The spokesman of former South Sudanese rebel group SPLM-IO Mabior Garang has slammed the Dinka Council of Elders and other 'hardliners' for alleged intimidation of members of parliament last week.

Mabior says that the vote held last Thursday on whether to amend the constitution to give President Salva Kiir new powers to create new state governments was a “provocation” by the Jieng (Dinka) Council of Elders.

The outcome of the vote has been contested, with some MPs saying the amendment was approved and others saying that it failed to secure the required 2/3 majority vote. 

“The leadership of the SPLM/SPLA (In Opposition) condemns the intimidation of South Sudan Members of Parliament by hardliners in the Salva Kiir Administration, resulting in the illegitimate amendment of the Transitional Constitution of the Republic of South Sudan,” he said in a press release.

Mabior pointed to the walk-out by a large number of MPs as evidence that the proposed constitutional amendment was "unpopular". He appealed to Salva Kiir to reverse the decision immediately and to honor the peace agreement signed with his group in August.

“The Movement also appeals to members and to the people of South Sudan in general to remain calm in the face of this provocation by the Jieng Council of Elders and other hardliners within the Salva Kiir Administration,” he said, accusing them of trying to divert attention from implementation of the peace deal.

Mabior noted that the SPLM-IO and SPLM-G10 advance teams are scheduled to arrive soon in Juba, pointing out that the peace agreement itself must be adopted by parliament and enshrined in the constitution, thereby becoming “the law of the land during the interim period.”

The terms of the peace deal conflict with the proposal on 28 states made by Kiir because the peace deal itself is based on a power-sharing government comprised of 10 states.

Related:

Has South Sudan's constitution been amended or not? (Audio in Arabic)