Dr. Riek Machar or President Kiir: Who instigated the recent fighting in Juba?
8 min readBy Mok Dei Gual, London, UK
August 26, 2016 (SSB) — Before I started to examine some events happened after the signing of the August peace agreement between SPLM in Opposition and the government of South Sudan, therefore I want all readers to recall the speeches of the two leaders when signing the agreement proposal in Addis Ababa. The president Kiir started his speech by saying that, Iam the president of South Sudan and I must always remain in that position as the president, the leader of that country.
He worried about his position as the president instead of thinking about the sufferings of the citizens affected by the civil war in the country. Dr Machar also went on saying that by signing of this agreement, Iam sending the signal that, this conflict must be ended peacefully, I hope the other side will be serious for the implementation of this peace agreement. He believed in the implementation of the peace agreement and restoration of the permanent peace in the country as whole.
Starting of the process for implementation of the peace agreement.
The meeting held in Pagak for the leadership of SPLM IO to nominate those who believed to be an advance team. They were needed to arrive in Juba on time as the process for implementation of the peace agreement started. Most people were selected based on the counties level in the country. Some of them were appointed as the members of parliament according to proposal of the peace agreement for the leadership of SPLM IO to appoint some members of parliament. Dr Machar had also appointed the former SPLM IO Chief negotiator Taban Deng Gai as the leader of advance team and William Ezekiel as the advance team spokesperson.
On 24 December, 2015 the president Kiir had dissolved South Sudan 10 states and he had created 28 states as the first step for violating of the peace agreement signed by SPLM/A leaders. On the other hand, the Minister of information Michael Makuei Lueth used to informs the peace makers that, the government is not ready for accommodations of advance team till the first group of advance team arrived in Juba on December 31, 2015.
Therefore, Dr Machar had proposed 21 states based on British colonial districts in the country but his suggested states were refused to be inclusive in the peace agreement during negotiations in Addis Ababa.
The returning of the advance team to Pagak for consultative meeting as the president Kiir insisted on his 28 states.
On 19, January 2016 Advance team returned to Pagak for consultative meeting of the leadership. On Friday 22 after consultation in Pagak, the leadership of armed opposition had decided to implement the peace agreement according to 10 states as signed on the peace agreement proposal in Addis Ababa. Upon their arrival to Juba from Pagak, the former head of SPLM IO advance team and Chief negotiator told reporter that, the consultative meeting and the leadership of SPLM IO decided that, the peace agreement would be implemented based on 10 states as signed on the peace agreement in peace talks in Addis Ababa.
But nothing changed as long as the government continued to insist on 28 States. Sooner than later, the Deputy of SPLM IO Alfred Lado Gore arrived in Juba and within the same day, some of SPLM IO journalists were arrested by security personnel and taken to unknown place within Juba. They were released after the former Chief Negotiator Taban Deng Gai met with the president Kiir and discussed the issue with him.
Arrival of Dr Machar to Juba as the world leaders had put too much pressure on him to return to capital city for implementation of the peace agreement
The first Vice president Dr Machar arrived to Juba on 26, April 2016 around four at the evening time. He was accompanying by members of SPM IO included the government officials on Juba international airport. Dr Machar went directly to the presidential palace to swear in as the first vice president as stated in the peace agreement. After one hour, Dr Machar was also arrived to his political camp in Jebel Kujur where his forces were relocated to in Juba. By the next day in the morning, the president Kiir started shifting to an Office which suggested being for the first vice president Dr Machar.
The president told the international observers that, his office is under construction. People also remained silence and the first cabinet meeting held on Friday. The president informed Dr Machar to bring the names of his nominated ministers on his political camp as leader of SPLM IO in Juba. Three day later, Dr Machar had submitted the names of his nominated ministers to the president Kiir. Next day in the morning the names of all ministers were published on newspapers and that is where some officials from the SPLM IO had reacted when one did not get the position he expected to be given to him.
After one day, Taban Deng Gai had submitted his resignation letter to his leader when he was not given the ministry of petroleum. He had written the letter and submitted to Dr Machar that, he took the decision to resign from the duty as Chief negotiator. Taban was also advised by community elders and he remained silence. Several meetings held and all ministers were discussing the issue of the contentment areas in Equatorial till the government refused to do.
On 4, June, 2016, the President Kiir has issued the provisional order appointing all the 28 states governors and direct them to their respective states for the provision of social service to the citizens. But there are no enough budgets to cover all the new created states in the country.US Federal Reserve Bank, International donors and the World Bank leaders had refused to help the country with monies due to 28 states which the president insisted on for a long time.
Deadly clashes between SPLM IO forces and the Juba forces at Lou clinic of Gudele road on 7, July 2016 on Thursday night
Two of the SPLM IO officers were killed before the day of shooting happened at Lou clinic of Gudele road. L.t. Colonel George Gismala was killed while smoking shisha at Kator during the day time. Another intelligent officer by name Domach Kuon was also murdered when clashes happened at Checkpoint between SPLA forces and those of IDPs under protections of UNMISS based in Juba.
Shooting happened at Lou Clinic when Juba forces were trying to stop those of SPLM IO forces at checkpoint. Those of SPLM IO forces refused to stop due to fear that, their officers were killed by unknown people in the city. Fighting happened as five soldiers killed from SPLA forces and one wounded from the SPLM IO forces.
Happening of the fighting within presidential palace as the two leaders were settling the deadly clashes of their forces at Lou Clinic.
The same story which happened at presidential palace in Juba had happened in Afghanistan in 1977.The former Pakistani Prime Minister Bhutto was influenced by the Soviet Union to work together with Daoud to resolve the Afghan conflicts in the country. The Soviet Union had given the weapons and resources to Islamic groups working against Daoud in the country. On April 27, 1978, the meeting was set up and the leader Daoud was lured to presidential palace. The army units supported by the Soviet Union surrounded the key government building and were attacked by helicopter, and gunship.
Daoud was killed in the presidential palace together with his bodyguards. Plans of coup were brought forward after the assassination of the leader Daoud in 1978.Daoud was accused of attempting coup after his death. Taraki was encouraged after assassination of Daoud to unite communist’s party again. All members who defected from the party were also influenced to rejoin the Communist political party after the death their democratic leader Daoud in the country. Back to our country story which happened at presidential palace in Juba.
Meeting was set up at presidential palace and Dr Machar was informed to attend it for the two leaders to settle the clashes happened at Lou Clinic of Gudele road Thursday night. In response, Dr Machar said that, the leadership of SPLM IO should conducted investigates to find out what happened and who was responsible for killing of Juba forces at Lou Clinic. Dr Machar arrived in J1 with seventy bodyguards and the army unit of the president Kiir surrounded the government building and presidential palace.
L.t. Colonel by name David Dut shot one of SPLM IO officer by name Gatluak Thian. Duot had killed the person when SPLM IO officer was trying to stop him. L.t. Colonel David Dut wanted to enter into Presidential palace with the rest of Presidential guards. David was also killed when he killed SPLM IO officer on spot. Fighting erupted around the presidential palace while the leaders were inside addressing the conference.
UNMISS personnel arrived with their tanks after the leaders had been spent five hours within presidential palace. Dr Machar was taken to his residence in Jebel Kujur and Kiir arrived on his presidential building. On Saturday in the morning, all dead bodies were collected by Red Cross and they were taken to Juba teaching Hospital.
Declaration of the war by the SPLA Spokesperson Lul Ruai Koang on 9, July 2016 in the evening at Saturday on Nation TV.
On 9, July 2016 on Saturday in the evening time. SPLA Spokesperson appeared on TV telling the SPLA forces not to harm and kills civilians in the Juba. He told all SPLA forces before the fighting happened in the morning next day on Sunday. He said that the Chief of staff Gen Paul Malong informed most of the SPLA forces not to killed civilians. In the morning on Sunday, Jebel Kujur was attacked by SPLA forces in three directions.
Fighting happened within Checkpoint and also the fighting started on the side of Gudele road and behind the POC3.Reliable sources said that the president Kiir made decision when Dr Machar did not answer his phone. On 12, July 2016, the residence of the first vice president Dr Machar has been destroyed by SPLA gunship.
War stopped when ceasefire declared by two leaders within Juba. This is how Juba second war happened.
Author is the student who pursuing a bachelor of Social Work and Social Administration at one of University…He can be reached his email gualkuiny@hotmail.com.
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About Post Author
Dear Mok, come home and get the real details. Do not write on something you have no enough evidence. That is academic laziness.