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Juba rebels form federal units, elect Machar as commander

Saturday May 02 2015
EASudanIDPs

An internally displaced persons camp run by the UN in Juba. Many people in South Sudan still live in camps due to insecurity. AFP PHOTO | NICHOLE SOBECKI

South Sudanese rebels have created administrative units in the areas under their control in an attempt to bolster their proposal of dividing up the country into 21 federal units.

After their leadership conference in Pagak, the Sudanese People’s Liberation Movement-in–Opposition resolved that the areas under their control in Jonglei, Upper Nile and Unity States be divided into smaller units comprising former colonial districts.

The rebels, who control most parts of the three states except their capitals, have appointed governors, deputy governors, commissioners and other civil servants. The conference also appointed Dr Riek Machar, the commander-in-chief of the rebel-held areas. 

The SPLM-IO representative in Kenya, Adel Sandrai, told The EastAfrican: “We cannot just leave the people without services so we decided to set up administrative structures to give them education, health services and encourage them to engage in farming. Even though South Sudan is made up of 10 states, all these units have been experiencing inter-ethnic conflict due to competition for representation and government jobs. We believe that dividing the states into smaller units will help end these conflicts,” said Mr Sandrai.

However, South Sudan ambassador to Kenya Mariano Deng said that the decision by the rebels to divide some parts of the country into smaller units is a violation of the Constitution and further proof that the rebels are ready to go against the wishes of the people of South Sudan.

“The people have decided that the issue of federation will be addressed in the all-inclusive constitutional review structure. If they want federalism, they should submit their proposal to be considered by representatives chosen by the people,” he said.

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Mr Deng added that they have been allowed to hold these areas because of the government’s commitment to the Igad ceasefire agreement of January 2014 and that the rebels can lose these areas within weeks if the government decides to move against them.

The Pagak conference also resolved that the term of President Salva Kiir will come to an end on May 21 and that after that date, they will not recognise the president as democratically elected.

Mr Sandrai explained that according to the interim constitution, the government ought to have held elections in April after five years since the 2010 elections under one Sudan.

The rebels also called for the release of the report of African Union Commission of Inquiry on South Sudan conflict that was headed by former Nigerian president Olusegun Obasanjo. The AU Peace and Security Council in January decided to withhold the report to “give peace a chance” saying the report could inflame the situation further.

Igad chief mediator, Seyoum Mesfin, on Wednesday announced that the Igad-Plus process will include five countries—Algeria, Nigeria, Chad, South Africa and Rwanda—which were selected to directly participate in the peace process.

Other participants will include; European Union, the United Nations,  China and the Troika (the US, UK and Norway).

A South Sudan-based civil society group, the Community Empowerment for Progress Organisation (Cepo) welcomed the development but stressed that the AU and the international community must ensure that any agreement reached by the negotiating parties be enforced without delays.

Cepo executive director Edmund Yakani warned that any attempt to use the forum to leverage international interests will jeopardise the attainment of peace in South Sudan.

“The top priority of the citizens now is the stoppage of the war, respect and protection of humanitarian access, workers and property. South Sudanese civil society, religious leaders, youth and women are interested in making inputs to the peace process and should be given a hearing,” said Mr Yakani.

The talks broke down on March 6 when the two parties failed to agree on issues of security arrangements, a power-sharing formula and federalism.

The expanded process is meant to eliminate regional interests that have been an impediment to the progress of the South Sudan peace process in Ethiopia.

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