CEPO: Fighting Erupts In Yei River State Despite Stern Warnings from Troika
The Community Empowerment for Progress Organization (CEPO) strongly condemns the fresh violation of the Cessation of Hostilities (CoH) agreement in Yei River State, South Sudan.
January 3, 2018 (SSB) — The two warring factions in South Sudan, government forces and SPLA-IO rebels on Wednesday blamed each other for carrying out attacks in Yei River State, with both sides confirming fighting resumed this morning in the area.
The governor of Yei River state David Lokonga Moses said that the rebels have attacked their defensive positions in Morobo and Kaya areas, but they were repulsed today morning. While, Paul Lam Gabriel, spokesman of SPLA-IO forces, accused government forces of carrying out attacks on their defensive position in the area of Dudulabe today morning.
Community Empowerment for Progress Organization (CEPO) in strong term is urging the Government and SPLM-IO under Dr. Riek Machar ground forces to demonstrate compliance with the cessation of hostilities agreement. It is disturbing and wronging to see same parties that revitalized the cessation of hostilities agreement in Addis Ababa-Ethiopia in national spirit is again violating the agreement.
The violation has confirmed the statements made by foreigners to us during the revitalization forum dated 18-22 Dec. 2017 that our warring parties never care about the stability of the nation more than their struggle for control of power. It is shameful for us South Sudanese
Mr. Edmund Yakani, Executive Director of CEPO says in honorable and kind manner is calling upon the leadership of the warring parties specifically the government ad SPLM-IO under Dr. Riek Machar to help in instructing the ground forces to respect and implement the cessation of hostilities agreement immediately.
With the nation at heart let us show the world that we can sort out our problem without their pressure on us. We have just observed the release of the statement from various regional and international bodies on the first incidence of violations of the cessation of hostilities.
For the sake of nation growth, cease hostile act and observe the cessation of hostilities agreement. Ground forces leadership kindly, can you show adherence to the directives given by your top leaders for observing the cessation of hostilities.
We heard statements that South Sudanese are good in signing the agreement today and dishonoring them tomorrow. This statement is becoming true. The continued violations may invite punitive measures. But, why all this? Mr. Yakani stressed
Finally, CEPO is urging IGAD Special Envoy to South Sudan to call for the urgent meeting of the representatives of the parties for the mechanism on monitoring and verification of the cessation of hostilities to iron out matters of compliance with cessation of hostilities agreement. CEPO oversight observation report on the recent violations will be released by Friday next week.
The Community Empowerment for Progress Organization (CEPO) is a non-profit, civil society, South Sudanese organization, registered by the Ministry of Justice on 17th November 2010. The organization was initially formed in Khartoum in 1999 and consisted of mostly University students, but its scope broadened after it was established in Juba, Southern Sudan as a separate entity. Presently, CEPO is engaged in the areas of Peace and conflict mitigation, human rights, rule of law, livelihood, governance and democratic transformation. MR. EDMUND YAKANI BERIZILIOUS is the Executive Director of CEPO.
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