Machar ally says time is for revitalized peace deal not Arusha reunification accord

JUBA – A senior member of the main armed opposition SPLM-IO has said that the time is for implementation of the revitalized peace agreement signed in 2018, and not for the implementation of the Arusha reunification accord.

The remarks by Dut Majokdit, a close ally of First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar and chairperson of the Relief and Rehabilitation Commission (RRC) for Northern Bahr el Ghazal State, comes more than a week after Kiir fired Machar and Pagan Amum from the mother SPLM party.

The SPLM fractured into several factions in December 2013, with Machar ending up leading the SPLM-IO, Kiir leading the SPLM-IG, and Pagan Amum initially leading the SPLM-FDs before forming a new one, Real-SPLM party.

In a statement, Majokdit said the SPLM faction under First Vice President Machar is aware that the reunification agreement has been frustrated and there is need for its implementation, but then said the parties should give priority to the implementation of the revitalized peace agreement.

“Arusha Agreement is already in ICU but Let’s not buried the dead thing before we demonstrate the political will to resolve the outstanding issues and implement what was signed in good faith instead of wasting time on the issues that are unnecessary at the time that we need peace and Stability for our people towards democratic elections as the end game,” he added.

He said the reunification process of the party should take place at the end of the successful implementation of the peace deal after which the country is set to go for elections.

“This thing called reunification process to resurrect the Arusha shall take place after the implementation of the Peace Agreement,” he said.