Both South Sudan’s government and armed opposition have dismissed the recent IGAD proposal for South Sudan’s warring parties to share power in a transitional government.
Speaking to Radio Tamazuj Monday, SPLM-IO deputy head of information and public relations Manawa Peter Gatkuoth described the proposal as “unfair.”
He noted that the proposal is trying to confine the SPLM-IO movement in certain areas of the country while ignoring the question of how the nation can be ruled.
The rebel official accused some regional bodies of seeking to isolate them regionally. He pointed out that Uganda requested that the South Sudanese rebels be labeled as a negative force in the region.
Manawa warned that any attempt to impose the proposal will prolong the war in other parts of South Sudan.
“If the IGAD wants us to sign an agreement to make Salva Kiir the president and Riek Machar as the first vice president, and later on conflict spreads to greater Bahr al Ghazal and Equatoria regions, this means we didn’t do anything,” he said.
“Non-viable”
For his part, Presidential Press Secretary Ateny Wek Ateny described the proposal as “non-viable. He accused the IGAD of seeking fragmentation of South Sudan by giving certain areas to the rebels.
“This is the beginning of separation, and we have known the intention of those came up with such a proposal,” he said.
He stressed that the proposed powers are indivisible, noting that the government is still considering to reply to the proposal.
The deal proposed that President Salva Kiir remains as president and executive head of state for a 30 month transitional period, while the SPLM-In Opposition of Riek Machar would get to fill a new position of “First Vice-President.”
Splitting power
Kiir’s side would receive 53% of national ministerial positions, while the SPLM-In Opposition of former vice president Riek Machar’s would receive 33%. The rest of the ministries would be split up between other political parties and the SPLM-G10 Former Detainees group led by Pagan Amum.
Parliament would be expanded from 332 members to 400. Of the newly established seats, Machar’s side would get 50 and other political parties would get 17. The SPLM-G10 would get 1 seat.
Regarding the states, IGAD proposed that the SPLM-IO would receive governorships of Unity, Upper Nile, and Jonglei states, as well as 53% of state council of ministers positions for those three states. Kiir’s side would get 33%, with the SPLM-G10 and other political parties splitting the leftover 14% evenly.
File photo: IGAD Special Envoy Lazaro Sumbeiywo at a press event at the Foreign Ministry in Juba, 29 May 2014 (Radio Tamazuj)