By Tereza Jeremiah Chuei
The South Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF) has denounced calls from casted civil rights movement group, People’s Coalition for Civil Action (PCCA) persuading the army to intervene to stop the top principal to the peace agreement from extending the transitional government that is due to elapse in February 2023.
The army refused to be dragged into the political standoff saying the mandate of the military is to protect the territorial integrity of the country and its citizens not to meddle into politics.
This came after the South Sudan Civil rights Movement; the People’s Coalition for Civil Action (PCCA) issued a statement online, protesting the rumoured extension of the transitional government’s mandate.
The civil movement then called on the army to reject the extension of the transitional period by President Salva Kiir and his Deputy, opposition leader Dr. Riek Machar Teny. Speaking to No.1 Citizen Daily Newspaper yesterday, the SSPDF’s spokesperson Maj. Gen. Lul Ruai Koang rejected the army’s involvement into the political developments in the country.
“Our work as the army is to provide the civilians with protection and security but anything to do with politics is not under our mandate, it’s also not our mandate to call on the politicians on what to do,” Gen. Lul told this reporter.
According to some news agencies, national army (SSPDF) Chief of Defense Forces Gen. Santino Deng Wol was also quoted as denouncing the call for removal of President Salva Kiir Mayardit and distanced himself from politics saying management of the country is the work of the politicians.
“Politics and management of the country is the work of politicians, our work as military is to defend the country against any foreign aggression, protect and safeguard the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country and the Constitution,” he was quoted.
The top army chief also warned members of the organized forces against participating in politics.
These developments happened after several senior government officials told media that the transitional period claimed to be extended for additional two years is highly sparking anger among civil society organizations.