By Yiep Joseph
Fresh wrangle tears Sudan People Liberation Movement in Opposition (SPLM-IO) as Interim leadership suspends members in Eastern Equatoria state.
In an order issued on 24th June, Stephen Par Kuol SPLM-IO suspended some party members from Eastern Equatoria state of their duties citing insubordination of interim leadership, he leads.
Among those suspended were Marko Lokidor Lochapto, Ochola Bosco Oringa, Sammy Aperengole Lopeyok, Lulea Charles Jankarlo, Vitale Offire Raphael, Mary Juwa William, and Visor Likali Olum.
Despite some of them holding key positions in the state government, the SPLM-IO interim Chairperson clearly stated that effective from the date of the order, of the members are stop from their assignments.
Par accused the suspended members of carrying out anti-part activities that undermine his leadership.
“The party leadership received disturbing, corroborated reports that you are the mastermind of an effort to undermine the party interim leadership in Eastern Equatoria state,” Par stated in his letter.
The interim leadership accused the group of masterminding a campaign to destabilise the interim leadership in EES, whose effort to implement peace has been realistic.
“All your actions in recruiting co-conspirators and masterminding what you intend to campaign against the leadership to assassinate its character” Par said in a statement.
The Interim chairperson expressed that the action from the suspended members threatened the implementation of the Revitalised Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan (R-ARCSS).
He added that while the interim leadership continue to focus on the implementation of the peace agreement it will not tolerate those working against the peace agreement.
Mr. Par noted that the individuals’ plans were thwarted when those they sought to influence rejected their allegations and chose to support the interim leadership.
Meanwhile, Visor Likali Olum, one of those suspended, rubbished the claim citing that Par has no powers to suspend members in Eastern Equatoria.
Likali, who is a member of Eastern Equatoria State Assembly and also SPLM-IO State Youth League Chairperson, accused the interim leadership in Juba of being use by SPLM IG to divide SPLM-IO while their leader remains in detention.
“Stephen Phar and his team were already suspended by our acting chairman, Cde/Rt Oyet Nathaniel, and some of them were already suspended from the secretariat by Cde SG Hon Regina Joseph Kapa. They are no longer our members” Likali claimed.
He urged Par’s group to form their own party rather than destabilising SPLM-IO party.
“They are running the business of SPLM-IG and are hired. They better join them or create their party instead of running such deals that will not anchor them better dignity in their stores of legacy” he said.
Likali reaffirmed commitment for Dr. Riek Machar who is under house arrest adding that he remains chairpersons of the SPLM-IO while Nathaniel Oyet who is outside the country become acting chairperson in his absent.
“We are Goliath enough in support of HE Dr Riek Machar Teny Durghon until he is free, and we will fight it. We are pivotal and firmly fit in defending the truth surrounding the current misery” he said
Despite efforts by Stephen Par Kuol and Lasuba Wango to keep the peace agreement moving, some SPLM-IO members are defiant and rejected the rule of the interim leadership. The conservative group maintains that they only recognize Dr. Riek Machar and Oyet Nathaniel as the legitimate leaders of the party, a signatory to the 2018 peace deal.
However, the High-Level Standing Committee for the 2018 Peace Agreement has approved the interim SPLM-IO leadership under Peacebuilding Minister Stephen Par Kuol and authorized him to nominate appointees for government positions.
The recognition followed a meeting of representatives of the peace parties in Juba, according to a government press statement.
Cabinet Affairs Minister Dr. Martin Elia Lomuro said the recognition of the SPLM-IO Juba splinter group is intended to move the peace process forward and ensure that the country holds elections in 2026.