Minister of Information Michael Makuei Lueth, one of South Sudan’s representatives on the Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission (JMEC), says that the government has not accepted a proposal by JMEC Chairman Festus Mogae on the weapons that Riek Machar may bring with him to Juba.
For their part, the SPLM-IO delegation in Juba headed by Taban Deng said that they accepted the proposal in its entirety.
Following a dispute over how many men and guns Riek Machar could bring with him on arrival to Juba, Mogae proposed today that the two parties agree that he would bring no more than 195 men, 20 PKMs, and 20 RPG-7s.
Ceasefire monitors would verify these weapons in Gambella and on arrival in Juba.
According to Michael Makuei, government representatives did not agree to the proposal during the lengthy JMEC meeting held this afternoon. They would only agree to allow Machar to come with seven PKMs and seven RPGs, which was apparently not acceptable to the SPLM-IO.
“This was a mere proposal. And a proposal does not necessarily mean that it must be accepted. The government has not accepted the proposal. And it is up to the government after this to decide to review it and see how best it will move. We accepted to give them seven [RPGs and PKMs each],” he said.
However, earlier Makuei had also said that the problem was not the weaponry per se but rather the way that the demand had been made by the opposition. “It is worth mentioning that the problem is not the RPGs or the PKMs. The problem is the way things are being done by the IO.”
Makuei explained, “Because this is not the first time for them to move as such. They have been moving all the time in the last minute so that they ensure that the government is put under pressure. This is what we don’t want and this is not how things are done.”
On the other hand, Taban Deng said, “This proposal is accepted by SPLM-in-Opposition in entirety that we should bring only to Juba 20 PKM and 20 RPG without other support weapons. Like we were supposed to bring also from Pagak two pieces of 12.7 and one piece of anti-armoured. We are allowed now by that proposal to bring only 20 RPG and 20 PKM.”
“But the government is still to give their approval to that proposal of the partners,” he said.
According to the opposition negotiator, Machar will be ready to travel to Juba once the government gives approval for the 20 RPGs and 20 PKMs.
For his part, Makuei pointed out that the parties “are advised to go and sleep over this to think of how best we can come up with an amicable solution that will address the issues.”
Photo: Taban Deng speaks to the press after the JMEC meeting held in Juba today