The head of a group that broke away from the main armed South Sudanese armed opposition SPLM-IO earlier this year has clarified that it did not yet sign a full peace deal with the government.
This comes after talks between a government delegation and the rebel group in Nairobi last week.
The group calling itself Federal Democratic Party and led by former minister of youth, culture and sports Gabriel Changson Chang broke away from SPLM-IO in August prior to the signing of the main IGAD peace deal.
Changson’s group has rejected the leadership of former vice president and SPLM-IO leader Riek Machar and has claimed the loyalty of generals Peter Gadet and Gathoth Gatkuoth.
In a press statement dated 28 December, Changson explained that the Federal Democratic Party/South Sudan Armed Forces signed a memorandum of understanding with the government on Christmas Day in Nairobi.
“With the signed MOU, the parties expressed their commitment to engage in peace process aimed at ending the brutal civil war raging in the country since 2013. However, this MOU has caused some serious concerns among the FDP/SSAF members worldwide,” wrote Changson.
“The leadership of the FDP/SSAF released this statement to assure our gallant forces, members… that what was signed was not a peace deal (Peace Agreement) but just a MOU intended to kick start the peace talks between the two parties.”
Changson noted the memorandum gives the Kenyan government the role of mediator and commits the FDP/SSAF to send an advance team to Juba “once a binding agreement is signed.”
The signing of the memorandum between the South Sudanese government and the FDP/SSAF came shortly after the arrival of the main armed opposition SPLM-IO Advance Team in Juba.
Meetings of the Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission (JMEC), charged with overseeing implementation of the East African brokered peace deal signed by SPLM-IO, were held in the days before Christmas.