The Cobra Faction armed group led by David Yau-Yau, which signed a truce with the South Sudanese government three weeks ago, says that they are ‘remaining calm’ as they await follow-up on their demands.

Yau-Yau waged an insurgency based in Pibor County from mid-2012 through 2013. In spite of his earlier opposition to the government, he has not declared any support for the opposition faction loyal to ousted Vice President Riek Machar, which controls neighboring areas of Jonglei State.

The Jonglei rebel faction sent representatives to Addis Ababa last month where they met government negotiators at talks mediated by a church delegation chaired by Emeritus Bishop Paride Taban.

In a document signed at the end of those talks on 30 January, Yau-Yau’s group, calling itself the ‘South Sudan Democratic Movement/Defense Army Cobra Faction’ committed to a ceasefire, while declaring areas under its control a ‘zone of peace.’

The document also pointed toward anticipated follow-on negotiations on political and development issues, stating that Pibor County “is in need of a peaceful and durable solution to the conflict that made the SSDM/A Cobra Faction resort to armed option.”

In an interview with Al Jazeera English in Gumuruk in Jonglei State, the movement’s leader David Yau-Yau stated, “Our message to the government of South Sudan is we still remain calm until we see the accomplishment of our aim.”

Yau-Yau reiterated the group’s standing demand that the Murle tribe be granted their own state “together with three other communities,” a reference to the Anuak, Jie and Kachipo tribes.

He also explained that they expect development demands to be met by the government: “We have no schools, we have no health facilities, we have no roads, and we have no almost everything.”

“Normally, when you miss food from somebody, what do you think will happen? Yea, he will not be happy with you with you, because you don’t give him food. Even dog, when you give dog food, it will be happy with you,” he added.

According to the Al Jazeera report, the Yau-Yau command together with Murle leaders met recently with a government envoy, in what was described as a “heated community meeting.”

Speaking on camera, the presidential envoy Akot Lual, said, “I think they have a point, and that point we need to pay attention to it and address it. Because they have a right to complain.”

“What I’m concentrating on now is to tell them, look, this is our country, we are a new generation, and it is us to address our own problems,” added Lual.

Related coverage: Yau Yau rebels sign truce with government in Addis Ababa (30 Jan.)

Photo: A still of a video interview with David Yau-Yau in Gumuruk  (Al Jazeera)