Federal Democratic Party leader Gabriel Changson Chang is calling for regional military intervention to halt more bloodshed after alleged ‘massacres’ in Juba.

The politician slammed the peace agreement signed last year as a failure that did not contain sufficient safeguards for its implementation. He said the chance to salvage the deal has passed and the transitional government has lost its credibility.

“The only window of opportunity to implement the agreement was to demilitarize Juba and other major towns and put the maintenance of law and order in the hands of a neutral force - UNMISS - IGAD.”

In a statement, Changson said his party, the FDP (which is based in exile), propose that an “IGAD regional force… backed up by UNMISS forces” intervene to restore law and order until a restructuring of law enforcement in South Sudan is complete.

He further called for the removal of Salva Kiir and Riek Machar and establishment of an “inclusive and genuine” transitional government, calling the current government illegitimate.

Changson said that failure by the region to intervene would result in an uprising by the South Sudanese people “in defense of their inalienable rights.”

“Regional intervention is not new in Africa. It saves lives and suffering of innocent civilians from the jaws of fighting forces - a case to cite West Africa regional international force that saved lives in Liberia and Sierra Leone.”

President Salva Kiir has already rejected a proposal for more IGAD troops in South Sudan, saying in remarks to press yesterday that there are already enough foreign soldiers on the country’s soil with the UN Mission.

FDP, Changson’s party, was formed as a splinter group from the main opposition group SPLM/A-IO in August last year. The group was critical of the East African-brokered peace deal signed by Riek Machar and Salva Kiir. Changson is reportedly based in Nairobi and the top commander of the group is based in Khartoum.

Related:

General of SPLA-IO breakaway group warns of slide back to war (17 April 2016)