The R-ARCSS signed in 2018 has for the past two months come under sustained and systematic violations by the SPLMIG/ITGoNU and the affiliated military, the SSPDF in the country. We would like to high-light to the members of the SPLM/SPLA-IO, the Guarantors, the general public, and members of the International Community that what we are witnessing is a planned strategy by peace spoilers, within the SPLMIG and SSPDF to abrogate the Agreement for their own selfish interest. This is what they have done in 2013, 2016 and are poised to do yet again in 2025. Today the country is at the crossroads and brinks of plunging into utmost abyss and violence in which none of the Peace spoilers can even control.

The Security and Political Arrangements of the R-ARCSS including the limited confidence and milestones that was achieved have been effectively rolled back and broken, the trust and working relationship that we nurtured since 2018, have been scattered by the recent and ongoing barbaric intimidation, arrest and detention by President Salva Kiir and his SSPDF and allied militias. He has been flattering the public that "I will not return this country to war" but he continues to order attacks on military cantonments around the country. He has been grabbing Ministries and portfolios allocated to other parties to satisfy his political interest even when this would jeopardize the peace process and expect no reaction from the parties to Agreement.

It is now 7 years and at least 5 months, an Agreement that was meant to be implemented in 3 years and 8 months has come under sustained and systematic violation and is being abrogated notwithstanding the plea by Guarantors and International Community for peace in South Sudan. The failure to meet the deadline of the Agreement is in itself a violation. The R-ARCSS has been extended for at least 6 years and 9 months. All because of lack of political will, unnecessary delay etc.. Most times, President Salva Kiir has made himself unavailable and avoids meetings meant to discuss peace implementation related matters including violations some of which have consumed lives around the country.

The presence of the members and leadership of the SPLM/SPLA-IO in the capital city Juba and in States of South Sudan have been misunderstood by Peace spoilers within the SPLMIG and the SSPDF and allied militias as a weakness and surrender to a regime that more than once unleashed violence against innocent civilians in the country in 2013 and 2016, memories of which is very fresh in our thoughts. Had it not been for the love for peace, stability and future of our country, nobody who survived deaths that have consumed more than half a million lives and displaced over 4 millions population in 2013 and 2016 can accept to sign peace agreement and sacrifice to implement the same without security guarantee. Misunderstanding such immense sacrifice as a weakness and failure to reciprocate was an illusion and Fundamental mistake that now threatens to throw the country into total chaos and disintegration.

Since 2018, We have been taking the pains and humiliation to contain violations and struggled to address others, while persistent violations have resulted into violations overtaking other violations. We have now reached a stage where violations have become pervasive, rampant systematic and a new normal. There is now no part of the R-ARCSS that has not been violated, and taken together and without having mechanism of addressing systematic violations, it is now fair to say, R-ARCSS is at the crossroads and brinks of collapse and lifeless.

The Security Arrangements of the R-ARCSS has long collapsed what has made the Country not to recede and plunge into violence and full scale war is that the SPLA-IO forces has never retaliated or reciprocated the aggression of the SSPDF around the country in the following incidences:

-The SSPDF attack on Turou Cantonments made SPLA-IO to withdraw from the cantonment.

-The SSPDF attack on Morta training center force the SPLA-IO to withdraw from the training center.

-The SSPDF in Cantonment site in Unity State forced the SPLA-IO to withdraw from the cantonment.

-The SSPDF attacked on cantonment in Maban county forced the SPLA-IO to withdraw from the cantonment.

-The SSPDF attacked on cantonment in Lowereng killed members of SPLA-IO and forced them to withdraw from the cantonment.

-The SSPDF and allied militias have been on rampage to attack other cantonments, assembly areas of the Forces of the SPLA-IO and stronghold around the country leading loss of lives destruction of villages and displacement of civilians.

The military campaign waged by the SSPDF and allied militias and SPLM-IG is politically motivated, aimed at denying political space, civil liberties to members of SPLM-IO and punishing its supporters so the SPLM-IG can run South Sudan as a One Party State. It is natural that the members of SPLM-IO reserve the rights to resist such kind of political marginalization and dictatorship.

The ongoing systematic violations of the R-ARCSS and particularly its Security Arrangements showcase the imminent collapse of the R-ARCSS should the SPLA-IO Forces respond to the sinister and ploy of the SSPDF and allied militias. The Guarantors, parties and particularly SPLM/SPLA-IO have effectively moved from Peace Implementation to conflict mitigation, conflict management, damage control instead of peace implementation as the deadline of the extended period draws near.

The Crisis in Nasir county is not an isolated incidence. It is part of the strategy to dismantle and abrogate the R-ARCSS. It started in Western Equatoria State when a commander of the SSPDF decided to separate the unified forces and took only SSPDF component to attack Nagero, Kuburi Bou, attack the governor of Western Equatoria State, attack Rirangu Cantonment site, now the SSPDF are occupying the cantonment site and continues to pursue the SPLA-IO forces. In Western Bahr Gazel State, Jur River County was attacked and SPLA-IO forces are being targeted in their cantonment.

The war in Eastern Upper Nile State is part of nationwide policy to target members of SPLM/SPLA-IO throughout the country. President Salva Kiir should understand that the singular attacks on innocent civilians from nuer nationality in December 2013 was a genocide in itself, it was investigated and proven by the Africa Union and the UN Genocide Commission, Nothing should warrant a national government again to use sophisticated barges and attack helicopters to attack armed youths and civilians from the nuer hinterland. Attempt by the First Vice President to de-scalate and diffuse tension was ignored by refusal to attend security meetings even when he was an Acting President.

The Order to confine the First Vice President, arrest and detain senior members of the Political Bureau and Military Command Council of the SPLM/SPLA-IO, National Ministers, Hon. Members of Parliament, Deputy Head of Delegation to Tumaini Government Delegation, Co-chair of Joint Defense Board is the last straw that broke the Camel's back. It is the last nail on the coffin. The fact that the once Peace partner can also arrest, detain and torture members of principal peace partner have not only demonstrated the level of deterioration in the security arrangements but the collapse of the agreement. Anything that is happening after this totalitarian incidence and crackdown is damage control and mitigation. SPLM/SPLA-IO has lost the confidence and trust in it's counterpart the SPLM-IG. SPLMIG has not prioritized the peace and stability of the Country.

Moreover, President Salva Kiir has taken over the state of Jonglei in a fresh violations from SSOA, appointed a member from his group as Governor , He has also grabbed from SPLM-IO, the ministries of Petroleum and Health, where he has removed the powers of the Minister of Petroleum and arrested him, and also dismissed the Minister of Health respectively. He has refused to appoint the Deputy Minister of Defense, notwithstanding the compromise to accept to swap the ministries of Interior and Defense. President Salva Kiir has refused to appoint the Governor of Western Equatoria State where an appointee from his party is now an Acting Governor. He has also refused to announce reshuffle in a number of national and State positions including commissioners of Manyo and Mabaan.

President Salva Kiir has violated the Cessation of Hostilities Agreement (CoHA 2017) by inviting foreign troops the Uganda People's Defense Forces (UPDF) into the Country. This act is a preemptive move in support of President Salva Kiir and his SSPDF and allied militias to return the country to war. We are calling on the Uganda government not to interfere in the internal affairs of South Sudan. We are aware that the involvement of UPDF since 2013 and in 2016 has cost the people of South Sudan billions of Dollars which remains unaccounted for until date.

President Salva Kiir reliance on Uganda government for diplomatic and military support have not worked to promote peace in South Sudan but emboldened the regime of President Salva Kiir to destroy any peace efforts in South Sudan.

SPLM/SPLA-IO in light of the foregoing negative development, is advising all it's members intending to travel to Juba where currently there is intentional harassment, arrest and detention of its senior and junior members not to do so for security and safety reasons. The leadership shall carryout consultation within the ranks and files, within political and military structures to appraise the current dynamic in the peace process, SPLM/SPLA-IO shall radically adjust with changing attitude and strategy of the peace spoilers who are the enemies of the citizens and State of South Sudan. Aluta Continua!

Viva IO Viva

Signed

Cde. Oyet Nathaniel Pierino

Deputy Chairman

SPLM/SPLA