SPLA-IO praised for dispatching screening teams to training centers

JUBA – South Sudan’s main armed Sudan People’s Liberation Army in Opposition (SPLA-IO) led by the country’s First Vice President, Dr. Riek Machar, has been eulogized for dispatching its components of committees to training centers to screen and reorganize its forces to prepare for graduation.

Speaking during the Ceasefire Transitional Security Arrangements and Verification Mechanism (CTSAMVM) Technical Committee Meeting in Juba on Thursday, Maj. Gen. Teshome Gemechu Aderie, head of the ceasefire body, said screening of the forces is a good step in the implementation of security arrangements.

“We note that the leadership of the SPLM/A-IO has resolved to dispatch its components of the committees to the training centers to screen and re-organize the SPLM/A-IO forces without waiting for the required resources,” Gemechu said at Thursday’s meeting in Juba.

Gemechu reaffirmed the ceasefire body’s readiness to assist the SPLA-IO with logistical means.

“CTSAMVM stands ready to assist with air transport if the names of the screening teams are provided in advance for vetting,” he said.

CTSAMVM chief disclosed that the work of the Joint Defense Board (JDB) a body responsible for assessing the situation in training centers has been halted due to financial constraints.

“Regarding the training centers, CTSAMVM has observed little positive progress. The three regional committees of the JDB responsible for assessing the situation in training centers in order to start processing the forces for graduation have yet to start because of resources,” he said.

According to the 2018 peace deal, the unified forces – composed of oppositions and government forces were supposed to be graduated before the end of the pre-transitional period which ended in February 2020 with the appointment of Dr. Machar as First Vice President.

The forces were to take charge of security during the ongoing transitional period in the country.

The graduation and unification of the army has been delayed with government officials citing lack of funding and existing arms embargo imposed by the United Nations Security Council as an obstacle which resulted in lack of arms for graduating the unified army.