Evidence reveals Egyptian Army is closely monitoring South Sudan-Ethiopian Border
Egyptian Army officers posting for a picture(Photo credit: Middleeast observers/SSNN)
June 19, 2020(SSNN) — Latest reports from South Sudan’s northern Upper Nile reveal that officers of the Egyptians army are in South Sudan, something the government in Juba has been denying.
According to South Sudan News Now investigative journalists, who visited Paloch oil fields, near the Ethiopian borders, to verify earlier reports, there is an Egyptian platoon in Paloch pictured below,
Due to the sensitivity of the matter, both the South Sudanese military generals and Egyptian army officers refused to address the media on allegations that the Egyptians are building a military based near Pagak.
“We cannot speak on this matter, go to Juba you will find our spokesmen there” Said one officer
According to residents, however, they have seen Egyptian military officers coming and leaving, but they could not accept or deny what the Egyptian army is doing in Paloch and adjacent areas.
South Sudan has signed a military corporations and other deals including on land and water with the Egyptians’ governments between 2014 and 2019 but these deals have made Ethiopians worried about the intention of South Sudan.
Also read: How South Sudan ties to Egypt could spark a regional war
South Sudan Can ally with evil to get their land back,
Egyptian army and military generals from South Sudan’s People Defense Force post for a picture in Paloch(Photo credit: SSNN)
Although the ministry of foreign affairs has denied the allegations on behave of South Sudan government, intellectuals and insiders, who have reacted to the news, support the allegations.
Some of these intellectuals claims that South Sudan needs to ally with Egypt to fight a proxy war to gain some territories back from Ethiopia;
One of these conversations, which went viral on social media for the last three days in which the host of the show felt asleep on Live video, emphasizes that South Sudan has a right to use Egypt for a short time to build its military and also to gain back the land South Sudan has lost to Ethiopia.
“Our agreements with Egypt will be temporary, we can allow Egypt to train our soldiers, build our barracks and navy;
“They can help us for a short time, not a long time, because any time we will have problems with them like Ethiopia;
“You have to deal with evils with evil situations. For Ethiopians to listen to Southern Sudanese we can ally with any evil. So it is upto the South Sudanese if they want their land back or they want to be free”
“For the new country to gain your territories and borders that are taken by other countries, you have to do whatever possible to do;
“so South Sudan has a right, even if they want to deploy the Egyptians, they can deploy. So for them to negotiation with Ethiopia because Ethiopia will not give back Gambella free, …, they will not give back Dimma back free”
“That is what we can use to get our natural border. So we don’t have to panic why the Egyptians are brought to South Sudan unless if we do not have a mind to use our mind” the South Sudanese intellectual, Garang spoke on this live video
Ethiopians Reacting to the News
Reacting to the allegations, Ethiopians have threatened to fight back should the Egyptians make any attempt to strike their Grand Renaissance Dam that is about to be completed.
Reports coming from Addis Ababa, indicate that the Ethiopians have deployed their troops along the Ethiopian-South Sudan border to closely monitor the latest developments.
Many Ethiopian army generals and politicians have called on South Sudan to stop allying with Egyptians saying that they shouldn’t allow the Egyptians to use their territory as a launching pad for the Egyptians.
The Ethiopian deputy army commander has warned that his country will not negotiate deals that undermine his country’s sovereignty.
Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia Negotiation,
The allegations and strong comments from both sides have pushed Sudan, Egypt and Ethiopia to negotiate a political settlement on the Nile water that seems to be the livelihood for Egypt,
The talks are continuing through Zoom video conference but Egypt has raised concerns that Ethiopia is refusing to accept fundamental issues.
The Ethiopia’s Grand Renaissance Dam …
Egypt’s Irrigation Ministry raised concerns on Saturday that Ethiopia wants to renegotiate fundamental issues which the three countries seem to have agreed on earlier saying “that demonstrated that there are many fundamental issues that Ethiopia continues to reject.”
Speaking to international media, Irrigation Ministry spokesman Mohamed el-Sebaei bashed at the Ethiopians over their new proposals that he believes are “concerning.”
The latest talks, which resumed from where they collapsed at in February, came as a result of a news report released by South Sudan News Now about three weeks ago.
Also Read: South Sudan agrees to Egyptian request for military base near Pagak
The earlier Talks collapsed after Ethiopia rejected a U.S.-crafted deal accusing the Trump administration of siding with Egypt.
Since then Egypt has threatened to use all “all available means” to defend “the interests” of her people.
The $4.6 billion Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, which is sitting on the Blue Nile – one of the two main tributaries that are supplying the Nile, is about 70% complete and it is expected to be filled with water – something Egyptians want to be done diligently in phases and with their consent.
The two countries have populations of over 100 million each to protect and many think tanks believe that political settlements in this situations are very crucial.
According to William Davison, a senior analyst at the Crisis Group, a Brussels-based think tank, reiterated that the talks are very “necessary and positive,” and they must continue despite “considerable disagreements” between the two countries.
“Any further pause in talks would not be welcome as the only way to resolve this matter is for the parties to remain engaged in negotiations until they reach consensus on the outstanding issues,” William Davison said.
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