SPLM-IO blasts AU Ambassador, Jorom over his remarks on opposition officials’ accommodation
President Salva Kiir Mayardit and the African Union Ambassador to South Sudan, Prof. Jorom Mukama Biswaro meeting at the State House in the capital, Juba, (Photo:Supplied)
Nov 23rd, 2019 (SSNN)-The main armed opposition group, the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement in Opposition (SPLM-IO), has strongly criticized the AU Ambassador to South Sudan, Prof. Jorom Mukama Biswaro, for his recent remarks in which he referred to opposition officials in a statement – blaming them for choosing to stay in expensive hotels and at the same time laying the blame on the government for not releasing funding for the implementation of the peace agreement.
“The SPLM/SPLA (IO) strongly condemns the recent statements by the Ambassador of the African Union (AU) to South Sudan, Prof. Jorom Mukama Biswaro. In his statement, the Ambassador to the AU – referring to the SPLM/SPLA (IO) – alleged that, “you cannot stay in the expensive hotels, spent extravagantly and then point fingers on the government for not funding the implementation of the peace deal”. This was reported on the 19th of November, by the South Sudan Presidential Press Unit – Facebook Page.”
The opposition officials said it is regrettable that the AU official had made such a statement without first knowing the truth.
“It is unfortunate that a Diplomat from such an august body as the AU would issue a statement without fact checking. It begs a pertinent question; what incentive does HE the Ambassador have in parroting the talking points of the regime, actions which may prolong war and suffering in South Sudan?,” said Mabior Garang De Mabior, Chairperson of the SPLM-IO National Committee for Information Publicity.
Adding that, “The reckless statements of Ambassador Jorum were framed from propaganda posted on Facebook by a regime fake news page – South Sudan TMZ. The misinformation was based on a leaked internal memo of the list of the SPLM/SPLA (IO) Chairman’s peace team to the face-to-face meeting with President Salva Kiir. The list was in fact an order for members to return to their original destinations after government failed to lift the state of emergency, which would have allowed the various committees to embark on dissemination of the peace Agreement to every corner of South Sudan.”
The SPLM/SPLA (IO) are not in Juba as tourists!
The senior opposition officials explained that the presence of the SPLM-IO members in Juba hotels is part of the implementation of the peace agreement, noting that they are not there as tourists.
“The presence of our members in Juba – which was a demand of the regime – is in the spirit of finding a just and honorable peace and is thus part and parcel of the peace process, which requires funding if necessary. It is interesting to note that, H.E. the Ambassador failed to condemn the regime’s accommodation of Gen. Taban Deng Gai group in Crown Hotel, the accommodation of Gen. Wang Chany and his group, the accommodation of Gen. Gat-hoth Gat-kuoth and his group, James Ochan Puot and his group and many other groups who are part of the regime’s counter insurgency tactics to derail the “peace deal”. There are also several government Ministers and Members of Parliament accommodated in hotels since 2005.”
The opposition group, SPLM-IO, considered the statement issued by the African Union diplomat as hostile and in fact contradicts the spirit and efforts to bring peace to South Sudan.
“The statements of the AU Ambassador to South Sudan, HE Prof. Jorom Makamba Biswaro, are not only uninformed, they are hostile statements which advance the propaganda war of the government. The regime – which is unpopular – is not interested in implementing a negotiated peace settlement which leads to elections, as it implements them out of power and so their soul objective is to portray the SPLM/SPLA (IO) as the obstacle to peace.”
The SPLM-IO called on the AU official, Jorom Mukama to retract his statement.
“We call on HE Prof. Jorom Mukama Biswaro, to withdraw his statements and reconsider his prejudiced, hostile, anti-peace position.”
Facebook Comments