South Sudan’s government spokesman Michael Makuei Lueth said they accepted to let in a regional protection force backed by the African Union and approved at the recent IGAD summit in Addis Ababa.
The proposal has been a key demand of the SPLM-IO leader Riek Machar who fled Juba after the outbreak of clashes last month.
Speaking to reporters upon arrival from Addis Ababa yesterday evening, Michael Makuei said the government needs to discuss the mandate and size of the protection force discussed at the IGAD summit.
“The mandate of this protection force, its number, its findings, its armament and deployment, all these will be and should be agreed by the government of the Republic of South Sudan”, said Makuei.
Makuei, who is also the information minister, said the new First Vice President Taban Deng Gai who led the government delegation to the IGAD summit defended their position not to accept an intervention force in South Sudan.
“After lengthy deliberation in the summit, the government delegation in principle accepted the idea of a protection force not an intervention force but a protection “he said.
” The task of the protection force will be to protect the IDPs, protect the humanitarian agencies and JMEC. These were the three agreed by the government “he added.
For his part, Ezekiel Lol Gatkuoth, member of the SPLM-IO faction allied to Taban Deng Gai, said they reject any foreign intervention into South Sudan. He pointed out that the summit also urged the warring parties to implement the peace agreement.
File photo: Michael Makuei (left), Ezekiel Lol (right)