President Kiir backs ‘divisive’ peace deal, fighting continues

South Sudan has witnessed repeated outbreaks of fighting since Kiir and rebel leader Riek Machar signed the pact last month.

Kiir described the Inter Government Authority on Development (IGAD) peace document as “the most divisive and unprecedented peace deal ever seen in the history of our country and African continent at large”, adding that “this agreement has also attacked seriously the sovereignty of our country”.

This agreement has also attacked seriously the sovereignty of our country.”

Fighting started in Juba in December 2013 and rapidly spread across many parts of the country. Since then, it is estimated that more than 10,000 people have been killed and millions have fled their homes in the poverty-stricken country which gained independence in 2011.

“This is the time for us to come together despite our political differences which made us fall apart and brought too much suffering, humiliation and great damage to our country,” Kiir said in a press briefing in Juba at State House on September 15.

He signed the peace deal in Addis Ababa in late August, a week after leaders of the breakaway SPLM factions, namely Riek Machar and Pagan Amum. President Kiir had voiced “serious reservations” about the deal and had accused the IGAD and other mediators of intimidating him into agreement.

Under the deal the rebel leader would gain the post of first Vice President, which means that Riek Machar would likely return to the job he was fired from in July 2013, an event which put the country on the path to war later that year.

During the fighting, many infrastructure, education and other vital projects have been stalled while national funds have been diverted towards weapons and security.

Kiir repeated his concerns about the deal, saying some elements needed to be negotiated – for example, he criticised the deal’s approach to the demilitarisation of Juba and other capitals and complained about the power of the Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission, which will be headed by a foreigner and will be able to veto government decisions.

“This is another clear violation of the sovereignty and the hard earned independence of our country,” he said. “The IGAD proposed Compromise Peace Agreement is neither a holy bible nor the Quran and should be open for negotiation.”

The National Council of Ministers has already endorsed and adopted the agreement and the National Legislative Assembly has ratified it for implementation.

All institutions of government in the country shall be bound by this agreement.”

Kiir reiterated his order for SPLA troops to stop any military offensive in the conflict zones unless they are acting in self defence.

Despite his reservations about the deal, he said he would stick to it: “With that signature, I had fully committed the government to the faithful implementation of the Agreement. All institutions of government in the country shall be bound by this agreement,” he said.

He said he hoped that during implementation the IGAD would reconsider the reservations he voiced to the document.

Despite the violence which has overshadowed his rule, Kiir said he “called on all people to join hands with him during the transitional period until the General Election in 2018”.