Peace team seeks UN advice on legality of Riek Machar sacking

A team charged with monitoring the implementation of the peace agreement in South Sudan says it is seeking advice from international partners on the legality of sacking of First Vice President Riek Machar.

But the Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission (JMEC) chaired by former Botswana President Festus Mogae has already reached out to Machar’s replacement on the possibility of deploying an external protection brigade in Juba.

In a statement on Wednesday, JMEC said it is holding meetings with the United Nations, African Union and regional leaders under the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) to determine if the sacking of vice president Riek Machar was within the law.

“The chairman has decided that, due to the complexity of the issues involved, this is a matter that should be considered and deliberated upon by the JMEC members, both the South Sudanese and our International Partners,” the statement said.

“Meanwhile the chairman continues to consult with regional leaders and international partners and has thus met with the African Union, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development, the United Nations and other concerned parties to discuss the political impasse at this sensitive and difficult time for South Sudan.”

TABAN DENG GAI APPOINTMENT

The impasse started this week on Monday when President Salva Kiir announced he had replaced Riek Machar with Taban Deng Gai as the First Vice President “on the recommendation of the top leadership of the SPLM/A (IO).”

The Sudan People’s Liberation Movement/Army in Opposition (SPLM/A(IO) is one of the parties to the peace agreement signed last year in August.

Dr Machar, the group’s leader, had announced on Friday that he had fired Deng Gai as mining minister because he had ‘defected’ to Kiir’s party.

However, another group gathered in Juba on Saturday to ‘endorse’ Mr Gai as Machar’s replacement.

They argued that Machar had absconded for two weeks since he fled Juba after violence erupted, killing 300 people.

Although Dr Machar has since protested his sacking and threatened war, JMEC chairman Festus Mogae on Monday met with President Kiir and Deng to discuss the approved deployment of foreign troops.

“Among the key points discussed during the productive meeting with President Kiir was his willingness to consider the deployment of a regional protection force in accordance with the recommendations of the IGAD-Plus Summit and the Summit of African Union Leaders.”

The statement quoted President Mogae saying the Commission’s only interest is “to see a solution that promotes peace and return to normality as well as security in South Sudan.

Despite the AU endorsing the deployment, President Kiir and some of the members of the SPLM-IO have opposed it.

Dr Machar had demanded the peace keeping force to act as a buffer between government forces and rebels under his control.

The JMEC is a creation of the African Union to monitor the implementation of the agreement and the work of the transitional government of national unity.

Often it notifies the AU and the UN of failures to stick with the agreement.

(Editing by Joel Muinde)