Machar welcomes ceasefire, warns of Museveni’s role in South Sudan crisis
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December 30, 2013 (JUBA) – South Sudan’s former vice-president Riek
Machar has said his group welcomes regional leaders’ calls for
cessation of hostilities, but warned that the involvement of the
Uganda’s Yoweri Museveni in the conflict, could further fuel it.
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South Sudan’s former vice-president Riek Machar (Getty)
“We are ready to ceasefire immediately to stop the bloodletting once
the Government of Salva Kiir reciprocates”, partly reads the rebels
statement signed by Hussein Mar Nyuot.
“We call upon the AU [African Union] and the IGAD [Intergovernmental
Authority on Development] to restrain Ugandan Government from fuelling
the conflict by sending troops and war planes in support of the
Government of Salva Kiir,” it adds.
Machar’ response comes in the wake of Tuesday’s deadline for a
ceasefire between his forces and those loyal to government as agreed
upon by IGAD leaders at Friday’s summit held in Nairobi, Kenya.
The Ugandan leader, on Monday, said the rebels were only given four
days to comply with the agreement or face “defeat”.
“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”, Museveni told reporters in Juba.
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. He did not, however, elaborate
on how the region intends to defeat a rebellion, which has quickly
spread to the country’s key towns.
But Machar’s group, in a statement, warned that any aggression from
the Ugandan army could compromise IGAD’s attempt to broker a peace
deal between the conflicting parties.
“If not stopped, the UPDF’s aggression may compromise IGAD attempt to
remain instrumental and neutral in bringing an end the crisis in South
Sudan,” says the statement extended by Sudan Tribune.
Machar said he was committed to peaceful means of resolving the
conflict, which has taken an ethnic dimension since it started on 15
December in the capital, Juba.
He however expressed concerns about the safety and security of about
nine senior politicians detained by the country’s leadership in
connection with the violent incident, which has claimed more than
1,000 lives and left tens of thousands homeless.
“We are worried about the safety and security of our comrades detained
by Salva Kiir. We call on AU and IGAD Assembly of Heads of State and
Government to bring pressure to bear on the Government of Salva Kiir
to release unconditionally all the eleven politicians detained in
Juba”, further says the statement.
The former vice-president and his group maintained the incident had
nothing to do with a coup attempt, describing government allegations
as “not acceptable”.
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 however remains unclear what dimensions the conflict would now take
ahead of Tuesday’s ceasefire deadline given by regional leaders from
the IGAD countries.
(ST)
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