Rights body wants Taban Deng excluded from revitalization process

A rights entity in South Sudan wants the country’s First Vice-President Taban Deng Gai excluded from the 2015 peace revitalization process led by the East African regional bloc IGAD.

A rights entity in South Sudan wants the country’s First Vice-President Taban Deng Gai excluded from the 2015 peace revitalization process led by the East African regional bloc IGAD.

The Centre for Peace and Justice (CPJ) said in a statement extended to Radio Tamazuj today that Taban Deng Gai has assumed the position of First-Vice President and SPLM-IO leader because Riek Machar was absent.

CPJ’s coordinator Tito Anthony says Gai can only be included in the consultation process not as a party to the peace agreement but as a senior member of the opposition.

“Now it is time to achieve peace and hopefully Taban Deng would resign as he said last year,” Tito said.

First Vice President Taban Deng Gai joined the unity government under President Kiir after defecting from the main rebel group led by his former boss Riek Machar following fighting in Juba in July last year.