Machar hints at accepting states plan, call for compromise
Dr. Riek Machar Teny, First Vice President and the Chairman of the SPLM/A-IO during an IGAD summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (Photo Credit: Nyamilepedia.)
May 9, 2020 (SSNN) — South Sudan’s First Vice President, Dr. Riek Machar Teny, has hinted at accepting a plan by president Salva Kiir to divide the states, calls for compromises and reiterates his commitment to the revitalized peace agreement.
On Thursday the Minister in the office of President Salva Kiir, Hon. Mayiik Ayii Deng, said that the parties had agreed to the division of state governors that allocates six states to the IG, three to the IO and one state to the South Sudan Opposition Alliance.
The statement was denied by the opposition parties including the SPLM-IO which termed it as a violation to the revitalized peace agreement.
In a statement this afternoon, Machar’s office said that the First Vice President and Chairman of the main armed opposition has committed to the revitalized peace agreement reiterating that some provisions in the revitalized peace deal require compromises.
“The First Vice President of the Republic, Chairman and Commander-in-Chief of the SPLM/SPLA (IO), H. E. Dr. Riek Machar Teny-Dhurgon, is as usual committed to the full and correct implementation of the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan (R-ARCSS),”Machar’s office said in the statement seen by South Sudan News Now.
“In the implementation of some of the provisions in the R-ARCSS, such as on allocation of States Governors to Parties, a consensus is needed even in the Presidency’s decision making processes,” it adds.
The statement further reiterates that some provisions of the agreement were made on the basis of consensus and compromises; however, the main armed opposition underscores that the allocation of states should have been handled by the parties before the presidency could come in to bless it.
“It is also to be recalled that when it comes to major issues affecting the R-ARCSS beyond simply executive decisions, it is the Parties that first reach a consensus, and then the Presidency can only bless such a consensus. If there is no consensus reached as Parties, the Presidency cannot impose an executive decision on the Parties” Machar’s spokesman, James Gatdet Dak explains.
“There is no good State or bad State in South Sudan. Similarly, there is no bad Ministry or good Ministry in the Cabinet. However, as Parties also discussed and reached a consensus on allocation of Ministries to balance institutions that deal with Security, Governance and Economy, etc., they equally should reach a consensus on allocation of States Governors, while considering a number of issues.” Gatdet continued.
Gatdet, who has been Dr. Riek Machar’s spokesman for 23 years including two years in prison, explains that there was an understanding that the SPLM/SPLA (IO) should take the Governorship for States of Lakes, Eastern Equatoria and Upper Nile.
“The SPLM/SPLA (IO) leadership even nominated and submitted three names of would-be Governors to the three States. They were to be decreed into appointment on the same day the Cabinet Ministers were appointed on 12 March, 2020. This is what the Leadership expected to happen!” Gatdet said.
“Let us hope that the Parties resolve the matter once again. The Leadership, in invoking Article 7.11 in the R-ARCSS, has also called on R-JMEC and IGAD Guarantors to intervene in resolving the deadlock.” He concludes.
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