AFRICA/SOUTH SUDAN - The President orders the cease-fire, but expresses strong reservations on the peace agreement

Friday, 28 August 2015

Juba (Agenzia Fides) - President of South Sudan, Salva Kiir, has ordered the army to stop the fighting, as of today, August 28, in accordance with the peace agreements signed on August 26 (see Fides 27/08/2015 ), which provide for the permanent ceasefire within 72 hours of their signature.
In signing the agreement, President Kiir however handed over a 12-page file to the mediators which lists several controversial issues considered by the government.
The main reservation concerns the post of first vice president, created next to that of Vice President, attributed to the rebels, led by Riek Machar. It is expected that Kiir consults his First Vice President to make "collegial" decisions.
Riek Machar had been Vice President under Kiir, before the latter made him resign. A few months latter, Machar had been accused of a coup attempt which triggered the civil war in December 2013.
Other points at issue concern the distribution of seats in favor of the rebels in the governments of three key States (Jonglei, Upper Nile and Unity), the demilitarization of the federal capital, Juba, and the 18 months allowed for the unification, under a new name, of forces that fought in the war. Kiir said that there is already a regular army, whose name must remain unchanged, and with regard to Juba, invoking a "question of sovereignty", challenges the imposition of withdrawing all combat units in a radius of 25 km from the capital within 90 days after the entry into force of the agreement. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 28/08/2015)


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