Consequent to the press statement by Hon. Michael Makuei Lueth, the Minister of Information of the Government of South Sudan regarding the continuous provocative illegal Detention of SPLM/SPLA-IO Political Detainees, Hon. Puot Kang Chol, the Minister of Petroleum and Deputy Chairman of High Level Political Committee, Gen. Gabriel Duop Lam, Deputy CDF and Co-Chair of JDB, Hon. Gatwech Lam Puoch (MP), Camilo Gatmai Kel and 19 others, Hon. Makuei also confirmed the presence of Uganda People's Defense Forces (UPDF), a military force of an IGAD Partner State, and made a relentless Ethnic Profiling of one of the 64 constitutive nationalities that comprised South Sudan, the Nuer community, and

After a thorough assessment of the credibility and composition of the Mechanisms, Political and Security environment of the Peace Implementation Mechanisms, and after wide consultation, all the participation of the members of the said Security and Political mechanisms is hereby frozen with immediate effect until all the SPLM/SPLA-IO Political Detainees are unconditionally released. The Members of the said Mechanism shall only attend RJMEC Plenary Sessions to affirm the unconditional release of their colleagues. We hold the SPLM-IG their security apparatus responsible for the safety and life of all detainees.

Harassment, Arrest and Detention of peace makers, peace mediators, peace messengers, humanitarian workers, journalists, have been a practice of brutal totalitarian regimes which have been banned internationally under customary international Humanitarian law. This act shall never be tolerated in South Sudan under any circumstance. The act of arresting and detaining a Signatory to the R-ARCSS and the ongoing political witch-hunts continue to threaten the very essence and the existence of the Revitalized Agreement. We once again call for immediate unconditional release of the political detainees and release of the First Vice President from any confinement.

We also state clearly that the failure by the government of South Sudan to provide protection to life and property to all citizens of South Sudan has resulted in proliferation and establishment of community vigilantes including Tit-bai, Gel-weng, Agwelek, Abushok, White army, monyamiji, Arrow Boys, etc. Profiling the White army and declaring war by mobilizing state political, military and diplomatic machinery is tantamount to further a "state policy of targeting members of a group". We call upon the African Union, United Nations, Troika, European Union and IGAD Partners Forum and the C5 Countries to protect civilians in South Sudan and reject the call by the government spokesperson to profile an ethnic group, and we also call upon you to visit the African Union Commission Report on South Sudan (The Obasanjo Report) and hold the government and individual committing atrocities and Human Rights Violations in South Sudan to account.

Last but not least, the invitation and the presence of Uganda People's Defense Forces (UPDF) in the Country depicts a men's rea (intention) and preparation for war. Their deployment around the country complicates the geopolitical situation of South Sudan and tantamount to a declaration of War on the peace partners and the people of South Sudan by the two governments. In light of the foregoing, South Sudan and Juba in particular are increasingly unsafe for the members of the opposition, and the Chairman and Commander In Chief of the SPLM/SPLA-IO, who has been placed under political witch-hunts and confinement and this is further raising tension and anxiety around the Country.

Signed.

Cde. Oyet Nathaniel Pierino

Deputy/Chairman and Commander-In-Chief (SPLM/SPLA-IO)

Republic of South Sudan

Juba

17th March, 2025