Dr. Riek Machar who is the commander in chief of the SPLM in Opposition was detained in South African for almost two years but Ethiopian Prime Minister thought this could be the best chance if the two leaders were to meet again. Before the meeting, consultation was stopped in order to let the two meet but the Government position is odd to what was expected. According to the video posted on social media by various outlets the copy which SBS Dinka obtained. South Sudanese Minister of Information and the official spokesperson for the Government said that President Kiir is not ready to work with Riek.
“However, one outstanding point that needs to be clarified to the people of South Sudan is that President Salva Kiir is not ready in any way to work again with Riek Machar in the next transitional period. This is simply because we have had enough of him. Since 1991, 2013, 2016, all these are problems caused by Dr. Riek Machar to the people of South Sudan.”
Until now, there is no any credible report that has surfaced to qualify the position of the South Sudanese government on the alleged coup on Dec 15, 2013, yet the Government in insist with the narrative. Standing behind Kiir and Micheal Makuei was Ezekiel Lol Gatkuoth, the former member of SPLM/IO and now the Minister of Petroleum in Government of the transitional Government of National unity which was formed after the 2016 fighting. Lol was arrested in 2013 and he was among the last four who were taken to court in Juba. The four were taken to court with various charges and they were accused of taking part in the alleged coup. Lol conducted an interview in 2014 where he accused President Kiir of killing 20 thousand civilians in Juba. When asked what he and his boss Riek Machar were fighting for Lol said.
“We are not for war, we don’t even want this war from the beginning. My chairman Dr. Riek Machar, I and the rest of the leadership team in the SPLM were calling for reforms. If Salva could have allowed democracy to take place, we would not have had this war. But now the war is imposed on us. Yes, Salva is a dictator and he has tune South Sudan into a police State. He lost legitimacy because if look at him now, he as to use a foreign force to maintain him. ”
Lol, however, switched sides in 2016 when SPLM/IO split into two with Taban joining the Government and Riek group returning to war after the fatal battle in Juba in July of 2016. The former members of SPLM/IO have now teamed up with their former foes to face Dr. Riek and his delegation at the negotiation table. Despite the level of suffering in the country, a return of Riek to the Government has seen a threat to the position of Taban Deng Gai who is now the First Vice President. If Riek the HLRF was to be successful, Riek could resumes his seat as the country first vice President but that what the Government doesn’t want to see happening again. The Government through the Minister of information steps up the attack on Riek in this statement by Miceal Makuei.
“So many people lost their lives, so many people are refugees, so many people are displaced and we don’t want that scenario to repeat itself again. So his Excellency the President is saying, ‘yes, Riek Machar is welcome is South Sudanese citizen, he can come to South Sudan but he will not be working with him in the, would be the transitional Government of National Unity. If Riek Machar is for peace really, he should be the person to convince himself and say, ‘I have done enough damage for my people and as such, I should distance myself and give peace the chance.”
The conflict of July 8, 2016, is another string being full by both parties in the middle. Dr. Riek in his interview while in the bushes around Juba blame a third party for trying to kill them with Kiir. As days went and Riek was already moving toward Congo, the Government blame the incident on his bodyguards as the first people who started shooting while the President and his two Vice Presidents were meeting inside the Presidential Palace (J1). Michael Makuei repeated the same argument that Kiir is for peace but that doesn’t mean he will work with Dr. Riek Machar.
“So, the fact that President Salva Kiir is saying yes for peace but not to work with Riek Machar again is the statement of fact because we don’t want to have another J1. We don’t want to have another fight and the people of South Sudan now and Juba in particular scared. And they are saying, ‘if Riek Machar comes back to Juba again, we are deserting Juba’. We don’t want Juba to be deserted and we want the Government of South Sudan to continue and we want our people to continue in peace and harmony and Riek Machar to wait for elections.”
This is our position but for sake of peace, you can agree with anybody. What Riek Machar has done to the people of South Sudan, he may be forgiven but cannot be forgotten. If this will bring peace to South Sudan then President Salva is ready for that. It is not Salva to forgive him but the people of South Sudan that will forgive him not President Salva Kiir. Because of the damage he did, he didn’t do it to Salva alone but he did it to the people of South Sudan and they are the one to forgive him.
Until now it was not clear on who detained Dr. Riek in South African but the statement by Minister Makuei confirmed the position of the Government of South Sudan. President Kiir once proposed that Riek be taken to Nigeria or any other country and the exact statement was repeated in Addis Ababa by Minister Micheal Makuei.
“When Salva Kiir agreed that Riek Machar should come here, the agreement between him (Kiir) and the Prime Minister was that as soon as they finished the meeting, Riek Machar goes back to South African but as of now, his status seems to be under discussion by the summit. So, we will know what will be the final position of the summit but our position has been that if not so then the decision of the heads of IGAD states and Governments should be implemented. If he is not going to South Africa then he should be in one of the State which is not a member of IGAD and not neighboring South Sudan. This is it, but for him to be here, this will not be in favour of peace for South Sudan.”
Early in June, UN Security Council gave warring parties one month to find a working solution or face tougher sanctions. The meeting of Riek and Kiir was seen by many a gesture to peace but the position of the Government stated by Michael Makuei would harden the opposition to insist with their demands.
