SPLM-IO submits 17 security standoff recommendations to Sudan’s leader Al-Burhan

The SPLM- IO says it has submitted recommendations to Sudanese leader General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan -a guarantor of the peace deal- that would pave the way for implementing Chapter Two of the Peace Agreement which provides for security arrangements.

Efforts to unify the security forces have stalled due to disagreements over the command structure.  

Two weeks ago, Sudanese military leader General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, who is also the current head of IGAD, visited Juba to find ways to expedite the implementation of the security arrangements stipulated in Chapter Two of the peace agreement.

Al Burhan presented the parties with a proposal on how to break their dispute over the unified army’s command structure. 

The SPLM IO says it submitted several recommendations to General al-Burhan that would pave the way for a smooth implementation of Chapter Two of the Peace deal. 

Puok Both Baluang, spokesperson in the office of First Vice President Riek Machar says the SPLM-IO has presented 17 recommendations, some of which are already in the peace deal. 

“What is needed now to deescalate the situation, is a political commitment from president Salva (Kiir) to the session of hostilities and the ceasefire agreements because the attacks on the cantonment sites in Upper Nile and Unity state is an act of war,” Baluang says.

The SPLM- IO asked for an urgent investigation of the violation of the cessation of hostilities agreement and for the SSPDF to stop attacking cantonment and training centers. In addition, the group is calling on the SSPDF to immediately withdraw their forces from areas they captured from the SPLA-IO in Upper Nile and Unity states. 

“There must be an immediate ceasefire and withdrawal of the SSPDF from the areas forcibly taken by the SPLM IG and other areas, Bortak and Djoko in Upper Nile and Nyir-Nyir in Unity state. These areas were violently taken by the SSPDF,” he added.

The Insider reached out to South Sudan’s information minister Michael Makuei for comment, but the government spokesman declined to comment saying these are sensitive security matters that he cannot speak to the media about. 

“Ah No! No! You cannot just be discussing issues in the newspaper (Media), these are security issues that cannot be discussed in the newspapers. Sorry!” Makuei said. 

On Sunday, South Sudanese government forces and National Security Service forces surrounded Machar’s residence in the capital Juba for 12 hours after Machar asked regional and international leaders to intervene and end renewed fighting in Unity and Upper Nile states, which are considered his strongholds. 

Baluang says the forces are still surrounding Machar’s house. He says the forces are deployed in the evening hours and are withdrawn in the morning hours each day.