Riek Machar, South Sudan’s ousted vice president and now leader of SPLM/A-in-Opposition, has never ordered his commanders to stop fighting, even after authorizing his representatives in Addis Ababa to sign a ceasefire, according to a newspaper report.
Machar’s delegation signed the Agreement of Cessation of Hostilities on 23 January 2014 in the presence of witnesses Ambassador Seyoum Mesfin, General Lazaro Sumbeiywo, and General Mohamed Ahmed El Dabi, the mediators.
The agreement stated: “The Parties hereby agree to cease all military actions aimed at each other and any other action that may undermine the peace process.”
On signing the ceasefire, Machar’s group committed to “ensure that all forces or armed groups under their influence, control or/and command shall observe this Agreement.”
But even after signing the agreement, Machar’s forces attacked the Upper Nile State capital twice, and his commanders say they were never ordered to stand down. Instead, Machar himself continues to threaten to attack the city of Malakal yet again.
The New York Times, whose reporter visited Machar and some of his commanders in Nasser, Upper Nile State, reported Thursday that the commanders in Nasser were not under orders to respect the cessation of hostilities agreement.
Cmdr. Hokdor Chuol Diet, a leader of the ‘white army’ fighters in Nasser, “demurred repeatedly when asked whether Mr. Machar ever ordered the White Army to stand down for the cessation of hostilities signed in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, on Jan. 23, which fell apart very quickly,” reported the newspaper.
The commander said instead, “Our leader is Dr. Riek Machar. If the leader doesn’t give us the order to stop, we go with our plans. But if the leadership says there is peace and the other side respects it, then we will stop.”
Nhial Tuach Riek, a force commander seated with Commander Diet said, “We cannot wait for an order from someone else, because we know the government killed these people. Dr. Riek cannot order us to do anything because we are not fighting for him.”
Maj. Gen. Gathoth Gatkuoth, who commands Machar’s forces in Upper Nile State, including both civilian and formal troops, estimated that the White Army’s civilian fighters numbered 60,000 to 80,000 in the state, plus 20,000 soldiers who defected from the government.
As quoted by the same newspaper, he said that they intend to capture the oil fields north of Nasser, while Machar himself says they want to capture Malakal again.
“We want to go back to it. It’s our town. That’s why you see mobilization taking place,” said the former vice president.
Photo: Signatures to the Agreement Cessation of Hostililties, 23 January 2014