Yakani urges Kiir, Machar to intervene as political space shrinks in Aweil

JUBA – Prominent South Sudan activist Edmund Yakani has expressed concerns over the disagreements between SPLM-IO and SPLM-IG in Northern Bahr el Ghazal State after security forces attacked opposition officials twice in Aweil.

On Wednesday, SPLM-IO member and minister of youth and sports in Northern Bahr el Ghazal state was attacked along with his entourage by Aweil center commissioner who slapped him and warned him against moving around in the county.

Yesterday, an SPLM-IO preparatory activity for launch of the group’s state secretariat in Northern Bahr el Ghazal was attacked by security forces who stormed the event and destroyed tents being erected for the launch of the party secretariat in Aweil.

In a statement, Yakani who is the Executive Director of Community Empowerment for Progress Organization (CEPO) said he is disturbed by the developments in Northern Bahr el Ghazal between the main signatories of the agreement.

“CEPO is disturbed by the demonstration of lack of honor of the presidency instructions or directives to governors, chief administrators and commissioners on opening of the political and civic space in accordance to the spirit of implementing the R-ARCSS following the today political crisis between the County Commissioner of Aweil Centre County in delaying the SPLM-IO political space to conduct their party event,” Yakani said.

“This negative development in Aweil Centre against the SPLM-IO is seriously condemned. This is clear undermining of the presidency instructions on opening of political space communicated by the Hon Minister of presidential affairs dated 22^nd October 2022,” he added.

Yakani said the “as the parties by consensus agreed to adopted the roadmap for the implementation of the Pending tasks of the R-ARCSS, now we are raising of violations of the roadmap spirit. The parties were sincerely to each and no deficit in trust and confidence we could not witnessed this raise in restriction of political and civic space. How can we talk of ownership of the roadmap and renewal of pledged foe genuine implementation for the peace agreement if we are deeply restricting political and civic space.

“The presidency should effectively response to the violation of their recent directives or instructions on opening night of political and civic space by the governors, chief administrators and commissioners. It is political indiscipline to undermine the directives of presidency that was officially communicated by the Hon. minister of Presidential Affairs.

Holding violators of the 22nd October 2022 presidency instructions on opening political and civic space is essential. The incidence of arresting party members like of the SPLM in Panyijiar dated 29 October, 2022, denying SPLM-IO political space in Aweil Centre dated 17 November 2022 including others is clearly demonstration of no change in political attitudes from Negative to positive towards each other,” he stressed.