IGAD Secretariat Regrets Dr. Riek Machar Remains Under House Arrest

May 11, 2019(SSNN) — South Sudan’s main opposition leader, Dr. Riek Machar Teny, the First Vice President Designate, may travel and reside in any country of his choices within the region but he remains under house arrest until further notice.

During the recent 67^th Extra-Ordinary Session of the The IGAD Council of Ministers, which was held in South Sudan capital Juba on 7^th May 2019, and was attended by Dr. Machar’s outraged opponents on the government side, the IGAD Council of Ministers regrets that Dr. Machar remains under house arrest and promised to recommend his release to the IGAD heads of States and Governments during their next summits.

Dr. Machar, who served as the country’s First Vice President when the country gained independent in 2011, is expected to serve as the “First Vice President” in the next government which shall be known as the Revitalized Transitional Government of National Unity, however, until then he may remains under house arrest within IGAD member states.

The Council of Ministers reminds the sympathizers over a decision that was made over a year ago by the 33^rd Extra-Ordinary Summit of the IGAD Heads of State and Government Assembly which states that the First Vice President Designate of the Republic of South Sudan is free to travel and reside in any country of his choice but until then the final determination of his fates shall be ruled by a Summit of the IGAD heads of states and governments.

“Recalling the decision of the 33^rd Extra-Ordinary Summit of the IGAD Heads of State and Government Assembly that Dr. Riek Machar, Chairman of the SPLM/A-IO is free to travel and reside in any country of his choice within the IGAD Member States until the final determination of his status” Part of the communique states.

The IGAD Council of Ministers observed that Dr. Machar has been behaving well and for that the Council recommends that the IGAD heads of states and government should consider lifting Machar’s house arrest.

“and taking into account the fact that Dr. Machar has participated in the peace process in a positive manner, hereby recommends to the Summit to lift any restrictions on Dr. Riek Machar or instruct the Council accordingly” the Communique continued.

Machar was arrested in Pretoria, South Africa, for almost 2 years but in order to expedite peace negotiation between the warring parties, Machar’s prison location was relocated from South Africa to Sudan and that surely yielded significant results as the parties reached consensus within less than 2 months with SPLM/A(IO) compromising great deals on security arrangements, two armies and other provisions.

Despite that Dr. Machar signed the peace agreement and shown political will, the IGAD heads of States and Governments are yet to make their decisions on determination of his status.

For the first time, the Eastern African countries have taken a major turn over the rebellion in South Sudan more than any other time in history. While countries like Uganda and rebels from Sudan are fighting along Salva Kiir’s army and continued to keep their forces within South Sudan in violation of Permanent Ceasefire Agreement, countries like Kenya kidnap politicians and activists who are believed to be allied to the opposition and hand them over to Salva Kiir’s government.