Kiir has dishonored Khartoum peace deal, says Gatwech’s faction

JUBA – South Sudan’s holdout opposition commander and leader of the breakaway SPLM/SPLA (IO) Kitgwang faction Gen. Simon Gatwech Dual has accused President Kiir, once again, of dishonoring the Khartoum peace agreement signed in January this year.

Gatwech and a group of representatives of President Kiir’s SPLM-IG signed an agreement in the Sudanese capital Khartoum last January providing for the integration of the SPLA-IO Kitgwang forces into the South Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF) in three months.

But the agreement has not however been implemented with Gatwech accusing President Kiir’s allies of causing disunity among the rank and file of the Kitgwang faction after the government integrated a number of soldiers belonging to Olony into the South Sudan People’s Defense Forces.

In a communiqué released following a three-day meeting in the Sudanese capital Khartoum, Gatwech said the SPLM-IG has dishonored the agreement as well as calls for justice, reconciliation and unhindered implementation of the agreement.

“The SPLM- IG has renegaded on a call for justice, reconciliation, and unhindered and holistic implementation of Khartoum peace agreement signed between the SPLM/A IO Kitgwang and SPLM-IG on 16 January 2022,” the communiqué reads in part.

The communiqué further endorsed the “formation of high level committee comprised of political and military leaders to review and amend the four (4) basic documents of SPLM/A (IO)” and confirmed “the compatibility and mutual working relations between the army and political leaders to achieve our goals of freedom, equality and justice for all persons in South Sudan.”

While recommitting themselves to “liberation, justice and freedom for all the beloved people of South Sudan,” the holdout opposition leaders welcomed back “all SPLM/A IO cadres and officers deliberately taken to Juba by former chairman and commander in chief Dr. Riek Machar before implementation of a proper security arrangement.”