SPLM Secretary-General and leader of the SPLM-G10 ‘Former Detainees’ faction Pagan Amum has called on a group of new defectors from Sudan People’s Liberation Movement in Opposition (SPLM-IO) to join the recently signed peace accord.
The breakaway group calling itself the Federal Democratic Party led by the former South Sudanese Minister of Youth, Culture and Sports Gabriel Changson Chang has rejected the peace deal signed by Salva Kiir and Riek Machar.
The defectors have called on the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) to adopt a new strategy in the peace process, leading to a more inclusive agreement.
In an interview with Radio Tamazuj, Amum regretted hearing about the defection of politicians and army commanders from the main armed opposition. He urged them to support the IGAD-Plus compromise peace agreement to resolve the conflict in South Sudan.
“The call made by the group to fight both Kiir and Machar at this critical time is negative. So we call upon Changson and Peter Gatdet to join peace process and work for the implementation of the agreement,” he said.
Pagan Amum pointed out that the group opposing the peace agreement from within the government side should also be considered. He called upon all stakeholders to work jointly with his group to achieve peace.
He noted the compromise peace agreement will benefit all the people of South Sudan including those who oppose it.
South Sudan’s government spokesman and Minister of Information and Broadcasting Michael Makuei Lueth, SPLA Chief of Staff Paul Malong and a group of so-called ‘Dinka Council of Elders’ have been vocal opponents of the peace deal signed by President Kiir in Juba.
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Rebel defectors reject S Sudan peace deal, demand new inclusive dialogue (30 Aug.)