South Sudanese rebel leader Riek Machar wrote a letter asking the head of the IGAD mediation team to suspend a ceasefire workshop that aims to bring together senior military and rebel officials to discuss the security arrangements of a new peace agreement.
In the 3 September letter addressed to IGAD Special Envoy Ambassador Seyoum Mesfin, Machar explained that his group needed to conduct internal consultations before nominating officers to participate in the ceasefire workshop.
“We are requesting adjournment of the workshop until when the [SPLM-IO] National Liberation Council has adopted the agreement in a meeting we have scheduled for 10th September, 2015,” Machar’s letter reads in part.
But the government minister of information and broadcasting Michael Makuei Lueth told reporters on Friday that he had received an e-mail message from the mediation claiming that the delay of the workshop resulted from a delay in sending the list of the participants to IGAD and logistical problems.
The IGAD timetable requires holding ceasefire workshop within 14 days of the signing of the peace agreement. Convening the event , according to the timetable, is seen one of the elements of implementing a permanent ceasefire as stipulated in article 1.8 chapter II of the agreement where the parties agreed to conduct a “Permanent Ceasefire and Transitional Security Arrangements” (PCTSA) workshop.
It would be the platform at which the two sides would determine the declaration of disposition of their forces down to battalion level and establish demilitarized areas as well as withdrawal routes and cantonment.
The workshop would also determine assembly areas for their troops. Other functions of the workshop will be to determine the size of forces to provide security in selected towns.
According to the letter, Machar has already selected 12 officials, including four high ranking military officers from his faction.
Major General James Koang Chuol Ranley, deputy chief of staff operations and Major General Dau Aturjong, deputy chief of general staff for training have been nominated to attend the workshop.
Other members include Major General Martin Terensio Kenyi, deputy chief of general staff for moral orientation and the commanding officer of the armed opposition fighters in Eastern Equatoria state.
Brigadier General Thoi Chany Reat, director general for national security and general intelligence is also among the top officers nominated to represent the rebel faction at the workshop.
Brigadier General Gatkhor Gatluak from administration, Brigadier general Gatwech Yeiy Roam from logistics, Brigadier Dhilling Keah Chol from security, brigadier Nyagol Ajak Deng from operations, police expert, Yien Oral Tut, police officer, Colonel James Duop Gatluak, lieutenant colonel Saed Adam Saed Bandas from operations and Martin Abucha as rapporteur of the team are also expected to be nominated to participate in the ceasefire workshop.
Machar’s wife, Angelina Teny, and one of his political associates Dhieu Mathok Diing Wol and Colonel Elijah Tut Bikot have been proposed to participate in the workshop in their capacities as member the “security thematic team.”
The same letter nominates Hendry Dilah Odwar and Biel Butrus Rwai Biel as members of the constitutional review committee representing the rebel faction under the leadership of Machar.