Who is Violating the Comprehensive “Cessation of Hostilities” Agreement in South Sudan?
By PaanLuel Wël
Malakal city, the headquarters of the oil-producing state of Upper Nile, is under attack from the SPLM-in-O rebel forces led by Dr. Riek Machar. Major General Gathoth Gatkuoth, the rebel commander in Upper Nile State, in a press statement earlier this month, had rejected the ceasefire agreement between the rebel and the government, arguing, “…we cannot make a deal with someone who have massacred his own citizens.”
According to the government’s army spokesperson, Col. Aguer Panyaang, the rebel forces under the command of Maj. Gen. Gathoth attacked Malakal from three directions: North, South and East. Those from the East managed to reach the town center, Aguer said, and the government forces “are preparing to flush out” the rebel forces from the town.
Aguer claim that the rebel commander in the area, Maj. Gen. Gathoth, have been mobilizing the white army from around Ayod, Ulang, Nasir, and Northern Waat areas in preparation for the battle on Malakal and with the ultimate goal of advancing on the oilfields so as to cripple the government by denying it petro-dollars.
On South Sudan TV (SSTV) this evening (18 February 2014), Ateny Wek Ateny, the presidential press secretary, told the nation that the rebel forces have been flushed out of town this afternoon, and the SPLA is in full control of the whole town. Rebel sources however dispute the government version of events and are maintaining that they are in absolute control of the city.
Both Aguer and Ateny, the government side, have presented the attack on Malakal city as a flagrant violation of the ‘Cessation of Hostilities’ agreement that was signed last month (28 January 2014) between the government and the rebels after long delayed and serious fighting on the ground that caused massive displacement of civil populations, death and destruction on both sides.
Susan Page on behalf of Obama’s administration and the UK’s representative both condemned the rebel attack on Malakal as a serious violation of the ceasefire agreement between the two warring parties.
But is the attack on Malakal the first violation of the ceasefire agreement? No, because the government captured Leer, the hometown of Dr. Riek in Unity state, on 2 Feb 2014, in spite of the Cessation of Hostilities agreement. Moreover, just immediately after the signing of the ceasefire treaty, the rebels had attacked the government position in Mathiang, on the outskirt of Bor.
And more tragically, around 36 people were mercilessly killed in Kolnyang by suspected rebel forces that are believed to have been deserters from SPLA 2nd Division station in Torit and Liria. Bor authorities, however, claimed that the attack was orchestrated by Murle raiders affiliated with the renegade rebel commander, David Yau Yau, who signed a peace accord with the government in the wake of the December 15th Military Uprising against President Salva Kiir Mayaardit.
While it is indeed a reprehensible act for the rebel to attack Malakal (and possibly the oilfields around Paloch that produce 90% of South Sudan oil) in the middle of the Peace Talks, the attack should rather be seen as an escalation in the ongoing series of violations of the ceasefire agreement by the two warring sides.
This attack came in the wake of government’s revelation that over 70% of the South Sudan national army—the SPLA—has defected to the rebel side, and on the same day that the rebels claimed to have attacked Warrap state, the state where the President comes from.
Malwal Ayom Door, the top SPLA commander in Gadiang, Jonglei state, which was recently taken by the government forces, claimed today that they have found proofs of a foreign government supplying the rebels with weapons and ammunition. This unnamed source is always a reference to Eritrea that is generally believed by Juba to be backing the rebellion.
The renewed violence threatens to put the ceasefire in jeopardy, leaving it in tatters and to stall the peace talks in Addis Ababa. However the government, in a move that should be appreciated by all the peace-loving South Sudanese, has decided to move ahead with the peace negotiations in spite of the attack on Malakal.
PaanLuel Wël, on behalf of the South Sudanese Bloggers (SSB) Team
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