November 21, 2019(Nyamilepedia) — Mama Rebecca Nyandeng, widow of late Dr. John Garang de Mabior and one of the candidates for the 4 slots of Vice President, calls on the United Nations to provide optional security for the leader of the SPLM/A(IO), Dr. Riek Machar Teny, to return to Juba to participate in formation of the Revitalized Transitional Government of National Unity on November 12th, 2019.
Hon. Nyandeng, who represents a portion of the divided SPLM-Leaders or Former Political Detainees also known as “Garang Boys” in the expected RTGNU, said she was a witness to what happened to Dr. Riek in 2016 and she therefore sympathizes that Machar has a point to be protected.
“He talks about what happened in 2016, I was a witness. But these things cannot hinder the peace process or the implementation of the agreement,” Nyandeng during the recent meeting between the signatories and members of the UNSC.
Mama Rebecca believes that it is not important to keep the people of South Sudan waiting for one man’s security stressing that another extension for six months will only keep the people of South Sudan hungry.
“For Dr. Riek to say that we have to extend six months, people of South Sudan cannot be kept in suspension when they are hungry.
“I’m appealing to the UN to offer security to Dr. Riek when he is here.” She concludes.
Nyandeng was seconding a proposal by one of the members of the UNSC who suggested that the United Nations can provide security for Dr. Riek Machar.
“If any leader needs security, we will give security. The United Nations can provide security, so the major question was security. The government says we are committed, any number of people for protection is available,” Said the South African Ambassador to the United Nations, Jerry Matthews Matjila
The South African thinks the “remaining problems” are not so huge and can be discussed when the new RTGNU government is formed.
“We don’t anticipate that the remaining problems are so huge to not able South Sudan to move to November 12,” Matjila said.
Reiterating Matthew’s remarks, the US Ambassador to the United Nations Kelly Craft, said she is disappointed by Dr. Riek Machar’s remarks that said the SPLM/A(IO) do not want to return the country to war.
“We are disappointed by a statement from Dr. Riek Machar that the ceasefire would be in jeopardy when the unity government is formed by November 12” Said Kelly Craft
The SPLM/A(IO) Position
On the other hands, the SPLM/A(IO) leaders argue that it is not about protecting Dr. Riek Machar or other VIPs but ensuring that the civilians centers are demilitarized, that the army is cantoned, merged and trained first before forming a another shaky government.
Dr. Machar believes that the situation is highly volatile and therefore it is not wise to form a government when the required mechanisms such security arrangement, constitutional amendment, state emergency, number and boundaries of states that should have been implemented within the first 8 months are not implemented 14 months later.
“We in the SPLM-IO won’t be there because we don’t want to put the country into crisis,” Machar said. This is because “The aspect needed for the establishment of such a government is not there.”
Although more attention was on Dr. Riek Machar, who has a lion share in term of military and political control, many other opposition leaders such as Dr. Lam Akol of NDM, Gen. Paul Malong, Pagan Amum and other leaders of the Real SPLM have rejected the call to form the government in November this year.
“Today, we are in October discussing the same two issues: security arrangements and the number of States in the country,” Dr. Lam Akol said.
“We saw and lived what happened when these issues were glossed over not long ago. We get amazed when some people tell us that these matters can wait to be resolved after the TGoNU is formed,” Akol added.
