SPLM/A-IO rejoins security mechanisms

Riek Machar, First Vice President and leader of SPLM/A-IO.

By Awan Achiek
Sudan People’s Liberation Movement/Army-in opposition (SPLM/A-IO) has agreed to participate in the security mechanisms after recently opting out due to “unprovoked” attacks on it’s positions.
First Vice President, Riek Machar and leader of SPLM/A-IO on March 22nd this year, announced his party’s withdrawal from attending meetings of the vital security mechanisms, such as strategic defense and security review (SDSR), joint transitional security committee (JTSC), joint military ceasefire commission (JMCC) and the joint defense board (JDB).
‘‘The SPLM/A-IO leadership hereby, lifts the suspension of participation in the meetings of security mechanisms namely JDB, JTSC, JMCC, SDSR, CTSAMVM, as well as the National Transitional Committee (NTC) and Reconstituted Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission (RJMEC) with immediate effect,’’ said Machar in the statement issued in Juba on Sunday.
The decision came in the aftermath of the visit by Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, deputy head of the Sudan Sovereign Council who also held talks with President Salva Kiir and other signatories to the 2018 revitalized peace deal.
The parties also signed agreement on the structure of the unified army command that will be in charge of the 83,000 unified forces once they are graduated.
“Today we signed the agreement on the structure of the army command in the unification and one week from now, all the forces who are in cantonment will begin the graduation of the first batch,” said Tut Gatluak Manime, President Kiir’s advisor on security.
SPLM/A-IO and the South Sudan army (SSPDF) clashed last week in the oil-rich regions of Upper Nile and Unity states, leading to fresh fears of the fragile peace deal collapsing.
The United Nations Mission in South Sudan, African Union, Inter-governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) that brokered the peace deal have recently met all the parties in a bid to return them toward the negotiating table.
The transitional period ends in February 2023, and afterwards the first national election will be held to pave way for transition toward peace.