
South Sudan: SPLM/A-IO – Press Release – On the Entebbe Proposal (09.07.2018)






JUL/08/2018, The following is the response of the South Sudan Opposition Alliance, (SSOA).
1.Demilitarization of Civilian Centres (as per Para 1.11.4)
1.1. The parties agree principally to demilitarize all of the following:
1. The National Capital city, Juba, State Capitals and civilian populated areas.
2. Schools, Hospitals, Business Centers, Places of worship, Houses, IDP Camps, Villages, and other civilian populated areas must be free of all military presence during the pre-transitional period.
3. Livelihood areas, e.g Roads, Water passages, Farms, Grazing areas.
The demilitarization process shall be accomplished within the Pre-transitional period to create a conducive atmosphere for confidence building, repatriation of refugees and return of IDPs in order to allow humanitarian service delivery to the affected population.
2.Composition of the Joint Transitional Security Committee (as per Para 5.12)
2.1 In the spirit of inclusivity, the Joint Transitional Security committee
shall be composed as follows:
i. TGoNU-(3 members)
ii. SPLM–IO-(3)
iii.SSOA–(3)
iv. IGAD–(1)
v. UNMISS-(1)
vi. AU-(1)
vii.TROIKA-(1)
2.2 Decisions of these committees shall be taken by consensus.
3. Time frame of Forces Unification (as per Para 7.5)
3.1 The Joint Unified Army/Joint Unified National Security shall be established within the Pre-transitional period and shall be tasked with:
—- Protection of national borders.
—- Protection of Public installations.
3.2 The functions of the Joint National security shall be limited to data collection, analysis and reporting the product to the relevant authorities.
3.3 A nucleus of Joint Police and other Security Forces shall be established within the Pre-transitional period and shall be tasked with the Protection of civilians and their properties.
3.4 The Transitional period shall begin with joint unified forces, which the parties shall agree on its size guided by the principles of equal representation of states/Counties and diversity of our national
4. Third proposal:
In the event that the second proposal is objected to, it is further proposed that equal numbers of the Opposition and the TGoNU forces be deployed as Joint Unified Forces to carry out the function as in the Article 4.5 above.
5. Operationalization of the Khartoum Declaration of Agreement (KDA).
The Parties shall recommit to the Agreement on the Cessation of Hostilities, Protection of Civilians and Humanitarian Access (2017) and shall implement the monitoring mechanisms provided for in the Khartoum Declaration of Agreement (KDA) signed on 27th June 2018 as follows:
5.1 Re-notification of forces by parities leadership including the issuing of orders to cease military operations, and enforce the freezing of forces in their locations.
5.2 Declaration of dispositions and locations of forces not previously
declared on the 21st December 2017 (CoH).
5.3 Disengagement and separation of forces in close proximity as per priorities presented by CTSAMM.
5.4 Establishment of buffer zones and lines of control so as to delimit possible aggression, unexpected clashes and to allow access and delivery of humanitarian assistance and free movement of civilians.
5.5 Confirm and recommit to the mandate given to CTSAMM and enforce the restructuring thereof immediately. END


I wonder what really came out of the Entebbe State House meeting between President Salva Kiir Mayardit, SPLM-IO Chairman Dr. Riek Machar, Sudan President Omar Al-Bashir and President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni yesterday.
Why I wonder? There a no communique, no report or nothing official signed by the gentlemen who had photo-ops and more possible PR stunts from the State House. Because, there has been recently one Khartoum Declaration on the 27th June 2018 between these gentlemen and also the ‘Agreement on Outstanding Issues of Responsibility Sharing’ from the 5th July 2018, also from Khartoum. Not to forget the 25th June 2018 ‘Points of Framework Agreement’, which was also signed. They we’re built on the same premise and continues the pathway of the IGAD and stakeholders to find a middle-ground for ceasing of fire between them. That as well, as the need for peace to resume the production of petroleum. Certainly, by all of this the Republic of Sudan is getting a higher stake and more control of the oil-rich fields of South Sudan. Which is weird, as the independence was supposed to get control of that from Khartoum. That is why the whole month of smiles and holding hands seems strange from the points of independence, but also how to be sovereign from Khartoum for the Juba Administration.
Maybe, that is the reason for nothing coming from the continuation of dialogue between the parties, between the rebels and the government. They have all been together, followed the High-Level Revitalized Forum (HLRF) Negotiations, which was based by the IGAD and trying to figure out how to get relief and find ways to bring life back to the ‘Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan’ agreed upon in 17th August 2015. This agreement and the Transitional Government of National Unity (TGoNU), haven’t brought stability and just made sure the War-Lords has gone back to the fields shooting at each other, instead of finding reasonable ways of governing.
That is why the new meetings and the new dialogue is healthy for these leaders, however, you should be skeptical for the timing and the reason. As Sudan is flat-broke and has had both price-hikes and bread-strikes, while South Sudan is tinkering on rising inflation, combined with empty state-coffers. They both does this to get political goodwill and hopefully get new funds to eat. That is what it seems like, also making sure the war-lords can reload before finding time to blast the heads of their enemies. The hardships and these men have usually waited for their enemies to slip, before find new ways of trying to get rid of them.
It is nice that they have all these deals between the last few weeks, but the reality is that there are some underlining concern. It is still just on paper and not in the field. There have already been violations from the armies and militias. There have already been more casualties since the cease-fire of 31st June, into the 1st July 2018.
I am just awaiting it blow, when Kiir or Machar lose face, when one of them find out how the Sudan are using them as pawns to get control of the petroleum industry. Without even taking the territory, he has already gotten the golden egg without producing gold. The Khartoum government should be joyful, they have gotten a bargain and the Juba are being outplayed by their own will to fight each other for supremacy, instead of building a Republic.
Therefore, I am hopeful, but not naive. There are usually something underlining this sort of activity, especially from men like these. These men want power and control, they are not the types willing to give way. They are doing it because they have too or if they are doing it get more donor funds. Certainly, they would not challenge their own role or space without getting a cut.
I don’t believe that, do you?
Peace.







NEW YORK/JUBA, 5 July 2018 – “We are deeply saddened to confirm that one aid worker was killed yesterday when a UNICEF convoy came under fire by unknown assailants.
“The convoy was carrying education supplies and was travelling on the Juba-Bor road. It was clearly marked ‘UNICEF’.
“Our deepest sympathies go out to the family of the deceased. His death brings to 107 the number of aid workers killed since the conflict began in 2013.
“I strongly condemn this senseless assault directed against civilians working to deliver humanitarian supplies to those in need. Aid workers must be allowed to carry out their work without fear of violence and with unhindered access to those most in need.”




