Machar ally urges IGAD to intervene over continued harassment by security agencies

JUBA – A senior member of South Sudan’s main armed opposition Sudan People’s Liberation Movement in Opposition (SPLM-IO) is appealing to the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) to intervene after the security agencies in Juba shut down publishing agencies printing banners and T-shirts for the main armed opposition group.

In a statement on Monday morning, senior deputy SPLM-IO chairman and first deputy speaker of South Sudan parliament said he has credible reports indicating that the National Security Service (NSS) is shutting down businesses are contracted by the SPLM-IO to print banners, T-shirts and logos for the group.

For his part, Dut Majokdit, a senior member of the SPLM-IO and Chairperson of Relief and Rehabilitation Commission (RRC) for Northern Bahr el Ghazal state said the practice by the security agencies in Juba is an indication that there is no political space in the country and called the IGAD to intervene to address it by pressuring SPLM-IO peace partners in committing to peace implementation.

“Shutting down of the agencies that are printing SPLM (IO) T-shirts and banners in Juba by the security is a clear indication that there is no political space in the country,” he said.

“I urge the IGAD and guarantors to put more pressure on the Parties to implement the Revitalized Peace Agreement in letter and spirit,” he added.

He said “premature campaign for the elections should not be the focus before the Agreement is implemented by the Parties otherwise it’s all a political deception to call for elections without the implementation of the Agreement. There is need for the graduation of the unified forces.”