SPLM-IO withdraws from R-JMEC, says use of proxies by Kiir means return to war

JUBA – South Sudan’s main armed opposition Sudan People’s Liberation Movement in Opposition (SPLM-IO) led by First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar Teny has this afternoon pulled out of peace monitoring mechanism, Reconstituted Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission (R-JMEC) to protest continued attacks from the South Sudan army and its proxies.

This comes just a day after forces belonging to South Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF) in Maiwut attacked and captured an SPLA-IO base. Fighting is ongoing as of this afternoon in areas around Maiwut and Longechuk as militia commanders integrated into South Sudan People’s Defense Forces launched attacks on several SPLA-IO cantonment sites.

In a statement, SPLA-IO military chief Gen. Gabriel Duop Lam said his group “been presenting violations of Cessation of hostilities Agreement (COHA) made by our Peace Partner (IG, NSS and SSPDF) in various CTSAMM and R-JMEC (Forums) Plenary Meetings since the beginning of the Implementation of the Transitional Security Agreements (TSA).”

The statement extended to Sudans Post said there are continued “attacks on the SPLM/SPLA-IO areas, Cantonment Sites and the Unified Forces Training Centers: The unprovoked attacks on the SPLM/SPLA-IO areas by the IG NSS and SSPDF had been an ongoing throughout the duration of the Agreement as illustrated by the attacks on the following places: Morota Training Center in Keji-Koje County, Kaljaak Training Center in Rubkona County, Turu Cantonment Site in Maiwut County, Liengji Cantonment Site in Maban County, Pieri Cantonment Site in Uror County, Namatina Cantonment Site in Najero County, Mir-Mir Cantonment Site in Koch County, and recently (March 20, 2022) where the SSPDF Forces from Pagak, attacked, captured and occupied the SPLM/SPLA-IO GHQ of Jiokow in Maiwut County.”

It accused the SPLM-IG under President Salva Kiir Mayardit of ‘facilitation and the encouragement of defections” and which the group said has been “used by the SPLM-IG as a proxy war that results into violent clashed and displacement of civilian population in the affected areas mentioned above.”

“The use of the defected Officers/soldiers by the SPLM-IG against SPLM/SPLA-IO amount to continuation of war with destructive results to the civil population in the areas affected by this destructive policy,” it added.

The statement said “In most of the Security Mechanisms Meetings, the members of the Security Mechanism from the SPLM-IG (SDSR, JDB, JTSC, JMCC, etc) attends these meetings irregularly and sometime sent Officers who are not members of the Security Mechanisms to represent them in these meetings. Only members of the Security Mechanisms from the Oppositions (SPLM/SPLA-10 and SSOA) usually participate in these crucial meetings.”

“We therefore, see no point in participating in none productive meetings where issues are raised but not resolved. As such, we are stopping our participating in the R-JMEC meetings from today, March 22, 2022, until the above issues are addressed. We see no logical reasons to participate in meetings when our areas are under attacks from our peace partner without action from those mandated to hold them accountable for such violations.”