The chairman of South Sudan’s official opposition party has criticized Salva Kiir’s government for trying to reject the new IGAD-Plus peace proposal.
SPLM-DC chairman Lam Akol dismissed the government’s claim that the proposal undermines South Sudan’s sovereignty.
“The sovereignty emanates from the people. So if the people are divided, the sovereignty is also divided. The national unity is paramount when the government exercises sovereignty on behalf of the people,” he said at a rally in Juba on Saturday.
“Now there are areas that are not controlled by the government due to war. There are tens of thousands of people in refugee camps who fear the government and trust foreigners, and you are still talking of sovereignty,” he continued.
“You signed a security agreement with another country to fight your citizens and you are still talking of sovereignty,” Lam charged, referring to the SPLA-Juba’s partnership with the Ugandan military. “They are your citizens and you are fighting them.”
The IGAD-Plus peace proposal is backed by the East African regional bloc IGAD, the United Nations, African Union, five African nations, US, UK, Norway, and China.
Government of Technocrats
Lam said the government should come up with an initiative for national consensus including civil society organizations and political parties in South Sudan.
The opposition leader demanded the current government be dissolved and a government of technocrats formed to run the country’s affairs during the transitional period in order to sure accountability.
A government of technocrats is a form of government where decision-makers are chosen for a governing office based on their technical expertise and educational background, according to Lam.
He pointed out that all political parties including the ruling Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) must wait for the upcoming general elections while the government of technocrats is in place.
Lam Akol commended humanitarian organizations that have been providing food to the conflict-affected people in Upper Nile region.
The SPLM-DC leader called for accountability for atrocities that have been perpetrated since fighting broke out in December 2013 in South Sudan.
Lam was speaking after security operatives operating on orders of President Salva Kiir prevented him from traveling to Addis Ababa to join in the peace talks. IGAD had invited him to participate.