The debate over a regional intervention force and UN trusteeship has created a rift between the government and former Former Detainee’s political group.
Recently, the former detainees chairman Pagan Amum said that South Sudan should be placed under a UN trusteeship, and advocated the deployment of regional troops in South Sudan.
The Former Detainees group were detained shortly after fighting broke out in December 2013, but were released to the Kenyan government.
At a press conference, Minister of Information Michael Makuei delivered an ultimatum to the group.
“Their leader and others are campaigning against the very government in which they are members. So they should decide, they are either with government and let them denounce what is happing over there, otherwise, let them join them,” Makuei said at a press conference.
Current members of the Former Detainees who are government include Foreign Minister Deng Alor and Minister of Transport John Luk Jok.
“We want a clear stand on this, this double standard will not help any longer. You are either with the agreement or you’re not with the government. I’m repeating it for a second time”, Makuei said.
The Former Detainees have said that a regional force is essential to create peace in the country.
“The failure of this initiative will not only condemn the people of South Sudan to more suffering but also render the much hallowed slogan of ‘African Solutions for African Problems’ meaningless as the slogan would have been proven to be no more than an empty rhetoric” the group said in a statement.
On Wednesday, the government rejected an IGAD communique over a regional intervention force that was placed under UN command. Instead, the government demanded the force be placed under independent authority. The Former Detainees did not agree, and welcomed the IGAD plus communique.
The intervention force “will create an environment conducive for healthy political dialogue that has been missing; it will remove the all-pervasive element of fear prevailing now, “
The group also called for a political conference among groups in South Sudan.