Taban Seeks Halting South Sudan’s Peace Implementation
South Sudan’s Vice-President Taban Deng Gai, Said He is Seeking To Suspend The Implementation Of The Revitalized Peace Agreement, Citing Exclusion From The National And State Governments.
Gai Told A Group Of Lawmakers Allied To Him, He Wrote To The Regional Bloc, IGAD, Which Mediated The 2018 Pact Requesting To Suspend The Ongoing Implementation Of The Revitalized Peace Agreement Until Grievances Raised By His Group Are Addressed.
In An Open Letter Released To The Public And Addressed To The IGAD Chairperson And Executive Secretary, Said They Have Been Excluded From The State Governments In Violation Of The Revitalized Agreement And Called For A Regional Summit To Discuss Such Violations.
“We, Members Of Former SPLM-IO Led By Gen. Taban Deng Gai, Having Served In The Incumbent Transitional Government Of National Unity (ITGONU) As Members Of Council Of Ministers At National Level, Members Of National Assembly And Members Of States Government Executive And Legislative Organs Do Hereby Write To You To Inform You On The Blatant Violation Of The Provisions Of The R-ARCISS, 2018 By The SPLM, A Party That Was Never Mentioned In The R-ARCISS, 2018 Nor ARCISS, 2015”, The Statement Reads In Part.
The SPLM-Io Of Taban Deng Sought A Merger With SPLM Of President Salva Kiir But They Did Not Make Their Formal Request Until December 2018. In November 2019, One Of Gai’s Supporter Gen. Gathoth Gatkuoth Hothnyang Split From The Group Rejoined The SPLM-Kiir.
In His Statement, Gai Said That President Kiir Did Not Include His Group In The Power-Sharing At The Level Of State Governors And Local Governments As Provided In The Peace Agreement.
“We Wrote A Petition Letter To H.E Salva Kiir Mayardit Concerning Our Exclusion From The Formation Of The State And Local Governments In The Country When Only Three States Were Decreed. Until Today, We Didn’t Get Any Official Response From The President Except Media Statements From The Minister Of Information And SPLM National Secretariat,”.
Gai Said His Group, The SPLM-Kiir And SPLM-IO Are The Three Groups That Formed The ARCISS.
He Recalled Their Role In 2016 When They Backed President Kiir And Continued The Implementation Of The 2015 Peace Deal After The Bloody Violence Between The Forces Loyal To First President Riek Machar And His Escape From The Country.
“That Act Should Have Cemented Our Relationship In The Composition Of TGONU Which According To Article 3.1 Of ARCSS,2015 Comprised The GRSS, The SPLM/A-10, The Former Detainees And Other Political Parties.
The Political Leader Said The SPLM-IO G Constitutes 33% Of The Power-Sharing Arrangements In ITGONU Under The 2015 Deal, So “The Same Power-Sharing Arrangements Should Have Logically Been Carried Forward Under The R-ARCSS Because The R-ARCSS Was Intended To Reinvigorate The ARCSS And The Provisions Are Not In Conflict”.
According, He Said That His Groups Should Be Given All The Seats Allocated Under The 2015 Peace Agreement To The SPLM-IO.
“Thus, The Power-Sharing Arrangements For Us In The Executive Should Have Followed Suit. In Other Words, We Should Have: (A) 33% Of The 20 National Ministerial Posts, Which Is 6 Ministers. (B) 33% Of The 5 National Deputy Ministerial Posts, Which Is 2 Deputy Ministers. (C) 33% Of 9 Ministerial Posts At The State Level, Which Is 3 Ministers Per State (D) 33% Of County Commissioners, Which Is 14 County Commissioners.”
“Note: All Other Positions At The State And County Level Should Follow The Same Formula. As For The National Legislative Assembly, The ARCSS 2015 Increased The Number To 400 Including 332 Previous Members And 68 Additional Members”.
“The Additional 68 Seats Were Subdivided As Follows: (A) Former SPLM/A-IO: 50; (B) Former Detainees: I (C) Other Political Parties: 17. Since Article 1.14.2 Of The R-ARCSS Has Expanded The Number Of The TNLA To 550 Giving ITGONU 332 Of The Seats, Then We Are Claiming Our 50 Seats Which Were Allotted To Us By ARCSS.
“As For The Council Of States, We Will Also Request For 33% Of The Seats That Will Be Allotted To ITGONU To Be Given To Us.”
The South Sudanese Presidency Did Not React To This Development.
Also, The Release Of The Letter Means That Vice President Gai Had Failed To Convince President Kiir To Respond To Their Demands
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