
Joint Declaration on the Armed Revolutionary Groups and the Syrian Opposition Coalition of National and Revolutionary Forces regarding the Barbaric Military Escalation against Aleppo City and the Future of the Negotiations Process (25.09.2016)



“We have been driven back to the bush,” James Gadet, a spokesman for Machar, told the AP on Saturday in a call from Nairobi, Kenya” (New Wires, 2016)
This is serious, this is sad and this is dangerous. The fleeing rebel have gone back to his safe haven in Khartoum where he we’re back-in-the-day when the SPLM/SPLA we’re fighting for liberation from the Khartoum government and free the South Sudan republic. So we’re full-circle with that.
Dr. Riek Machar just came back in late April 2016 and not before long. He wouldn’t return if he didn’t get his military arm into Juba. As much as the Peace Agreement we’re supposed to get the SPLA-IO into the SPLA or the ordinary army; there seemed to be no intention by either party to really make that happening. Just as the TGoNU government we’re fixed together with enough ministerial positions for both parties. So the parties we’re starting of the parliamentary actions. So that the government we’re not only supposed to follow Presidential Decree, but with parliamentary procedures as agreed upon in the Peace Agreement.
Dr. Riek Machar we’re fleeing after the Skirmishes in July where the returned fights between Gen. Salva Kiir’s bodyguards and the soldiers of Dr. Riek Machar.

This was mentioned of the skirmishes before Riek Machar fled the country:
“War started in South Sudan at 5:10pm and all Riek Machiar’s bodyguards killed.As we speak both Salva and Riek are held up at statehouse in Juba and general Paul Malong whos the chief of staff has deployed tanks surrounding statehouse and he’s believed that he’s the one that incited Salva’s bodyguards to kill all Riek’s bodyguards and even the mad Paul Malong ordered his soldiers to open fire at American CIA vehicle” (Taifa Takatifu-News, Opinon and Analysis, 08.07.2016).
After this one and the return of skirmishes in Juba, the battles continued in Wau in Western Bahr El Ghazal and the SPLA-IO closed the Kaya Road in Yei at the Morobo County. There we’re also battles between the armies in the Central Equatoria.
So when the battles between SPLM/A-IO and the SPLM/A continued the rebel leader Dr. Riek Machar fled the country. These happen while the battles happen in Juba and the rest of the county. So the place where he where fled we’re questioned.
Until MONUSCO spelt the beans:
“On 17 August, at the request of the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and acting on humanitarian grounds, the UN Stabilization Mission in the DRC (MONUSCO) extracted the former Vice-President of South Sudan, Mr. Riek Machar, his wife and son along with 10 aides from a location inside the Garamba National Park, Haut Uélé province, in the north east of the DRC. Mr Machar had crossed into the DRC from South Sudan, accompanied by several hundred people, including armed elements and civilians” (…) “In total MONUSCO has handed over 117 individuals, including Riek Machar, his wife and son to the DRC authorities. Weapons have been removed from all those transported by MONUSCO” (MONUSCO, 2016).
Just as all this was happening the TGoNU under the leadership of President Salva Kiir went on and asked for Dr. Riek Machar to come back, but not for indefinite time. With that in mind the TGoNU appointed Gen. Taban Deng Gai to the First Vice-President and take the position of Machar. This has been over time established as the return of Machar we’re more unlikely. Even a battalion of 6000 soldiers deflected from SPLM/A-IO to the Juba Government. While the Maribor Garang de Maribor resigned from his ministerial post and turned back to Machar. There been deflection both ways and also different reasons for why people does so.
By late August the Khartoum government we’re saying they accepted the fleeing rebel into their capital as he was healing from wounds and we’re getting recuperating there in safety. Just in the same days the FVP Taban Deng Gai where in the Sudan Capital discussing the peace-agreement between the nations in bilateral talks while the South Sudanese Authorities we’re disappointed in the Sudanese for letting him stay there.

The new FVP Taban Deng said this in an interview 22. August in Khartoum:
“Riek Machar did not comply with my advice when he arrived Juba. After he was sworn in, he chose to locate behind Jebel Kujur and continued the same practices that led to the outbreak of the last war in 2013. He is not aware of the things that might anger and please the president, which could influence the relationship between them. Choosing this isolated place after coming back sent the wrong message, suggesting that he was preparing a parallel army” (…) “We did not try to assassinate Riek. If I wanted to do so, I would have withdrawn his guards. He moved with a great force, which led to a clash between the parties. In my opinion, Riek planned to kill Salva Kiir because he moves with great guard force and Salva Kiir wanted to kill him. All his guards died and Salva Kiir assumed responsibility for returning Riek to his house and was concerned with this matter. He asked an officer named Marial to give him a ride to his house and told him literally, “I do not want Riek to be hurt” (…) “Angelina’s ambition to be the first lady led him to this situation. Machar has not looked back since 1991, when many people were killed. In 1997, he signed an agreement with al-Bashir and was not able to implement it, which led to splitting the Nuer into small groups fighting each other. There are problems with Machar’s behaviour – he did not learn a lesson from the previous events, especially with regard to Angelina’s ambition. I am sure the events of July 7 and 8, upon which Machar left Juba, were planned by Angelina who gives orders and says she is the defence minister” (Yam, 2016).
So when news broke about the recent outburst and plans of the SPLM/A-IO in Khartoum and the war-cry from Riek Machar, we all should know there are giant possibility of these men to fight each other with armies to secure supremacy instead of dialogue as the IGAD-Plus extraordinary meetings seems to be as fruitful to peace as the former Tanzanian President Benjamin Mpaka lead Inclusive Inter-Burundian effort. Nearly pointless as the Generals and their battalions are ready to fight over the spoils while the soils is not tilled and 1 million citizens has fled the scene and the United Nations forces are not capable to keep calm in the PoC camps. There are too many disastrous outcomes of the conflict and to many people hurt by it. This also leads to loss of food production and weaken efforts to build institutions and facilities to serve the public. Those who earn on this the suppliers of army equipment like the Canadian firm selling War Trucks to the SPLA and the others who serve it with loyalty and earning huge profits.
This is what Riek Machar was saying:
““wage a popular armed resistance against the authoritarian and racist regime of President Salva Kiir.” (News Wires, 2016).

If this wish get into the hands of the soldiers and they listen to Dr. Riek Machar than there are more bloodshed awaiting with the ones who just lost their lives recently. Not only with the current news of possible draught and loss of food production; has this resulted into hunger and civil war in republic? This has been a battle between the two leaders who wants to run the cash-strapped nation who has been blessed once in a while by the Troika, U.S., UK and Norway. FAO has told about possible hunger and less farming as the fleeing citizens and the ones inside camps instead of having their own farming. They fled because of army battles and insecurity. This reacts into the unstable yields and safety. That with the war-cry of yesterday doesn’t make the outcome of food security any better. With the amount of South Sudanese refugees in Ethiopia, Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda; the Adjumani refugee camps has grown substantially over the recent months. This is happening while the international community is not pledging enough funds for the men and woman who has left everything behind because of the battle to run South Sudan continues.
The War-Cry yesterday is not bringing hope of dialogue as these men are continuing to show that it is easier to grab the AK-47 or order tanks than speaking of process and making institutions. The War-Cry of Dr. Riek Machar against President Salva Kiir shows the wish of power by the opposition and the extent he will go to take it. This is happening as the return are just briefly months since it happen and the Swearing into be a part of the TGoNU. So the time and work for the Peace Agreement must be seemed as a sham deal by either party. The works of the IGAD and Troika have been a dodged even before the ink got dry.
So now in September, not far away from April; we are returning to 2013 and new rounds of ammunition as the uncertainty of the battalions, armies and loyalties. The friction between who is SPLM/A together with who is SPLM/A-IO?
Together with the resurgence of the SPLM-N in Sudan in the Darfur conflict that lingers on without any kind of stop from rebels and government forces. The peace in the region is continuing to be a question of utopia and not a reality. The Generals cannot talk and apparently only shoot at each other.
This is not the end of battle between Kiir and Machar, they will not stop apparently to one flees or dies. They use force to silence each other. The dialogue and Peace Agreement are not worthy of the paper and time spent on making it. As the months from when it was conceived, to when it was started implemented and now to its end as the SPLM/A-IO is dismantling it with a cry of bush-war and calling counterparts a rogue regime. While the FVP Taban Deng Gai claims the wife of Machar is the one behind the recent skirmishes in Juba.
There the fickle situation turns bloody quickly already in 31st July I wrote “Worrying signs of a new Civil-War in South Sudan”. Now the words of wishing to create it come from Khartoum by Dr. Riek Machar. None of us should accept this as there are already to many people who has suffered in this power struggle. There are too many who has fled their homestead in fear of rebels and government soldiers taking advantage of the situation. The burning of homes, fields and killings of neighbors will continue with the war-cry of Machar. The ones who believes he wouldn’t act upon it, has not followed the man’s wish for power by any means. As much as Salva Kiir Mayardit has no plans to step down from the Presidency.

What we can now that the words and actions of July, the Ethiopians saying their borders are closing for Machar, that the little friends in diaspora is dwindling for SPLM/A-IO while the government of Kiir will have just defense war against Machar. While the U.S. might discuss a Arms Embargo, but to what effect it will have as long as Kiir has loyal support from President Yoweri Museveni in Uganda as long as he pays. Museveni has friends from Moscow to Washington if he needs arms equipment and training. Something Museveni has no problem to deliver as long as the payments are happening without the Parliament or the Central Government in Kampala really knows.
Machar doesn’t have that suction unless Omar Al-Bashir still wants to align himself with him as he let him be there to “heal”. What we can now that the peaceful nation building is getting further and further away as the heads are colliding in the bush and in words. We could hope for another outcome, but the Generals stay Generals and their knowledge of guns and ambush is greater than of process and procedure. That is the proof of the acts of these men and lost are the potential state-building of youngest nation in the world. Peace.
Reference:
News Wires – ‘South Sudan rebel chief urges armed resistance against government’ (24.09.2016) link: http://www.france24.com/en/20160924-south-sudan-rebel-chief-riek-machar-kiir-urges-armed-resistance-against-government?ref=tw_i
MONUSCO – ‘MONUSCO EXTRACTED HUNDREDS OF INDIVIDUALS FROM THE GARAMBA NATIONAL PARK ON HUMANITARIAN GROUNDS’ (11.09.2016) link: http://monusco.unmissions.org/en/monusco-extracted-hundreds-individuals-garamba-national-park-humanitarian-grounds
Yam, Bel – ‘Angelina Teny caused the war in South Sudan, says Taban Deng’ (04.09.2016) – Link: http://welyam.com/news/aangelina-teny-caused-the-war-in-south-sudan-says-taban-deng/#sthash.qSI7AW1u.dpuf






“Africa’s youngest nation is in turmoil. Tens of thousands of South Sudan’s citizens are living in refugee camps, fleeing from a conflict instigated by their leaders. Tens of thousands lie dead in different parts of this young nation. In contrast, many of South Sudan’s leaders and their families live in comfort in the capital cities of surrounding countries. South Sudan’s journalists could be telling the world these and other important stories about their country, but many of them have fled as well, fearing the state oppression that came with the war. Our cameraman Elijah Kanyi spoke to a few of them who made it out of South Sudan to Uganda” (Africa Uncensored, 2016).




“Ethiopia has issued warnings with regards to former South Sudan first Vice President Riek Machar visit. It says Machar’s only welcome to the country on a temporary basis. The Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Dessalgen was quoted in an interview saying, Ethiopia will not entertain leader of an armed struggle. According to Hailemariam, Machar, will only be allowed to pass through Ethiopia in his travels. The former South Sudanese first Vice president was recently replaced by Taban deng Gai. This came after he left Juba following violence in July. He is currently in Sudan” (CCTV Africa, 2016)

At least 50 people, including at least four police officers, were reportedly killed during clashes and violence in the capital Kinshasa on 19 and 20 September, and at least 77 others were injured.
GENEVA, Switzerland, September 22, 2016 – UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein on Thursday issued a strong warning about the deteriorating situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and insisted that, as part of the effort to avert a major crisis, there must be accountability for the killing of dozens of civilians and other human rights violations that took place during the outbreak of violence earlier this week.
“I am deeply saddened by the recent explosion of violence in the capital Kinshasa. The high number of civilian casualties, the burning of the headquarters of several political parties and the continuing high tension together provide a stark warning that a large-scale crisis could be just around the corner,” the High Commissioner said. “The writing is on the wall, and the authorities need to pull back from their extremely confrontational position and build bridges with the opposition.”
At least 50 people, including at least four police officers, were reportedly killed during clashes and violence in the capital Kinshasa on 19 and 20 September, and at least 77 others were injured. The figures could be much higher as verification continues.
“Some civilians were killed by gunshots to the head or chest, and I strongly condemn the clearly excessive use of force by defense and security forces against demonstrators in the capital. I am particularly shocked at reports that some men in uniform took a direct part in some of the attacks against the headquarters of six opposition political parties, including the Union pour la Démocratie et le Progrès Social (UDPS) building,” Zeid said. “This is a clear assault against democracy and fundamental human rights. What DRC needs now is a climate more conducive to inclusive dialogue and to free and fair elections.”
The High Commissioner said he had also received reports that Republican Guards, ANR intelligence service and PNC (Police nationale congolaise) had conducted raids and searches of residences in some parts of the capital, preventing civilians from leaving their homes for several hours. He expressed particular concern at allegations of arbitrary detentions by police not just in Kinshasa, but also in Kisangani, Tshikapa and Goma, including of journalists trying to cover demonstrations in the capital on 19 September. According to reports, some 300 people have been arrested since Monday.
Zeid reminded the Government of its obligations to respect international standards on the use of force during demonstrations. “The deployment of Republican Guards for crowd control, despite the fact that they were heavily implicated in the excessive use of force which led to numerous casualties during the 2011 elections, is deeply worrisome, and I urge the Government to immediately withdraw them from the streets and instead deploy properly trained police forces with appropriate equipment for crowd control,” he said. The High Commissioner also regretted that no one was held to account for the serious violations committed by members of the Republican Guards and the police in the context of the 2011 elections.
“Back in July, when I visited the DRC, I noted that the country was at a pivotal moment, with tensions on the rise and crucial electoral deadlines approaching. I also warned that the political uncertainty could lead to a serious crisis and outbreak of violence. To pull back from this dangerous trajectory, a fully inclusive dialogue must be restored and all sides must exercise restraint. It is absolutely crucial to ensure full accountability for the many human rights violations that have occurred this week, through a prompt, transparent and impartial investigation.”
The High Commissioner also strongly condemned the attacks by unknown assailants against the headquarters of the ruling party, a courthouse, a school and several government buildings, including police stations, as well as other criminal acts, such as looting and destruction of private property. He stressed that the investigation should also seek to identify the people responsible for these attacks and ensure that they are held accountable, in full accordance with the law.
“My Office stands ready to bring any kind of support to the Congolese authorities in their investigations,” said Zeid.