IGAD urged to bring SPLA-IO rivals to negotiating table

JUBA – The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) which mediated the revitalized peace agreement has been urged by a local activist to intervene in ongoing violent confrontations between SPLA-IO factions which observers see as a threat to viability of the 2018 peace deal.

SPLM-IO had split on August 3, 2021 after its former military chief, General Simon Gatwech Dual, attempted to remove First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar Teny as leader of the SPLM-IO following a three-day gathering of top SPLA-IO commanders in northern Upper Nile’s Magenis.

Gatwech has accused Machar of surrendering to the regime in Juba at the expense of opposition forces who have complained of repeated attacks by forces loyal to President Salva Kiir Mayardit despite the signing of the revitalized peace agreement which ended the civil war in 2020.

This week, fighting between the two SPLA-IO factions resulted in the killing of two opposition commanders loyal to Gen. Gatwech as well as 20 other soldiers from both sides with Gen. Gatwech’s forces accusing Machar’s loyalist of initiating the fighting.

Yesterday, thousands of armed youth who previously fought during the civil war alongside Machar declaring their allegiance to General Gatwech, accusing Machar of initiating deadly war between sections of the Nuer community which they said will be exploited by the government in Juba.

In an interview with the Juba-based Eye Radio on Friday, activist Edmund Yakani said IGAD should intervene to thwart further escalation, which appears to be inevitable, between the two SPLA-IO leaders saying it may undermine the implementation of the 2018 peace agreement.

“We feel IGAD has the responsibility to quickly call the two principles for a round table discussion to stop confrontation and handle their differences in a nonviolent manner. It’s high time that the IGAD is required here to intervene,” Yakani said.

“The top leaders of the two groups, SPLA-IO under Dr. Riek Machar and SPLA – IO allied to Gen. Gatwech Dual, the two principles to find an amicable solution to their differences in a negotiating manner rather than a confrontation manner,” he added.