South Sudan Presidential Adviser Says Rebels Use Ceasefire for Mobilization
January 3, 2018 (JUBA)- South Sudanese presidential adviser on military affairs said the signed humanitarian truce agreement was not holding peace because the armed opposition forces were using it as an opportunity to mobilize themselves to carry out attacks to gain more territories.
Daniel Awet Akot said the government was committed to ending the war in the country but the acceptance of the IGAD-brokered cessation of hostilities agreement has been interpreted by armed opposition forces as a weakness of the government and use as it an opportunity to mobilise their forces for more attacks.
Akot told Sudan Tribune on Wednesday he received a telephone call from Yei informing him of renewed fighting despite the cessation of hostilities agreement by the warring parties.
“As I was leaving my residence today for work, the first call I received was about fighting in Yei. I received a call from Yei about fighting which erupted there and I was told the rebels of Riek Machar have attacked Morobo and Kaya," he said.
"You know they were in these places before but they lost them and so they want to gain these places despite their leadership signing the ceasefire and made a declaration to stop hostile activities towards the government forces,” added Akot.
He called on the regional and international community involved in mediation to restrain armed opposition if the ceasefire was to hold.
“These people have no headquarters. Their forces are scattered. They are in refugee camps and they go there to make recruitments whenever there is a stoppage in hostilities and whenever they are defeated. They are using refugees. They use every bit of opportunity to mobilise themselves and caused fighting like they did today in Yei River state,” he said.
The warring parties in South Sudan signed a humanitarian cessation of hostilities in Addis Ababa proposed by the IGAD mediators to as confidence-building measure before talks on the implementation of a permanent ceasefire agreement.
But since the 21 December, the mediators and facilitators realize how much they are far from their initial objectives as the government and the armed opposition trade accusation of breaching the truce on daily basis.
(ST)
Daniel Awet Akot said the government was committed to ending the war in the country but the acceptance of the IGAD-brokered cessation of hostilities agreement has been interpreted by armed opposition forces as a weakness of the government and use as it an opportunity to mobilise their forces for more attacks.
Akot told Sudan Tribune on Wednesday he received a telephone call from Yei informing him of renewed fighting despite the cessation of hostilities agreement by the warring parties.
“As I was leaving my residence today for work, the first call I received was about fighting in Yei. I received a call from Yei about fighting which erupted there and I was told the rebels of Riek Machar have attacked Morobo and Kaya," he said.
"You know they were in these places before but they lost them and so they want to gain these places despite their leadership signing the ceasefire and made a declaration to stop hostile activities towards the government forces,” added Akot.
He called on the regional and international community involved in mediation to restrain armed opposition if the ceasefire was to hold.
“These people have no headquarters. Their forces are scattered. They are in refugee camps and they go there to make recruitments whenever there is a stoppage in hostilities and whenever they are defeated. They are using refugees. They use every bit of opportunity to mobilise themselves and caused fighting like they did today in Yei River state,” he said.
The warring parties in South Sudan signed a humanitarian cessation of hostilities in Addis Ababa proposed by the IGAD mediators to as confidence-building measure before talks on the implementation of a permanent ceasefire agreement.
But since the 21 December, the mediators and facilitators realize how much they are far from their initial objectives as the government and the armed opposition trade accusation of breaching the truce on daily basis.
(ST)
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