South Sudan's English Daily Newspaper
"We Dare where others fear"
By Awan Achiek
Eight diplomatic missions in South Sudan on Thursday called for the immediate release of all political detainees, to pave way for constructive dialogue to defuse ongoing tensions, stemming from clashes in March between the South Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF) and the White Army militia in Nasir.
The embassies of France, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, the United Kingdom, and the United States and the European Union in a joint statement expressed deep concern over the continued politically driven violence in the country.
“We reaffirm their concern over continued politically driven violence in South Sudan, repeated violations of the ceasefire, and the absence of visible efforts by the transitional government to restore and maintain peace,” they said.
The statement follows the arrest in March of First Vice President and Chairman of the opposition Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-In Opposition (SPLM-IO) Riek Machar Teny Dhurgon, Gen. Gabriel Duop Lam, former SSPDF Deputy Chief of Defense Forces, Puot Kang Chol, Minister of Petroleum and other SPLM-IO officials.
The transitional unity government led by President Salva Kiir accuses the detainees of having links with the White Army, which overran the SSPDF garrison last month and killed 27 soldiers and a general.
The embassies urged Kiir and Machar to engage in direct dialogue as a confidence-building measure to resolve the ongoing violence in Africa’s youngest nation.
“The embassies and the delegation reaffirm their call for the release of political detainees to permit the immediate resumption of direct dialogue among leaders of all parties, including President Kiir and First Vice President Machar,” they said.
They also called for the immediate rescheduling of the postponed meeting the Revatalized Joint Monitoring Evaluation Commission (RJMEC).
“The postponed 40th session of the Revitalized Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission should be rescheduled without delay and should focus on the critical challenges to peace. There should be no unilateral actions that further jeopardize the 2018 peace agreement,” they said.
The group called on political leaders to urgently meet their obligations and demonstrate that their priority is peace.
On 26 March, an armed convoy led by top security officials, including the defense minister, entered Machar’s residence in Juba at night, and disarmed his bodyguards.
Machar, is currently under house arrest alongside his wife, Angelina Teny, the Minister of Interior, according to party officials.
