The South Sudan Opposition Movements Alliance (SSOMA) faction led by Gen. Paul Malong Awan and Pagan Amum has reiterated its commitment to join the Ceasefire & Transitional Security Arrangements Monitoring and Verification Mechanism (CTSAMVM) but decried delays in being admitted fully.
The deputy military spokesman of Paul Malong’s South Sudan United Front/Army (SSUF/A), Maj. Philip Deng Kuol Nguot, in a press release extended to Radio Tamazuj on Tuesday, said his outfit and the Real-SPLM of Pagan Amum are ready to join the security mechanism.
“The official SSUF/A deputy military spokesman (SSOMA), would like to inform our supporters, the general public, IGAD, CTSAMVM, and peace guarantors, particularly the faith-based Community of Sant’Egidio that SSOMA comprising of SSUF/A under Gen. Paul Malong and R-SPLM led by Pagan Amum reiterates its commitment of considering an inclusion into CTSAMVM structures as agreed,” the statement read.
Maj. Kuol said SSOMA coordinators and government representatives were trained at a workshop held in Nairobi months ago where the parties agreed for the full inclusion of SSUF/A and R-SPLM into the CTSAMVM structures by the end of March 2022 to participate in a monitoring and verification training organized by CTSAMVM within the next two months.
“However, we are now talking of May and our coordinating personnel has never been informed or given any clue of what’s the specific date for the security workshop to commence,” Maj. Kuol said. “Furthermore, SSOMA still okays it as a crucial step for full compliance with the Cessation of Hostilities Agreement of 2017 and Rome Resolution to protect civilians, reduce military engagements, guarantee free access for humanitarian organizations and create a conducive environment for the continuation of the political dialogue between the parties in Rome.”
During an interview with Radio Tamazuj on Tuesday, Maj. Kuol said the mediators of the Rome Initiative, Sant’Egidio are the ones delaying the process of SSOMA’s inclusion into the CTSAMVM.
“They (Sant’Egidio) are the ones delaying because they are the ones facilitating everything. So the problem might be on their side. We are appealing to them to reach out to CTSAMVM for the next workshop to take place,” he said.
On President Salva Kiir’s meeting with Gen. Malong on the former’s visit to Nairobi last weekend for the burial of former Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki, Maj. Kuol said he did not hear about it as it was a matter out of his military docket.
“This is out of the military jurisdiction. But being close to the headquarters, I never heard and was not informed about such (a meeting). This might just be an allegation by the enemies of peace. President Kiir did not meet Gen. Malong,” he said.