Khartoum, 9 August 2018.
Machar Group: We did not compromise with Kiir on the issue of states
The Sudan People’s Liberation Movement in opposition (SPLM IO) said on Tuesday it had not waived the number of states in the peace deal signed with President Salva Kiir Mayardit.
This came in response to President Salva Kiir’s remarks at Juba airport on Monday that he had accepted opposition leader Rick Machar to serve as first vice president after agreeing to stay the current 32.
“There is no compromise on the number of states in the agreement signed in the Sudanese capital of Khartoum,” said Pok Booth, head of the movement’s media and public relations office.
He stressed that the dispute over the number and limits of the states will be settled by the Boundary Commission in accordance with the peace agreement signed, indicating that the movement will not accept the 32 controversial states because its establishment was not based on any legal action.
According to the signed document, a comprehensive border committee (IBC) will be set up within two weeks of signing the agreement to settle the dispute over the number of mandates and will complete its work within 90 days.
The agreement also states that if the Commission is unable to submit its final report before the end of its mandate, it will automatically be transferred to the Referendum Commission on the number and limits of mandates under the direct supervision of the African Union and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development. The referendum, according to the peace agreement, will be held before the end of the pre-transition period.
MP.
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