Africa

June 4, 2015 (JUBA)- South Sudanese armed opposition fighters claimed to have taken control of several areas in Lakes, Western and Northern Bahr el Ghazal states , pointing out that they allegedly inflicted heavy casualties on government troops in the region.

Rebel fighters aligned with former vice-president Riek Machar gather in a village in South Sudan's Upper Nile state on 8 February 2014 (Photo: Goran Tomasevic/Reuters)

Abdallah Kuot, spokesperson of the opposition forces under the overall command of General Dau Aturjong told Sudan Tribune on Thursday that their fighters have taken control of Achana, a strategic town located along the supply line linking northern Bahr el Ghazal with neigbouring Sudan.

The opposition official said several officers and local officials have joined the ranks and files from the areas three days before gaining control of the area without major resistance from the government.

“Our forces have taken complete control of Achana today, which is one of the strategic towns in the area, given that it links the two countries. It is on the supply route to Nyamellel after passing through several other town and villages to Aweil town, capital of northern Bahr el Ghazal state”, said Kuot.

He said fierce fighting has taken place between government and the armed opposition forces in the south west of Western Bahr el Ghazal states after taking control of Bazia.

The clashes, according to local officials and residents, which involved the use of heavy artillery and tanks, has been taking place some 50 kilometers outside Wau, capital of Western Bahr el Ghazal state.

There were many reports of injuries inflicted on government forces army whose commanding officers in the area have accused the rebels of launching a full-scale offensive in violation of ceasefire.

Clashes between government troops and the rebels have recently intensified along supply line underlying the intent with which the rival forces are fighting to deny the other of supplies.

“We could hear the battle rage around Bazia, which lies on the main crossing point between Western Equatoria and Western Bahr el Ghazal. There was a near constant barrage of artillery throughout the afternoon. Smoke rose on the horizon and on three occasions I saw government soldiers firing multiple rocket launchers towards rebel positions”, a local administrative officer told Sudan Tribune on Thursday.

Local government Minister in Western Bahr el Ghazal s, Angelo Taban, confirmed in a separate interview that fighting has been taking place in the area but said government forces were in control of the situation. “There have been attempts by the rebels but our gallant SPLA forces have been in control of the situation and now everything is returning to normal”, Taban told Sudan Tribune on Thursday.

He claimed that there is clear evidence that a foreign government is helping the rebels in the area and with heavy weapons and soldiers. The exact number of dead might only emerge with time, but both sides appear to have taken significant losses and it remains unclear which side of the rival forces is in control of the security situation.

Meanwhile, opposition fighters under the overall command of General Khamis Abdullatif claimed on Thursday to have overrun government control town of Akot, killing at least six government soldiers and wounding several others in the clash believed to be the first major military engagement in the area since he travelled to the area in early May.

However, several government officials denied that the clashes in Akot were carried out by the armed opposition forces but by armed local youth who went on rampage after one of their colleagues was killed by the government soldiers in the area.

“There are no rebels in Lakes state. The claim that they have taken control of Akot is a mere propaganda. Yes, there was a fighting yesterday but it was not between our forces and the rebels. It was a misunderstanding between the youth and SPLA forces”, said

Daniel Deng Monydit, a Member of Parliament representing Rumbek county in the national legislative assembly in the national legislative assembly said on Thursdsy that the genesis of the misunderstanding between the youth and the government troops was over the commercial truck which the youth stopped and killed the owner.

“What I have been told is that there was commercial truck travelling to Rumbek on the Akot road but it was stopped and the owner was killed and the goods were looted. The SPLA forces were coming from Rumbek and the got the vehicles being looted and the owner killed, so they decided to intervene but the youth did not want to listen. The discussion asking them to stop the looting the vehicle and leave went on at the distance until it reached the pointing of exchange fire during which one person on the side of the youth was killed and another was wounded and the SPLA forces proceeded to Akot," said the MP.

"On seeing that one of their colleagues have been killed, the youth decided to mobilize themselves and followed the SPLA soldiers to Akot where they carried out attack on them, killing six soldiers and wounding others. This is the information I received. It was not a fighting between the rebels and our forces”, he added.

He denied Akot had not fallen to the rebels nor have the rebels ever operated in the area, adding "Those are lies. They want to just take advantage of the situation”.

Observers point out that if Bazia, Akot and Achan remain under the opposition control, it would pose significant security threat to the government forces while representing the most significant gain in territory on the side of the opposition fighters in the region.

The latest violence will spread more distrust and will shake the confidence of leaders and diplomatic efforts trying to broker real peace.

(ST)

June 4, 2015 (KHARTOUM) - Sudanese security service prevented the leader of the National Consensus Forces (NCF) Farouk Abu Issa from travelling to Cairo for medical treatment, said the opposition coalition.

Sudanese opposition leader Farouk Abu Issa arrives at court for a hearing in his trial in Khartoum on 23 February 2015 (Photo: AFP/Ebrahim Hamid)

Abu Issa and a prominent human rights activist Amin Mekki Madani were in detention from December 2014 to April 2015 for the signing of the Sudan Call declaration with the rebel groups in Addis Ababa.

Also, the security agents prevented Madani from flying to Cairo on 4 May. According to statement released by the Sudan Call forces, he was told by the airport authorities he was still subjected to a ban travel imposed against him since December 2014.

The travel ban against Abu Issa is "a flagrant violation of the constitutional and legal rights, and coincided with the farce Field Marshal Bashir's inauguration after boycotted elections that showed the isolation of his regime and the position of the Sudanese people rejecting him and his party," said the NCF in a statement issued on Thursday.

During his imprisonment, Abu Issa,81-year-old, was transferred to hospital following deterioration of his health condition.

At the time, his family said he suffered from cardiac arrhythmia in addition to other health problems.

The opposition leader used to travel to Cairo and London for medical treatment during the past years.

(ST)

June 4, 2015 (KHARTOUM) - The hybrid peacekeeping mission in Darfur cleared itself of any responsibility for the attack on its convoy by an armed gang on Tuesday 2 June saying the local contractor didn't notify them its departure to escort UNAMID Contingent-Owned Equipment (COE).

UNAMID peacekeepers provide protection to WFP trucks during a 100km road trip from El Fasher to Shangil Tobaya in North Darfur (Photo: UNAMID/Albert González Farran),

The Sudanese government militia, Rapid Support Forces (RSF) Wednesday said they recovered eight vehicles stolen from the UNAMID by unidentified gunmen. The unescorted goods convoy was attacked in Doma area, South Darfur, while en-route from Nyala to Port Sudan.

In a statement issued on Thursday, UNAMID admitted the recovery of the hijacked vehicles thanks to the efforts of the "South Darfur security authorities".

"UNAMID would like to clarify that the local contractor acted against repeated instructions from the Mission not to move the COE without UNAMID armed escort. Furthermore, the contractor had misinformed the Mission that its convoy will be escorted by an appropriate force from Sudanese Customs Police," said the joint mission.

commenting the recovery of the stolen vehicles, the deputy governor of South Darfur state, Omer Mohamed al-Bashir, said the perpetrators do not belong to rebel groups but disclosed that they all worked for the UNAMID in the past.

Al-Bashir further urged the UNAMID to reconsider some of its contractors, stressing the perpetrators serve agenda of the rebel groups.

The hybrid mission in its statement said grateful for the Sudanese authorities for the recovery of its vehicles and the arrest of the perpetrators.

However the UNAMID regretted that the incident "created the opportunity for misreporting and misrepresentation of the facts of the incident (...)".

South Darfur state is known for criminal activities and robbery committed by armed gangs. Since July 2014 the state authorities have declared an indefinite emergency situation in South Darfur state, including a curfew from 7pm to 7am (local time) in the capital Nyala.

(ST)

June 4, 2015 (KHARTOUM)- Heavy fighting in South Sudan's Unity and Upper Nile states over the last two months has displaced more than 100,000 people and blocked humanitarian aid deliveries for some 650,000 people as aid organizations were forced to withdraw, the United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR) said on Thursday.

Since the beginning of the year, some 60,000 South Sudanese have reportedly fled the country, mostly to Sudan (30,000), Ethiopia (15,000) and Uganda (15,000) bringing the total South Sudanese who fled the country since December 2013 to some 555,000, while some 1.5 million are internally displaced in the country.

Refugees attributed increase in fighting and worsening food insecurity as the main reasons for fleeing their homes. It's estimated that more than 3.8 million people, representing a third of South Sudan's population of 11 million, do not have sufficient food.

UNHCR offices in Sudan, Ethiopia and Uganda have all reported sharp increases in arrivals during May.

Last week alone, some 6,000 South Sudanese arrived in Sudan's White Nile and South Kordofan states. The majority are in White Nile State, where 87 per cent of refugee families are headed by women and 72 per cent are children.

" The arriving refugees are currently hosted at the border and a recently opened site known as El Redis II. Given the worsening security and humanitarian situation on the South Sudanese side of the border, UNHCR and its partners are preparing for the refugee influx to grow," the agency said in a statement.

"The upcoming rainy season requires that we pre-position relief items as many of the areas where refugees are located can become inaccessible. To enable continuing humanitarian assistance, UNHCR is constructing a jetty on the White Nile River and building roads to refugee sites. Water and sanitation conditions at many of these sites need to be improved rapidly," it added.

In Ethiopia's Gambella region, more than 6,100 South Sudanese refugees were registered in May, while in April the number was 4,800. Arrivals were at less than 1,000 people a month before this. In addition, an estimated 7,000 South Sudanese are at the Pagak and Akobo entry points waiting to be registered.

UNHCR, the government counterpart and other partners are developing a new site next to the existing Pugnido refugee camp to accommodate new arrivals and as a contingency measure for future arrivals.

At the same time, during the last three weeks, more than 47,000 South Sudanese refugees who had settled in areas that flooded during last year's severe rainy season have now been relocated to a new refugee camp in Jewi near Gambella. The former refugee sites of Leitchour and Nip Nip are being rehabilitated and will be handed over to the host communities.

With the number of South Sudanese fleeing their country increasing rapidly, the refugee agency is extremely concerned that the 2015 South Sudan Regional Refugee Response Plan that covers the refugee programmes in the neighbouring countries, run by UNHCR and 39 partners, is only funded at 10 percent. This leaves many lifesaving activities such as the provision of clean water, sanitation and health services, food and shelter severely underfunded.

Over a year ago, fresh conflict broke out between government and opposition supporters in the world's newest country, forcing 1.9 million people in the nation of the estimated 11 million from their homes. Over 1.5 million are displaced within South Sudan.

(ST).

By Tesfa-Alem Tekle

June 4, 2015 (ADDIS ABABA) – The United Nations has honoured Ethiopia for its significant contributions to UN's vast Peacekeeping operations, the Ethiopian ministry of foreign affairs said on Friday.

Ethiopian peacekeepers patrol the outskirts of the disputed Abyei town that straddles the border between Sudan and South Sudan on 16 September 2013 (Photo: Reuters/Andreea Campeanu)

At a ceremony held at UN headquarters in New York to mark International Day of UN Peacekeepers, the United Nations has awarded Ethiopia a medal in honour of its peacekeepers, who sacrificed their lives during line of duty in different peace keeping missions.

Ambassador Tekeda Alemu, Permanent Representative of Ethiopia to the United Nation, received the medal awarded to Ethiopia.

The Ministry said Ethiopia has been actively participating in UN peacekeeping operations based on its firm conviction on the principle of collective security enshrined in the UN Charter since the establishment of the United Nations.

Ethiopia, with nearly 8,000 peacekeepers currently serving in UN Peacekeeping Missions around the world is Africa's top contributing nation.

The horn of Africa's nation is also world's fourth largest contributor in terms of the number of its peacekeepers deployed under the United Nations umbrella

Currently Ethiopian Peacekeepers are serving in various UN peacekeeping missions including in Abyei, Darfur and South Sudan.

In addition, more than 4 thousand Ethiopian peacekeepers are deployed in Somalia as part of the AU peace support operation in that country.

The country has for years played significant role in the success of UN peacekeeping and its participation is the most tangible contribution to restoring international peace and security.

(ST)

The United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) announced today that the next round of Libyan political dialogue sessions in Skhirat, Morocco, will commence on Monday, 8 June.

The human rights situation in Boko Haram-held areas of northern Nigeria is one of “absolute terror” and “grave” violations, the top United Nations human rights official said today amid a wider call for Nigerian authorities to thoroughly investigate reports of abuses committed by the country’s armed forces.

June 4, 2015 (ADDIS ABABA) – South Sudan's opposition faction of the Sudan Peoples' Liberation Movement (SPLM-IO) led by the former vice-president, Riek Machar, has dismissed report that its forces were receiving weapons from Sudan.

A photo included in CAR's report showing small calibre ammunition in hessian bag pictured in Malakal on 11 December 2014

In a report published this week, Conflict Armament Research (CAR) unveiled what it said were findings pointing to evidences that Khartoum was supplying the rebels based on weapons and ammunition captured by pro-government forces from opposition forces in Jonglei state late last year.

Some of the weapons examined by the CAR's investigation team at South Sudan army headquarters in Upper Nile reportedly provided important details in the sources of arms supplied to the armed opposition forces.

The document pointed to new weapons manufactured in Sudan or from China in the possession of the rebels while some appeared damaged which suggested they were airdropped to the rebels.

But opposition officials refuted the claims made by the London-based entity, saying South Sudan's government had been buying weapons from Sudan many of which the rebels also captured in several military encounters against president Salva Kiir's government.

“For those who may not know it, South Sudan government buys weapons from Sudan. They also buy others from China as revealed last year when a consignment of $38 million worth of weaponry were shipped through Port Mombassa of Kenya destined for South Sudan,” Machar's spokesperson, James Gatdet Dak, said in a statement extended to Sudan Tribune on Thursday.

“Since we have been capturing sizable quantities of weapons from the government, seeing a Sudanese or Chinese manufactured weapon shouldn't be a surprise. It shouldn't also be alleged as evidence of receiving weapons from Khartoum,” he said.

Dak explained that even if the descriptions indicating sources of the weapons were to be true, this did not necessarily mean the weapons were delivered directly to the rebel forces.

He also said when the crisis erupted in December 2013 in South Sudan, the army began to split right from the national capital, Juba. In some areas as the fighting spread to states, he said, forces that joined the opposition also managed to take weapons and ammunition with them.

He said many of the weapons used by pro-government forces were purchased from Sudan and ended up in the hands of the different opposition forces in the country over the years.

(ST)

June 3, 2015 (RUMBEK) - Lakes state authorities have acknowledged that local communities were not in their control or cooperating, saying the public refused to share information with security agents of the government in ending the crisis in the South Sudan's central state.

Map detail of South Sudan showing Lakes state in red

Top state officials pessimistically confirmed that insecurity had further worsened in the state and effort to restore trust in the rural communities was becoming more difficult.

Lakes state security advisor, Marial Amuom Malek, an outspoken politician who also serves as member of state parliament representing Yirol West county, said communities had continued to turn their back on the government as inter-communal fighting escalates coupled with threats from rebels allied to former vice president, Riek Machar, under the command of General Abdel Latif, who hails from the state.

Amuom was reacting to current complex clashes that left 13 people dead on Monday. Two rival communities of Gony and Thuyic have 11 dead from both sides and two policemen were also killed in Abeer in a separate clash on Monday.

“It has been very difficult for the security apparatus to address this situation. We have tried all the levels that we have but still this situation will never give us a chance to rest,” he lamented.

He said the situation had been exacerbated by proliferation of arms in the hands of the civil populations, making it difficult for the security forces to control the heavily armed Dinka youth who had been turning against each other.

He also added that another challenge was those who intended to go for revenge attacks usually avoided areas where the police and army were being deployed.

“They go to the bush somewhere far from where we deployed our forces and they begin killing whoever they come across. This is a major challenge,” Amoum further explained.

He called on the government to carry out disarmament of the youth throughout the state as the best option in order to arrest the situation.

Activists and traditional leaders also criticized Lakes state government for allegedly having failed to stem violence, accusing the state administration of using violent approach that allowed pastoralist youth to become more hostile. The activist also said disarmament is not the best solution because of rebellion threats in the country.

Moses Ater, a Lakes state activist however suggested that disarmament by relatives and friends within the families would be the best model to disarm the hostile youth in the state. He also said intermarriage between the Dinka rival sections should be encouraged while justice is served without favouritism.

Lakes state has been embroiled in cycles of revenge attacks with many citizens blaming government for allegedly failing to curb insecurity. Hundreds of citizens have been killed over the last few years due to inter-sectional fighting.

The situation recently worsened when a joint force of the police and military withdrew from all hotspots in the state, claiming they had no way to collect information due to communities' failure to cooperate with the state authorities.

Data from the state's Criminal Investigation Department (CID) reported an increase in crime-related incidences within the volatile region. Youth activists and traditional authorities have repeatedly called for the removal of the military caretaker governor Matur Dhuol amid claims he had failed to stem the violence. President Salva Kiir has however overlooked these calls.

Dhuol was appointed in 2013 after president Kiir sacked elected governor Chol Tong Mayay.

(ST)

June 4, 2015 (KHARTOUM) – The director of the Sudanese National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS) Mohamed Atta al-Moula met on Thursday with leader of the Darfurian Mahameed clan Musa Hilal at his residence in Khartoum before he was due to leave back to his hometown of Misteriyah in North Darfur.

Director of the Sudanese National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS) Mohamed Atta al-Moula (R) meeting with leader of the Darfurian Mahameed clan Musa Hilal in Khartoum June 4, 2015 (SMC)

The Sudanese Media Center (SMC) with close links to the NISS disclosed that Hilal returned to Khartoum over the weekend on a chartered plane provided by the security apparatus.

It was Hilal's first time in Khartoum since two years ago and for the purpose of attending president Omer Hassan al-Bashir swearing-in ceremony on Tuesday.

SMC said the meeting between Hilal and al-Moula tackled public issues.

Hilal had announced on Wednesday that he intends to discuss with government officials what he called "four pivotal issues" including the registration of his militia as political party, security arrangements, social reconciliation and political reforms.

He denied that he is part of the opposition, stressing that he would not rebel against the government.

But his recent history says otherwise.

He left Khartoum in mid-2013 and turned his militiamen against the governor of North Darfur state, Osman Kibir accusing him of feeding tribal conflicts in the state.

The notorious Janjaweed leader then started making statements critical of the ruling National Congress Party (NCP), of which he is a member, and calling for deep reforms.

Also, Hilal's troops seized control of western localities in North Darfur state including Saraf Omra, Kutum, Kabkabiya, Al-Siraif, and El-Waha.

The tribal chief went further to announce the establishment of administrations in these localities, naming his forces the Sudanese Revolutionary Awakening Council (SRAC).

Last February, he threatened to prevent poll workers from entering his areas for the general elections held in April.

Hilal, became notorious as Janjaweed leader, after eruption of simmering conflicts in Darfur. He stands accused by many human rights groups of leading a terror campaign against the African tribes in Darfur.

But he has denied any wrongdoing and told Human Rights Watch (HRW) in a videotaped interview in 2005, that he only recruited militias on behalf of Sudan's central government.

The Darfur conflict began in 2003 when an ethnic minority rose up against the Arab-dominated government in Khartoum.

In April 2006 the UN Security Council imposed financial and travel ban against Hilal for obstructing peace in Darfur. The then US president George Bush issued an executive order enforcing similar sanctions on them.

In January 2008, Bashir appointed Hilal as a special advisor for the Ministry of Federal Affairs in Sudan. He was also an MP in the previous parliament.

(ST)

June 5, 2015 (KHARTOUM) – The ruling National Congress Party (NCP) in Sudan postponed the announcement of the new government after its leadership bureau failed to reach consensus on the proposed names.

President Omer Hassan al-Bashir speaks at the fourth convention of the ruling National Congress Party (NCP) in Khartoum on 23 October 2014 (Photo: Ashorooq TV)

The NCP's five-hours meeting, which was chaired by president Omer Hassan al-Bashir, was wrapped up in the early hours of Friday morning.

The deputy chairman of the NCP Ibrahim Ghandour emerged from the meeting to tell reporters that the cabinet reshuffle and the names of governors will be announced within the next 48 hours.

"If all goes as planned, the oath [ceremony for ministers and governors] could take place on Sunday," Ghandour said.

The NCP official said that the leadership bureau discussed the proposed new cabinet and “made observations” about the ministerial formation finalized by Bashir.

"We discussed all the names given and approved a large number of them, and there are two parties that did not submit their candidates' names for the [government] portfolios," he said.

The NCP leadership bureau consists of 45 figures, 30 of whom are elected and the remaining are appointed by Bashir.

Ghandour said they will convene again later today to continue discussions and noted that 30-35% of government posts will be allocated to non-NCP parties.

The Sudanese leader said earlier this year that only parties which contested in April's general elections will be offered posts in the government.

Bashir issued a decree on Tuesday night dissolving the government and relieving his aides. Earlier that day he was sworn to a new term.

The Federal Truth party (FTP) has been excluded from the new cabinet while the United Umma Party (UUP) rejected the NCP offer for ministerial posts on the grounds that it is not compatible with their political stature.

Last week, the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) led by Mohamed Osman al-Mirghani announced that it will not join the government for the same reasons spelled out by the UUP.

But the NCP swiftly denied the DUP declaration stressing that consultations between the two sides are ongoing.

(ST)

The United Nations peacekeeping mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) has welcomed the latest military operation by the country’s armed forces against members of an independent militia group following the collapse of political negotiations.

The United Nations peacekeeping mission in the Central African Republic (CAR) has launched an investigation into allegations of sexual abuse against an underage person involving one of its personnel, it was announced today.

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon remains concerned about the potential for escalating violence in Burundi and has reiterated his call for calm and restraint amid the African country’s simmering political tensions.

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June 3, 2015 (KHARTOUM) The Chinese president Xi Jinping has invited his Sudanese counterpart Omer al-Bashir to visit Beijing, announced the Chinese environment minister, Chen Jining.

Sudan's President Omer Hassan al-Bashir reviews the Chinese military honor guard during a welcoming ceremony at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China Wednesday, June 29, 2011. (AP)

Minister Jining who led the Chinese delegation to the inauguration of president Bashir met with the latter on Wednesday evening.

After the meeting the Chinese minister told reporters that the extended an invitation from president Jining to Bashir to visit China.

The minister said they discussed a number of issues of common interest in all fields and ways to develop relations between the two countries. He further expressed his confidence that bilateral ties would continue to progress during the new term of president Bashir.

Bashir's last visit to China was in June 2011, where he reached Beijing after a delay of 24 hours due to last-minute change of his flight itinerary.

The Sudanese president has an outstanding arrest warrant against him by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for war crimes and genocide he allegedly masterminded in Sudan's region of Darfur.

In statement to the official news agency SUNA, the spokesperson of the Sudanese presidency Mohamed Hatim Suleiman said president Bashir has accepted the invitation to visit China, adding that the later attaches special attention to the historical relations between the two countries.

Suleiman further said the president praised the strong bilateral relations and expressed his appreciation to China for its participation in the swearing-in ceremony and its support for Sudan in different forums.

(ST)

June 3, 2015 (ADDIS ABABA) – The South Sudanese armed opposition faction of the ruling (SPLM) party has welcomed the decision to revoke the “unconstitutional” dismissal of their leader, Riek Machar, and his colleagues from the ruling party, saying the move was an “overdue” good gesture in complementing the Addis Ababa peace process.

South Sudan's rebel leader Riek Machar speaks during an interview with Reuters in Addis Ababa on July 9, 2014. (Photo Reuters/Tiksa Negeri)

President Salva Kiir's SPLM faction on Wednesday announced their leadership had revoked dismissal of opposition leader Riek Machar and others and that he was reinstated to his previous position as first deputy chairperson of the ruling party. They also said the frozen assets or bank accounts for members of the former detainees and armed opposition faction were unfrozen in the country and they could access them.

The rebels commended the decision as correct one but added that this was not the end of the story as many other processes and decisions were still pending in order to end the crisis in the country.

“Well, we welcome the good gesture. It does not come out of the blue. Actually it is overdue because it is a provision in the roadmap agreement on SPLM reunification process signed in Arusha several months ago,” Machar's spokesman, James Gatdet Dak, told Sudan Tribune on Wednesday evening when contacted for comment.

“President Kiir who was responsible for this unconstitutional dismissal of senior party leaders was directed by the roadmap agreement to unconditionally revoke his decision,” he added.

Dak pointed out that the revocation of the dismissal decree was meant to smoothen further steps in the tripartite intraparty dialogue in order to further negotiate within the party and reach an agreement on reforms in structural, organizational and future party leadership matters.

He blamed president Kiir's group for aborting internal party transformation processes which sparked the violence and had now developed into a national crisis beyond the party.

Even from the onset of the crisis in December 2013, he recalled that the opposition leader Machar immediately composed a team of SPLM leaders from his side in January 2014 to meet with president Kiir's SPLM team in Addis Ababa so that the crisis would have been arrested at the party level, adding Machar's idea was rejected and the “conflict has now developed into a national crisis.”

He however said the particular decision to revoke dismissal would be complementary to the Addis Ababa peace process led by the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), particularly on the executive power-sharing for government during a transitional period.

“Let us wait and see how this reinstatement to previous party leadership positions will reflect on the government's position in regard to leadership structure and executive power-sharing in a transitional government of national unity,” he further added.

He challenged that the government was opposed to IGAD proposed executive power-sharing which would see the rebel leader, Riek Machar, become either a prime minister or first vice president with shared executive powers.

The rebel leader's spokesman however said the intraparty dialogue did not confirm president Kiir to continue as the party chairman, stressing that there were pending processes on mechanisms within the dialogue that would address party leadership in the course of reunification.

He said this would be like restarting from square one from where we left in December 2013 when president Kiir violently interrupted the processes of party transformation, reforms and leadership contest.

On government leadership, he also said president Kiir has become illegitimate president either through expiry of his term limit or by his deeds which caused the war and administered massacre of thousands of civilians in the capital, Juba.

“These are some of the issues the warring parties shall be tackling in the two complementary processes in Arusha or in Addis Ababa,” he said.

He however commended partial implementation of the Arusha roadmap agreement in order to help expedite the Addis Ababa process, but ruled out possibility that the rebel leader would return to Juba as first deputy chairman of the SPLM per party agreement without a comprehensive peace agreement in Addis Ababa.

(ST)