SPLM-IO infighting, splits undermine peace process – group

JUBA – A South Sudan advocacy group has raised concerns that escalating infighting between various Sudan People’s Liberation Movement in Opposition (SPLM-IO) factions in recent months is undermining the implementation of the revitalized peace agreement signed with the government of President Salva Kiir Mayardit in 2018.

Since August last year, fighting has also been ongoing in several villages of northern Upper Nile state’s Magenis, the headquarters of the breakaway SPLM-IO Kitgwang faction, between General Gatwech’s forces and those who are still loyal to First Vice President Machar who has maintained that General Gatwech’s actions are being designed by the government of President Salva Kiir.

Last week, fierce fighting was reported between SPLA-IO forces loyal to First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar Teny and those loyal to former SPLA-IO chief of staff General Simon Gatwech Dual in Nasir County of Upper Nile state in which several opposition officers on both sides were allegedly killed, according to officials there.

Early this week, a senior commander of the SPLA-IO, General Tito Biel Wich, declared that he was defecting from the Machar-led SPLM-IO and joining the South Sudan People’s Defense Forces after what he called Joknyang Declaration. But this morning, he said he has decided to join the Kitgwang faction under Gatwech to fight for the implementation of the revitalized peace deal.

In a statement this morning, the Community Empowerment for Progress Organization (CEPO) said the tensions and infighting within the SPLM-IO undermine the implementation of the revitalized peace agreement and called on the various factions within the group to resolve their differences in a manner that does not affect the 2018 peace agreement.

“This week clashes among the rivaling factions of the SPLA-IO namely Kitgwang-SPLA-Io faction and SPLA-IO faction allied First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar Teny, sparking the clashed in some parts of Longechuk and Nasir counties. This came as results of continuous tensions among the SPLA-IO that leads to regular defections from SPLA-IO to SSPDF,” the CEPO said in the statement extended to Sudans Post.

“Community Empowerment for Progress Organization consider all these actions as violation of the R-ARCSS and actions that undermines the genuine implementation of R-ARCSS for successful transitioning from violence to peace especially the lifespan of the R-ARCSS is coming into end on 22nd February, 2023. Serious change of political attitudes is required in now for successful transition from the current situation to the situation of witnessing political stability,” the statement added.

Edmund Yakani, Executive Director of CEPO says “the continuous tensions among the SPLA-IO require urgent intervention from the region and especially the office of the IGAD Special Envoy to South Sudan. The frictions among the SPLA-IO rivaling factions are posting real threat for securing peace and stability through the implementation of R-ARCSS.”

Yakani said “the trend of defections among the SPLA-IO is dangerous and risk for the political process of transitioning from violence to peace through R-ARCSS implementation. It is serious time for the leadership of SPLA-IO takes responsibility of putting their house in an order.”

He said the “IGAD Special Envoy to South Sudan should try to attempt to do something for resolving the tension among the SPLA-IO factions. This trend of actions among the factions of the SPLA-IO undermining the transitional security arrangements is risk and threat. Whoever is facilitating these actions is doing more harm on the process for securing successful transitioning from violence to peace. The act of defections should be discouraged by the parties since it is undermining the transitional security arrangements.”

The statement further said the advocacy group “is urging the parties to the R-ARCSS to renew their pledge for genuine implementation of the R-ARCSS for better political transitioning from violence to peace.”