South Sudan rebels have rejected a peace deal that will see their leader, Riek Machar return as vice president.
South Sudan’s government says former vice president Riek Machar will return to his former position. This was to help end a civil war that has lasted almost five years.
The presidential press unit announced the latest deal in a statement on Sunday. But the rebels are rejecting the deal saying the country’s president, Salva Kiir still has much control.
Puok Both Baluang who is SPLM-IO deputy spokesman, says the rebels should appoint two of the four vice presidents envisaged under the Entebbe deal and Kiir’s grip on power should be loosened further.
“We will not fall only for the position of the First Vice President in this negotiation. We are focusing more on structural and institutional issues to constrain Kiir’s regime both in the executive and legislature,” he said.
Peace talks in Sudan
Last month President Salva Kiir and Riek Machar held two days of meeting in Sudan.
A deal was signed involving a ceasefire although some aspects of the deal were rejected by the rebels.
Fresh fighting however broke out between government troops in South Sudan and rebels shortly after the agreement.
Government troops and rebels launched attacks on each other.
Talks in Ethiopia
Talks in Sudan had followed an earlier meeting in Ethiopia last month.
South Sudan government officials at that meeting said they had “had enough” of Riek Machar.
The government was then willing to let back a rebel representative but ruled out rebel leader Riek Machar.
Information Minister Michael Makuei Lueth told journalists in Addis Ababa that “Machar cannot be part of government”.
Thousands of people have died in the 2013 civil war after troops loyal to the rebel Machar clashed with government troops.
South Sudan gained independence in 2011 from north Sudan but fighting broke out two years later.
Source: Africafeeds.com
