By Philip Buda Ladu
With the agreement to share the cake on the command of the unified forces among the parties to the Revitalized Agreement inked on Sunday, we bring you up to speed on how much percentages have been allocated to the ITGoNU, the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement/Army in Opposition (SPLM/A-IO) and the South Sudan Opposition Alliance (SSOA).
As per the sharing ratio proposal presented to the parties by Sudan hitting a milestone breakthrough in the deadlock over the unification of the command, the maximum, minimal sharing ratio is 60% for the SPLM-IG and 40% for the SPLM/A-IO and SSOA though not fixed in all security sectors.
Puok Both Baluang, the Director for Information and Public Relations, who doubles as Dr. Riek Machar’s Acting Press Secretary, told No. 1 Citizen Daily Newspaper on Monday that the ratio proportion in the unification of the Command of the Unified Forces is not fixed in all the sections of the organized forces’ structures.
He said in the army the ratio is 60 percent to 40 percent; in the National Police Service it’s 58% or 57% to 42% or 43% respectively, while in the National Security Service it stands at 55% to 45%, similar to prison with the same 55 percent to 45 percent ratio.
“So, the ratio is not fixed in all the sections, each section was dealt with differently,” Mr. Baluang explained the varying ratios allocations of the positions among the ITGoNU and the Opposition groups.
Sudan presented the proposal on the unification of the Command structures of the Unified Forces to the 2018 R-ARCSS parties which they signed on Sunday in Juba in the presence of Gen. Mohamed Hamdan Daglo as Guarantor to R-ARCSS.
Apportioning of the Command structure of the unified forces among parties
The National Army
In the South Sudan People’s Defense Army, the SPLM (IG) went with the positions of the Chief of Staff, Training, Administration and Finance, Ground Forces, Air Force, Military Intelligence and Operations.
The SPLM/A (IO), was given the positions of the Deputy Chief of Staff, Inspector General of the Army, Moral Guidance and Logistics.
While the South Sudan opposition Alliance (SSOA) was given only the position of the Assistant Chief of Staff of the Riverine Forces.
The National Police
On National Police Service, the SPLM (IG) went away with the post of the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Assistant IGP for Operations, Assistant IGP for Administration and Finance, Assistant IGP for Passports, Assistant IGP for Immigration and Civil Registry, Assistant IGP for Customs, Logistics, Assistant IGP for Criminal Investigation and the Assistant IGP for Public Relations.
On the other hand, the SPLM/A (IO), was awarded the post of the Deputy Inspector General of Police, the Assistant IGP for Social Services, and Assistant IGP for Training, Traffic and the Assistant IGP for Medical Services.
The South Sudan Opposition Alliance walked home with only the position of the Assistant Inspector General of Police for Border Police.
Internal Security Sector
In the internal security sector of the National Security the SPLM (IG) was allocated the positions of the Director General of Internal Security, States Security Authority, Specialized Files Authority, Operations Authority, Central Security, Administration and Finance and Information Authority.
The SPLM/A (IO) took the Deputy Director General of Internal Security, Economic Security, Protections, Petroleum and Minerals Security.
Meanwhile South Sudan Opposition Alliance was given the position of the Director for training in the International security sector.
External Security Sector
The SPLM (IG) got the lion share of Director General for External Security, Information Authority, Technical Intelligence, Counterintelligence, Administration and Finance.
The SPLM/A (IO) went with the position of the Director for Crisis Management, Foreign Intelligence and Counter-Terrorism.
South Sudan Opposition Alliance takes the Deputy Director General of the External Security docket.
Wildlife Conservation and Tourism Sector
On the Wildlife forces security sector the SPLM (IG) took the posts of the Director General, Director for Training, Administration and Finance, and the Protected Areas.
The SPLM/A (IO) was given the posts of Deputy Director General, Assistant Director General for Wildlife Law Enforcement.
And South Sudan Opposition Alliance went with the position of the Assistant Director-General for Environmental Conservation and Education in the wildlife sector.
Prison or Correctional Services Sector
On the prison or correctional service sector, the SPLM (IG) with the big share took the posts of Director General, Procurement and Supply, Administration and Finance, Operations, Training and Human Resources, Communications and Information, and finally Investment.
The SPLM/A (IO) went with the position of the Deputy Director General, Director for Labour and Technology, Social and Medical Affairs.
South Sudan Opposition Alliance goes only with the post of the Assistant Director General for Inmates Affairs.
Reacting to the allocation of the position in the unified command structure, Mr. Baluang the SPLM/A-IO spokesperson said it was not the best they expected as per sharing of the command structure, but they have compromised for the sake of peace.
Baluang said they had wanted a 50:50 ratio sharing between the ITGoNU and the Opposition as earlier agreed in a workshop in Khartoum.
“For us the SPLM/A-IO we have chosen peace, even though from the initial agreement at the auspices of IGAD we have a 50:50 positions but for the sake of peace we have compromised so that the people of South Sudan can have peace because the security arrangement is the backbone of the agreement,” Mr. Baluang asserted.