[Juba, South Sudan] Recent clashes between government forces and armed opposition groups in South Sudan have been brought to the attention of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) by both government and armed opposition leaderships. The army spokesperson Col. Philip Aguer says a government report has been sent to IGAD accusing the opposition of starting fight after signing peace and declaration of permanent ceasefire.
Speaking to media in Juba, Col Aguer stated that government has tabled to the IGAD monitoring committee evidences showing occurrences of violations of cease-fire
“the first violation occurred when the opposition forces ambushed SPLA barges that were heading to Malakal at Tonga area. The other violation was at Gabat area where Riek forces attacked an army location. The third violation was at Mirmir and Tharjath when the forces of Riek Machar ambushed a vehicle of the SPLA”, said Aguer.
The opposition forces spokesperson William Gathkouth, on the other hand, accused government forces of starting the clashes and said that the opposition have also raised the matter to the IGAD, African Union and the international community.
“We in the opposition have declared a strong position for peace and we think the government doesn’t want peace; but we have accepted for the sake of the people who are suffering. We therefore have raised these violations to the IGAD Plus, and we also spoke to the African Union and the international community that there is no reason for the government to attack our positions again after our chairman Dr. Riek Machar announced before all that we are for peace and President Kiir also did the same,” said Gathkouth.
In a related development, the speaker of the national legislative assembly in New York, Manasseh Magok Rundial, said the peace deal signed at the end of August in South Sudan will allow the nation to focus on development.
However, he said the government expects more challenges in terms of sustainable development;
“Now the oil has stopped we have no source of getting money and the only source of getting something will be from our friends, our friends will have to side and stand with us such that we faced that challenges and addressed all those problems that are facing us.”
The speaker was in New York to attend the Fourth World Conference of Speakers of Parliament, which ended on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, parliamentary leaders from across the globe have pledged to do their part to connect people with democracy. The pledge was made at the conclusion of the Fourth World Conference of Speakers of Parliament which ended in New York on Wednesday.
The Parliamentarians from nearly 140 countries said they want to build a just world for all people.
Saber Chowdhury, the president of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) which organized the three-day conference, said,
“We have much to do, and we at the IPU are ready, willing and able to do our part and work with you in turning this very ambitious agenda, this vision of a brave new world, into reality through the declaration that we have just adopted.”
[TCT]
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