The US government has condemned the statement of the former First Vice President Dr Riek Machar, declaring that his group will wage war against what its calls the violation of the peace agreement.

This week, Dr Riek, who leads a faction of the SPLM in Opposition, announced in Khartoum that he would reorganize his forces to fight the government.

He left Juba in July, after a clash that started at the presidential palace, J1, between his troops and those of the president. He was replaced with Taban Deng Gai as the First Vice President.

In a meeting in Khartoum last week, IO leaders under Dr Riek Machar resolved that there were contradiction in the concepts and principles of freed and justice that shall guarantee peace in South Sudan.

In aposition-paper signed by Dr Riek Machar last Friday, the members said that the people of South Sudan should prepare for a long term armed resistance because of these contradictions.

These include socio-economic and cultural underdevelopment.

But the US State Department says the violence of the past few years in South Sudan has proven that fighting will not resolve the conflict.

In a stament in Washinton DC yesterday, the department’s spokesperson, John Kirby, said there is no excuse for armed resistance.

Mr Kirby says the US expects all parties to avoid violence at all costs and implement the peace agreement.
“We’ve seen those statements and strongly condemn them; a statement calling for a return to war is basically what he did. The past two and a half years have proven that fighting is not going to resolve the underlying political disputes that led to conflict in the first place,” Mr Kirby said.

“We find it inexcusable that he would continue to promote armed resistance. It indicates a lack of concern for the well-being of the South Sudanese people, millions of whom continue to struggle just to survive and just as much want to see peace,” he said.

“So as we’ve always said, the United States expects that the transitional government and all parties, including all leaders of the opposition in South Sudan, will avoid violence at all costs and implement the peace agreement.”

The statement coincided with a press conference by the ruling SPLM in Juba, calling upon members of the international community not support groups that could cause further instability in South Sudan.

For his part, the spokesperson of Dr Riek Machar said they are surprised with the position of the US government.

James Gatdet says his group is being compelled to resist the government.

“We are surprised by the unfortunate statement from the spokesperson in the US State Department because,” Mr Gatdet told Eye Radio.

“First of all we have not declared war on President Salva Kiir, what we are saying is that President Salva Kiir has violated the peace agreement. The peace agreement itself has collapsed, so what we said was that given this situation we are compel to resist the forces of President Salva Kiir,” he said.

“There is no well-being in South Sudan now under this peace which has been manipulated. We are surprise by this and we did not expect it from the US government.”

Nearly two weeks ago, a panel of experts from the UN Security Council released a report stating that the biggest threats to the peace agreement in South Sudan are internal, and result from the actions and policies of both the government and the SPLM in Opposition.

Last week, the UN Undersecretary for Peacekeeping, said there was need for the former First Vice president, Dr. Riek Machar to be included in the process of the implementation of the peace agreement.