An extraordinary summit of IGAD Heads of State and Government on South Sudan wants the government of Africa’s newest nation to release detained officials as part of the solutions to stabilize the country.
- •On 4th March, an estimated 6,000 White Army combatants overran an South Sudan People’s Defence Force (SSPDF) encampment in Nasir, inflicting significant casualties and dispersing government forces.
- •The situation escalated on 7th March, when an operation by the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) to evacuate stranded South Sudan People’s Defence Force (SSPDF) personnel resulted in a tragic loss of life, including the late General Majur Dak, several soldiers, and a UN crew member.
- •The arrest of officials including a deputy military chief and two ministers allied to First Vice President Riek Machar in Juba last week, coupled with violence around a strategic northern town, are widely seen as jeopardising the peace deal.
“The government of South Sudan is urged to forthwith release detained officials, unless credible evidence warrants legal proceedings conducted transparently and in accordance with due process, lift any undue restrictions, and restore standard security arrangements,” says Workneh Gebeyehu, IGAD Executive Secretary.
“All parties to the conflict to unconditionally cease hostilities and adhere strictly to the permanent ceasefire, with IGAD’s Ceasefire and Transitional Security Arrangements Monitoring and Verification Mechanism (CTSAMVM) reinforced to ensure compliance.”
A dispatch from the Wednesday’s virtual extraordinary summit of IGAD Heads of State and Government on the Situation in the Republic of South Sudan further calls for an urgent dialogue between the leadership of the country.
The regional body is also pushing for the Joint Defence Board be promptly reconvened to address contentious deployments, such as those in Nasir, and oversee the safe withdrawal of forces, in coordination with UNMISS. It also wants an independent investigation into the Nasir clashes and the attack on the UN helicopter.
