By Philip Buda Ladu
A consultative leadership meeting of Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-in-Opposition (SPLM-IO) in Juba has announced the formation of an interim leadership structure, a move immediately rejected by the party’s military wing.
The meeting, held under the theme “Overcoming the Toils of Nation Building” at the Palm Africa Hotel, took place against a backdrop of significant challenges for the main opposition movement which is part of government of national unity brought about by the fragile 2018 revitalized agreement.
The SPLM-IO has been thrown into turmoil following the house arrest of its Chairman, Dr. Riek Machar, since last month, and the reported fleeing of his deputy, Oyet Nathaniel Pierino, from Juba due to unknown political reasons.
Over 500 members, including representatives from the Political Bureau, National Liberation Council, Transitional National Legislature, and various party leagues, attended the consultative meeting chaired by the national minister of Peace Building, Stephen Par Kuol.
The discussions were centered on the SPLM-IO’s commitment to peace, the status of Oyet Nathaniel Pierino, and the necessity of forming interim leadership.
After nearly four hours of closed-door meetings, the chair of the consultative meeting, Hon. Stephen Par read out the resolutions, of the consultative leadership meeting to the media at Palm Africa Hotel in Juba on Wednesday.
Par reaffirmed their commitment to the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of Conflicts in South Sudan (R-ARCSS) as the “sole pathway to achieving lasting peace and reconciliation.”
He issued an urgent call for the immediate release of Dr. Riek Machar and all other detained comrades following recent clashes in Nasir. The leadership stated that their detention “undermines the principles of peace and dialogue.”
The communique also urged an immediate halt to ongoing military offensives, specifically mentioning the advance of the South Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF) towards Ulang County and stop efforts to redeploy in Nasir Town, to allow for political solutions.
The meeting also declared the SPLM-IO interim leadership and membership in Juba dissociation from Hon. Nathaniel Oyet Pierino, effectively removing him as Deputy Chairman and Commander-in-Chief.
The resolution argued that since the SPLM-IO headquarters is in Juba as part of the unity government, the party cannot be led remotely by a “self-exiled leader.”
However, to fill the leadership vacuum created by Dr. Machar’s detention and Hon. Oyet Nathaniel Pierino’s absence, the National Liberation Council nominated and approved an interim leadership team:
Stephen Par Kuol was elected as the Interim Chairperson. Losuba Ludoru Wongo as the Deputy Chairperson and Agok Makur Kur as the Secretary General.
Stephen Par Kuol signed the resolutions as the Interim Chairperson, stating the SPLM-IO’s continued commitment to the rights and dignity of South Sudanese and a future of peace, unity, and reconciliation.
However, the newly announced interim leadership faces an immediate challenge to its authority. Shortly after the Juba declaration, the SPLM-IO’s military wing, the SPLA-IO, issued a strongly worded press release distancing itself from the political developments in Juba.
Signed by the SPLA-IO Spokesperson, Col. Lam Paul Gabriel, who is also out of Juba, the statement declared that the military wing is “not part and parcel of the betrayers in Juba led by Stephen Par Kuol.
Col. Lam asserted that the SPLA-IO remains under the “full command and control of H.E. Dr. Riek Machar Teny Dhurgon, and in his absence, Gen. Oyet Nathaniel Pierino is in charge.”
He noted that the Acting Chief of General Staff of the SPLA-IO, Lt. Gen. Peter Thuk Chuol, further directed all sector and division commanders to “distance themselves from the betrayers in Juba.”
This glaring division within the SPLM-IO highlights the deepening political crisis within the opposition movement and raises serious questions about its future stability and participation in the fragile peace process in South Sudan.
The conflicting claims of leadership are likely to further complicate the already challenging implementation of the R-ARCSS and could potentially lead to further fragmentation within the group. The international community is yet to respond to these latest developments.