South Sudanese president says peace is alternative to war
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August 31, 2016 (JUBA) - South Sudanese president, Salva Kiir, said
there was no need to go back to war over the recent controversial
replacement of his former first deputy, Riek Machar.
JPEG - 15.2 kb
President Salva Kiir addresses the nation from the State House on
September 15, 2015, in Juba (Photo AFP/Charles Atiki Lomodong)
He said the visit of the Kenyan President, Uhuru Kenyatta, to Juba on
Tuesday indicated that the region supported the move to replace Machar
with Taban Deng Gai, the opposition’s former chief negotiator.
“The coming of President Uhuru Kenyatta shows that the region stands
with us and as the government we will do everything within our
capacity to ensure that there is peace and stability. The
implementation of peace will be the first priority of transitional
government of national unity. Taban Deng Gai and his group have given
some assurances and already they have indicated readiness to working
together with me and the government. So far, there is a new spirit of
cooperation. This was what was lacking before,” said Kiir on Tuesday
during the visit of the Kenyan leader.
President Kiir, who spoke to journalists before Kenyan president took
to the podium, reminded that the country has struggled for decades to
be an independent state with a multitude of ethnic guerrilla groups
that have fought against the government for greater autonomy.
He challenged that there was no any reason for the country to return
to war over power struggle between him and his political rivals,
mainly Machar.
“Peace is the only alternative to war. There is no reason to fight
senseless war. If it is power the people who are after it should allow
the people to decide who they want. It is not up to some people to say
they want to be the leaders. Let the people decide themselves,” he
said.
Fighting erupted on 15 December 2013 over differences among political
leaders of the ruling party, the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement
(SPLM). An intra-party election was supposed to take place that year,
including contest for the seat of the chairman. This was interrupted
by the war as groups led by President Kiir and his first deputy in the
party, Machar, disagreed over reforms and future leadership
succession.
A peace agreement was signed two years later in August 2015 to end
that war. However, fighting reignited on 8 July 2016, at the
presidential palace, forcing Machar and his forces to withdraw from
the capital after fierce fighting with forces loyal to President Kiir.
There are conflicting reports as to the main reason for the Tuesday
visit of President Kenyatta of Kenya. On one hand it was reported that
he carried a strong message which urged President Kiir to implement
the peace deal, while other claims suggested that his visit was to
show approval in the new leadership changes in the country.
Opposition officials loyal to Machar said the replacement was illegal
and violated Article 6.5 of the peace deal. They also said Taban Deng
was picked by Kiir due to an understanding between the two to scrap
provisions in the peace agreement.
IGAD heads of state and government had earlier released a communiqué
in Addis Ababa, calling on Gai to step down and Machar to be
reinstated. United Nations Security Council also passed a resolution
describing Machar’s replacement as “inconsistent” with the peace
agreement.
However, leaders of the East African regional body, IGAD, which
brokered the peace deal, seem to have been divided as a result of the
recent comment by the United States Secretary of State, John Kerry,
who approved the replacement of Machar during his visit to Kenya last
week.
Ethiopia, which chairs IGAD reportedly “questioned” the comments of
Kerry over the matter.
(ST)
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1 September 00:52, by Malakal county Simon
But peace can be an alternative only if you resign and let’s South
Sudanese choose their own president because you have hurt them a lot
and no one trusting you any more!!!!
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