South Sudan has rejected an American proposal at the United Nations to send 4,000 peacekeepers into the country, which they claim gives the UN the ability to govern.
After fighting in the capital, the United States government submitted a draft resolution at the United Nations Security Council to send in peacekeepers to secure the capital.
Minister of Information Michael Makuei said that provisions in the resolution give the head of UN mission powers of the president. He repeatedly claimed it was part of a plan to create a UN protectorate in South Sudan.
“The TGoNU will never entertain any proposal that compromises its authority for control over Juba International Airport and in this connection expresses its desire to relocate UNMISS from Tonpying to its Jebel Site to ensure TGoNU’s control over Juba International Airport,” Makuei told reporters in Juba.
Makuei also said that the government of South Sudan was consulted over the final IGAD communique to send peacekeepers into the country. The meeting took place on Friday, and the final IGAD communique was not released until Sunday. In that time, Makuei said that changes were made in the final text that the government rejects.
Specifically, Makuei objected to some of the security arrangements and timelines, and highlighted the government’s objection to placing the regional force under UN command.