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Yakani: SPLM-IO’s rejection of Tumaini is violation of commitments and delaying tactics

Author: Emmanuel J. Akile | Published: July 17, 2024

CEPO Director Edmund Yakani | Photo: Awan Moses/Eye Radio.

A civil society activist has criticized the SPLM-IO’s decision to reject and withdraw from the Tumaini initiative, describing it as a breach of the commitments made in the Declaration signed by the parties.

Edmond Yakani characterized the move as a delaying tactic that threatens to undermine efforts to restructure the pathway for political transition in the country.

Yesterday, the SPLM-In Opposition rejected the protocols of the Tumaini initiative and declared its withdrawal from the process, citing it has established alternative institutions to the 2018 peace accord.

According to the SPLM-IO Political Bureau, it deliberated on the Tumaini Protocols on Tuesday and found that besides repeating provisions of the R -ARCSS or laws, replacing or running to parallel with those of 2018.

The opposition says the initiative has what it says, arrogated to itself many roles including being a funder, a supervisor a coordinator, a convener of a donor conference, a funder manager, a monitor of the agreement, a guarantor and a governing authority.

It also said the Tumaini undermines the sovereignty of South Sudan by establishing five institutions with the regional body IGAD, appointing the heads and deputies.

These include the Security Supervision Mechanism, Ceasefire Transitional Security Arrangements Monitoring Mechanism, Reconstituted Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission, National Transitional Committee, and Strategic Defense and Security Review Board to be co-chaired by the parties to the 2018 agreement.

Meanwhile, the SPLM-IO said the proposed National Leadership Council whose decision shall be final and not subject to approval by the Cabinet or Legislature has usurped the powers of the Presidency, Council of Ministers, the National Legislature and the National Security Council.

Reacting to the move, Edmond Yakani – the Executive Director of Community Empowerment for Progress Organization – criticizes the SPLM-IO saying it is undermining peace in the country.

“IO is part of R-TGoNU, withdrawal of IO by itself weakens the position of the R-TGoNU,” he said

Yakani urged the First Vice President Dr Riek Machar to sort out the matter and leadership of the mediation to respond to the concerns of the SPLM-IO officially.

“Therefore, as an activist, I would like to urge H.E. First Vice President to sit and sort out some of these concerns that he has raised at the level of R-TGoNU because in the Tumaini here they came as R-TGoNU.

“I’m quite sure from day one, right from the reconstitution, or establishment of the government delegation, in which IO has three slots, they know the intended purpose of the Tumaini initiative.

“But also we are asking the leadership of the mediation to respond to the concerns of the SPLM-IO officially.

“Secondly, the principle of withdrawal from the Tumaini initiative, it is a violation of the commitment of declaration which R-TGoNU commits itself into it and which Io is part of R-TGoNU,” he added

Edmond Yakani has also described the move by SPLM-IO to withdraw from the Tumaini initiative as delayed tactics that undermine the restructuring of the pathway for a political transition in the country.

He added that withdrawal sends a signal that some leaders are not for the interest of the common citizens.

“My question is, with your political grievances that you have, for how long do you want our citizens to suffer from this man-made political instability in the country.

“Can we take responsibility and avail to the citizens stability and peace than complicating things, and then taking things in a manner that, if mine is not responded to, if mine is not favored, then the political transition in South Sudan must be questioned.”

Currently, there are three representatives of SPLM-IO in the unity government delegation participating in the Nairobi peace talks.

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