S.Sudan's President "fighting for a democratic country": envoy

ANKARA 

By Emre Gurkan Abay 

“The people involved in the failed coup attempt will have a fair trial,” said South Sudan’s Ambassador to Turkey Sebit Bullen Kamonde, adding that South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir Mayardit is fighting for his country to be built on a democratic foundation.

In an AA interview, Kamonde said that nobody in South Sudan believed former vice president Riek Machar would start a rebellion when he left the political party.

South Sudanese President Salva Kiir Mayardit stated on December 16 that a failed coup attempt took place in South Sudan and Riek Machar, who was removed from his position as the vice president in July, was the person responsible for the attempt. The gunfire between security forces loyal to Kiir and Machar two weeks ago triggered the recent violence in the country.

“People started to realize what is actually happening when they started to hear gunfire,” Kamonde noted.

“Recently, the United Nations decided to send more troops and humanitarian aid to South Sudan, after they started to remain incapable against the events in the country,” Kamonde said. He also stated that South Sudan did not receive any military support from anywhere other than the countries sending troops to evacuate their own citizens, such as the US and Kenya.

When asked about differences in opinion in Europe about the country's current situation, Kamonde replied, “In the beginning, nobody wanted to call the events a coup attempt. Now they realized because Machar, who himself was denying, now can openly say the president must go.”

"This just confirms that it was a coup, but the coup failed,” he added

Underlining that the people involved in the “armed attempt” will have a fair trial, the ambassador asked, “If this is not a coup attempt, then why is Machar running away?”

He explained that Russia sent its ambassador to Uganda to South Sudan “to show their solidarity” while Nigeria also sent an envoy to South Sudan last week.

“Important efforts are being given by countries in our region, and also internationally, to provide peace and stability in South Sudan once again,” said Kamonde.

He stressed South Sudan is a country located on oil reserves, and is open for investments from all countries. 

The Dinka ethnic group of President Salva Kiir which dominates otğ South Sudanese government and military has been fighting rebels allied with former cice president Riek Machar of the Nuer ethnic group. The death toll according to official statements is up to 500 people. However according to different reports, the actual death toll is much higher. The conflict has likely killed more than 1,000 people, a top UN official said Monday.

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