By Nakwam Rose
Activist Edmund Yakani, Executive Director of the Community Empowerment for Progress Organization (CEPO), has criticized recent surge in political and military defections.
His criticism comes in the wake of rising movements of members between the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-in Opposition (SPLM-IO) and the South Sudan People’s Defence Forces (SSPDF), which are fueled by escalating political tensions.
Yakani said this ‘political camouflage’ is instilling fear among the South Sudanese. He warned that defections increase the risk of the nation resorting to violence to resolve political disputes, rather than pursuing peaceful dialogue.
“This wave of shifting colours and military defections is creating fear among the public but also is sending a signal that the likelihood of a country sustaining violence as means of resolving political disagreements is higher than using dialogue as a political tool of resolving political disagreements,” Yakani stated.
He directly questioned the motives of political and military leaders seemingly driven by a “hunger for power.”
“Our leaders both militarily and politically, for how long is your personal interest for power, for being rewarded want to hold the country hostage to violence?” he questioned.
Yakani further stated that while changes in political allegiance are a normal part of the political landscape, military defections between opposing factions directly undermine the already fragile security arrangements.
He cautioned that such actions politicize the security apparatus and will make the process of rebuilding trust and stability a protracted one.
“Our appeal to you is that these defections that are taking place militarily it is undermining the security arrangement but at the same time also it is publicizing the security arrangement. We have no problem with the political allegiances, shifting of colors or loyalty but military defections from one particular group to one particular group undermine the security arrangement but also policies the security arrangement,” he said.
He urged leaders to demonstrate a high level of honesty and sincerity in addressing critical political issues, including security arrangements, power-sharing, and the implementation of the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan (R-ARCSS).
Yakani further appealed to leaders, regardless of their military uniform, to refrain from intimidating the public and violating human rights.
Instead, he called on them to set a positive example by prioritizing the nation’s security through developmental strategies and fostering a genuine commitment to peace, thereby paving the way for economic, social, and political growth.
In recent months, there have been increasing reports of defections of both political and military figures between the SPLM-IO and the SSPDF.