CTSAMVM endorses SPLM/A-IO screening drive
The Ceasefire, Transitional Security Arrangement Monitoring and Verification Mechanism (CTSAMVM) has welcomed the move by the main armed opposition group to the revitalised peace agreement to start screening and reorganising forces despite signalled resource constraints.
The monitoring body in its 27th board meeting on Monday, hailed the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement/Army in Opposition (SPLM/A-IO) for its decision towards security arrangement implementation.
“However, we noted that the leadership of the SPLM/A-IO has resolved to dispatch its components of the committees to the training centres to screen and reorganise the SPLM/A-IO forces without waiting for the required resources,” CTSAMVM Chairperson, Maj. Gen. Teshome Gemechu Aderie, said.
The security arrangement implementation, which is one of the overdue tasks critical to the overall peace process, has been facing numerous challenges with parties trading blame for the delay.
Last month, President Salva Kiir turned the blame on First Vice President Dr Riek Machar for failing to streamline rampant ranks within forces to conform to the standardised army organisation.
Nothing forthcoming yet
Though the parties agreed in October to send screening committees to various training centres across the country to assess and screen the joint trainees, paving the way for the graduation of the first batch of the necessary unified forces, no action has been taken yet.
According to the South Sudan People’s Defence Forces (SSPDF) spokesperson, Maj. Gen. Lul Ruai, the decision could not be executed due to a lack of financial and logistical support.
CTSAMVM however, said, it was ready to provide logistical support should parties avail themselves of the names of the screening team for vetting.
“The three regional committees of the JDB responsible for assessing the situation in the training centres to start processing the forces for graduation have yet to start because of resources,” Maj. Gen. Gemechu said.
Arms embargo
The President has blamed the arms embargo for stunting plans to graduate the forces, saying it remains a challenge.
Addressing the fifth Governors’ Forum last month, the president said there was an option to graduate the soldiers with sticks if no guns would be available due to the restrictions.
“We have repeatedly informed the UN system about the negative impact this has on the implementation of chapter two of the agreement, and all we have received in return are more conditions that do not recognise progress achieved so far.
“Hence, in the distance, we will have no option other than to graduate these forces with sticks when the other two challenges are resolved,” Kiir said during the closing session of the .governor forum last week.
The parties are yet to agree on the joint command of the armed forces as a prerequisite to the graduation of the 83, 000 unified forces provided for by the Chapter Two of the security arrangement agreement.
In September, Kiir and Machar rejected the IGAD’s proposed force contribution ratio, maintaining parallel positions with SPLM-IG demanding for 60:40 per cent distributing ratio while SPLM-IO requested a 50:50 ratio.
Furthermore, unconfirmed information has claimed that most of the opposition’s and government’s forces had few privates and noncommissioned officers (NCOs), while the majority were officers, including second and first lieutenants, captains, majors, lieutenant colonels, colonels, brigadiers, major generals, and lieutenant generals.
It also claimed that the officers have rejected demotion to conform to the organisation of the army with limited ranks needed according to scout, platoon, coy, and brigade, among others.
Half of the over 40,000 joint forces who completed their training at various training centres across the country were said to have deserted due to delays in graduation as well as unbearable conditions.