Bol Deng Bol, Executive Director of Intrepid South Sudan. (Courtesy)
In the wake of alleged clashes involving SSPDF and SPLA-IO forces in Western Equatoria State, a human rights activist has appealed to the Presidency to fully unify armed forces of the peace parties and ensure strict cantonment to prevent further violence.
The incident in Nagero County has seen spokespeople of the two military groups that were supposed to be harmonized – trade accusations of aggression amid allegations that ensuing insecurity left one motorcyclist dead and dozens of civilians displaced.
Army Spokesperson Maj. Gen. Lul Ruai Koang said SPLA-IO forces attacked SSPDF Infantry Brigade dismantling illegal checkpoints in Nagero.
Meanwhile, SPLA-IO Spokesperson Col. Lam Paul Gabriel, said the violence occurred as result of an aggressive attack by the army on their position outside Kubri-Bou and not as stated by his colleague.
Reacting to the situation, Bol Deng Bol, Executive Director of INTREPID South Sudan and also the Chairperson of Jonglei Civil Society Network, said unifying the forces is the only solution to the intermittent violence involving factions of the peace parties across the country.
“I want to urge the leadership of the country to ensure there’s a strict cantonments of all the forces that are supposed to be in cantonments,” he said.
Mr. Deng underscored that the 2018 peace agreement stipulates the training, graduation and deployment of 83,000 forces to ensure a peaceful environment for constitution-making and elections to take place.
“There is a need for this cantonments as we speak to prevent violence in Western Equatoria among the peace partners, those armed groups.”
“It is very, very important that this is put in place. And together with it, there is a need to complete the unification of all the forces that are not unified so far. This is to enhance accountability and proper control of this particular force.”
In an interview with Eye Radio on Sunday, SPLA-IO Spokesperson Col. Lam called for coordinated activities among the forces in different parts of the country to prevent such conflicts.
“I believe it is just because of misunderstanding or miscommunication that might have happened before regarding the letter,” he said.
“Even the directive was given for these forces to move out and also the proposal is that the SSPDF just need to also move their forces out. They just need to go and take a step back.”
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