.
On Friday, Machar told Sudan Tribune that a Ugandan MiG-29 bombed
rebel-held positions around Bor, before they were retaken by forces
loyal to Kiir. He condemned the attack, saying Uganda was interfering
into South Sudan’s internal matters.
The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) regional leaders
have suggested dialogue as the only way to resolve the country’s
conflict, which has now claimed more than 1,000 lives and left nearly
60,000 people homeless.
South Sudan’s presidential spokesperson said government had accepted
in principle to cease hostilities and implement all that was
recommended by the regional leaders.
“President Museveni’s visit is to come and hear for himself following
the visit of the other African leaders and the subsequent meeting of
the IGAD member countries in Nairobi", Ateny Wek Ateny told Sudan
Tribune on Monday.
"As the government, the president affirmed to him [Museveni] the
readiness to fully implement what the IGAD member countries had
recommended as the way to resolve the conflict," he added.
Ateny accused Machar and his forces of attacking South Sudan army
(SPLA) positions, contrary to provisions of the ceasefire deal reached
in Nairobi, last week.
The country’s cabinet affairs minister said government had indeed
complied with the suggestions and recommendations made by the
international community.
“The government accepted in principle to do four things. First, we
accepted to stop hostilities as [a] priority. We also accepted to
release political detainees; some of them have already been released.
Thirdly, we accepted and commit ourselves to peaceful dialogue without
preconditions. The fourth one is to provide access to all areas for
humanitarian assistances and operations", said Martin Elia Lomuro.
"As government, we have done almost everything because we value the
lives of our people," he stressed.
Diplomats and the international community view dialogue as the only
way of resolving the worst-ever outbreak of conflict in the country
since its independence in July 2011.
It now remains unclear what trend the conflict was likely to take
should regional leaders opt for military actions against Machar-led
forces.
(ST).
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