Pagak, March 29, 2018 (SSNA) — The military command of the Sudan People’s Liberation Army-In Opposition (SPLA-IO) on Thursday warned of what it described as an “endless war,” saying the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) acts like an agent of Juba.
The accusation comes just three days after the East African regional bloc announced its intention to lift the house arrest of South Sudanese rebel leader Riek Machar only if he rejects violence and promises not to obstruct the peace process.
On March 26, IGAD Council of Misters met in Ethiopia and discussed the fate of the armed opposition leader and declared that the house arrest of Machar should be lifted.
The council demanded that the leader of the SPLM/A-IO first renounce violence and then he should be transferred from South Africa to a different country with no border with the Republic of South Sudan.
“IGAD is playing us [SPLM/A-IO]. So, we concluded that their March 26 motion was wrong,” Mawwil told the SSNA in Pagak.
“They talk like Kiir agents…they want us to continue fighting forever. They must know the SPLA-IO is prepared to for war even if it is an endless war,” Mawill said.
The South Sudan News Agency (SSNA) understands that members of the East African regional bloc were not in agreement when IGAD Secretariat announced the decision.
“We were shocked when we learned the situation surrounding IDGAD’s decision over Riek imprisonment,” an IGAD diplomatic source who demanded complete anonymity to the South Sudan News Agency.
The source claimed that Juba bribed almost every leader in the club of IGAD Council of ministers. The source branded the council decision “bizarre.”
An attempt by the SSNA to get an official reaction from IGAD headquarters went unanswered.
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South Sudan war has become an IGDA money minting project not caring for the suffering of the people. Surely no free human being can be ordered as to where to stay or not to stay. It’s either a stupid and weird order or IGAD and Juba are just the same and not a befitting mediator to the conflict. Just do away with IGAD.
Both rebels and government are dragging their feet on peace deals.
IGAD only consuming but poor in action.
Riek, you will be useles if you give up. I am a Kenyan in kenya.