SPLM-IO Students’ League Responds To President Salva Kiir’s 28 States

By Gattuor Kier,

Jan 25, 2016 (Nyamilepedia) —- The creation of 28 states is seen as a mechanism that would delay the implementation of peace agreement signed by the warring parties to the conflict and also viewed as the major obstacle of violating the peace agreement.

The body of the SPLM-IO Students’ League, strongly and no uncertain terms, condemns the creation and implementation of 28 states; the act of creating the 28 states is provocative move by the government will derail peace agreement and will moreover cause permanent land disputes in South Sudan as many communities’ parts of their land were given to other communities. The creation of 28 states is going to cause more disagreements and conflicts among South Sudanese communities.

Our position, as the unified and diverse body, on creation of 28 states is the total rejection of the tribal policy crafted by president’s tribe to grab land from neighboring communities. The SPLM-IO Students’ League always believes in the implementation of peace that have been signed by the SPLM-IO and the government last year; we will always stand against any attempt, such as 28 states, that would derail peace and that would divide the people of South Sudan.

The SPLM-IO Students’ League is here to urge international community and peace loving nations to intervene so to break the deadlock over the key sticking issues though the Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Mechanism (JMEC), which is tasked with overseeing implementation of the peace deal, had called several times on the SPLM-IO and Government of South Sudan to negotiate over the issue of 28 states to reach a solution.

We, the SPLM-IO Students’ League, also call on the IGAD, JMEC, AU, TROIKA & the International community to pressurize the regime to implement the agreement as it was signed and hold accountable those who are problem to peace.

We urge all parties to the conflict to make immediate efforts to resolve this impasse and form the Transitional Government of National Unity (TGoNU) as soon as possible. It is time for leaders on all sides to put aside partisan bickering and prioritize the interest of the South Sudanese people who have suffered for more than two years in their country.

This peace agreement was signed in Addis Ababa and Juba respectively based on the existing 10 states. However the government after signing the agreement unilaterally dismantled the 10 states and created new 28 states although South Sudan National Legislative Assembly rejected the idea.

The Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM-IO) and other Opposition Parties criticized the move and objected the recognition of the newly created 28 states. The SPLM-IO Students’ League echoes the call of SPLM-IO and other Parties against the implementation of 28 states. We are here to abide by the peace agreement which has maintained 10 states.

President Kiir recently stated that he will not reverse his decision on 28 states, surprisingly calling it a “redline”. Like Kiir, Jieng Council of Elders, a brain behind 28 states, warned that reversing President Salva Kiir’s 28 states will be catastrophic. South Sudan is tribally divided into 28 new states from the constitutionally recognized 10, the new 28 states idea is the recipe for long war.

The catch phrases such as “redline: and “catastrophic” are not just mere words but declaration of war on Peace; the silence of IGAD and JMEC can be interpreted as lack of seriousness on implementation of peace.

The SPLM-IO Students’ League is have endorsed the idea of appointing five (5) Presidential Advisors; two of whom will be nominees of our SPLM-IO and the other three to be nominated by the Government of the Republic of South Sudan, and embraced the replacement of the parliamentary seats which fell vacant that they should be filled through process of bi-elections, not by appointment as proposed by government.

Gattuor Kier is the Chairman of The SPLM-IO Students’ League, he can be reached through gattuor75@gmail.com.

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