The South Sudan government has received 39 opposition soldiers allied to designated first-vice president Riek Machar, paving way for Machar’s imminent return to Juba to form the transitional government of national unity.
The latest arrival of the rebel forces came after 22 generals of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement In Opposition (SPLM-IO) arrived in Juba last week.
Dr Machar, who leads SPLM-IO, also indicated recently of his imminent return to Juba after talks with Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta in Nairobi.
The 39 soldiers who arrived in Juba on Monday represented the first batch of the SPLM-IO armed forces.
Government spokesperson Michael Makuei hailed the arrival of the former rebels as a major milestone in the peace process.
‘‘We are happy to receive in Juba the first batch of the SPLM-IO forces. These forces comprise 39 officers and men. This is the first group that has arrived and the rest will continue to arrive with time,” he said late on Monday.
MACHAR ARRIVAL
Mr Makuei said more forces are expected to arrive within the week and the final batch will be in Juba before the end of this week, paving way for the arrival of Dr Machar next week.
He called on those who transported the troops to continue supporting the government.
Meanwhile, the Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Committee Chairperson Festus Mogae told Xinhua in an interview that the Chinese government has assisted in the preparation of the sites where the soldiers and body guards will stay and has sunk boreholes in Juba on top of donating tents and other equipment to the government.
“The Chinese government also delivered 1,700 tonnes of rice not only to feed the opposition soldiers but all presidential guards, because they are now going to be integrated into one force,” Mr Mogae said.
Mr Makuei expressed optimism that the process would end by the end of the week to allow Dr Machar to return next week, adding that following the arrival of Dr Machar the Transitional government would be formed in the next two weeks.
SPLM-IO Chief Negotiator Taban Deng Gai said he was expecting Dr Machar to arrive soon, however he did not give any time frame.
The arrival of the SPLM-IO forces has been a thorny issue in the implementation of the peace process. Dr Machar is expected in Juba after the arrival of 1,370 forces of his security detail.
STARVATION
Meanwhile, UN food experts warned today of “alarming” levels of starvation in South Sudan with food prices at record highs after two years of civil war marked by atrocities.
Fighting in the war rages despite an August agreement, and food experts have repeatedly warned parts of South Sudan’s northern Unity region are on the brink of famine.
“Alarming reports of starvation, acute malnutrition and catastrophe levels of food insecurity have been reported in areas worst affected by the ongoing violence,” the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) said in a statement.
It warned of “a bleak forecast” for the rest of year, with “rapidly depleting food supplies and a likely protracted lean season”, adding that “food prices have reached record highs.”
The world’s youngest country is struggling to stem soaring inflation caused by the war, rampant corruption and the near collapse of the oil industry upon which the vast percentage of government foreign exchange earnings depend.
“Food insecurity has spread to areas previously considered relatively stable, highlighting the cumulative impact of conflict, economic downturn and climactic shocks,” FAO added.
Fighting has spread to previously largely peaceful Western Equatoria and Western Bahr el Ghazal regions, bread basket areas for the rest of the country.
“Increased fighting puts the upcoming agricultural season at risk, with alarming potential to impact on food security for the entirety of South Sudan,” FAO added.
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