Economist Peter Biar says Kiir, Machar ‘should exit together’

JUBA – Exiled South Sudan Economist Peter Biar Ajak has said that the only meaningful way to the world’s youngest country from the ongoing crisis is through the removal of President Salva Kiir Mayardit and his first deputy Dr. Riek Machar Teny from power and advance of young people to power.

Biar who shared a four-year-old discussion at a Kenyan television channel in which he said that the young people in South Sudan should take charge of the country in order for the heavily divided society to peacefully co-exist, said he still believe that removal of Kiir and Machar is the only way to save the country.

“I shared this presentation four years ago,” he said of the roundtable discussion at the Kenyan television in which he said that there is need for the two men to hand over power to the young people to rescue South Sudan.

“I still passionately believe it is the only meaningful way out of South Sudan’s crisis. Salva Kiir, and Riek Machar should exit [power] together,” Biar, who was once detained by the National Security Service on claims that he was inciting the public against the government, added.

‘HELP END VIOLENCE KIIR-MACHAR RULE’

In February, Biar urged the international community to help end President Salva Kiir Mayardit’s regime by forcing on his government elections that he said should be protected by the United Nations peacekeepers already deployed in the world’s youngest country.

“These peacekeepers could be deployed across polling stations,” he said of the United Nations peacekeeping force in South Sudan. “The key will be to keep the number of polling stations small – so enough peacekeepers are available at each of them – while providing sufficient time for voters to make their way there.”

The economist said “There are 79 counties in South Sudan, including the contested region of Abyei. If each county is allocated five polling stations, this will give a total of 395 sites. And if each polling station is protected by 30 well-equipped, well-trained troops, this means 11,850 peacekeepers would be required in total. Remaining forces could be organized into mobile units that patrol other areas, particularly in highly contested regions.

“To accommodate the limited number of polling stations, voting could be allowed to take place over three to five days. Once the voting is complete, the counting could take place within each polling station in the presence of the peacekeepers, journalists, regional and international elections observers, and the representatives of political parties.

“To minimize fraud, the results could be announced at each polling station, in accordance with the 2012 National Elections Act, and aggregated at county, state, and national levels. That way, maximum confidence in the integrity of the results can be ensured.”