S. Sudan rebels accuse IGAD of supporting President Kiir

South Sudan’s SPLM-IO rebels accused the recent IGAD heads of state summit in Addis Ababa of renewing the legitimacy of President Salva Kiir.

South Sudan’s SPLM-IO rebels accused the recent IGAD heads of state summit in Addis Ababa of renewing the legitimacy of President Salva Kiir.

The document signed by President Kiir and other IGAD heads of state stipulates that Kiir would keep his position as president of the republic during a thirty-month transitional phase and that a prime minister would be chosen by the SPLM-In Opposition.

The prime minister would have to be approved by Kiir and could not run in presidential elections after the transitional period.

SPLM-IO Head of External Relations Committee Dhieu Mathok told Radio Tamazuj Thursday that such an agreement is tantamount to rewarding Kiir for the killings of South Sudanese citizens.

Dhieu accused IGAD, the East African regional body mediating peace talks, of trying to colonize South Sudan by controlling economic and security committees.

He also denied reports that they signed a ceasefire agreement matrix in Addis Ababa.

He further said that the cessation of hostilities agreement signed in 9 May was not implemented after the Ugandan Peoples Defense Forces (UPDF) and Sudanese armed movements did not withdraw from South Sudanese territory.

Dhieu said his boss refused to sign the document which was put forward by IGAD head of states in the summit.

He reiterated their position to hold direct peace talks with the government delegation. 

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