The position of South Sudan government on President Obama's executive order

Dear all,

I want to clarify to the people of South Sudan that the decree issued by President Obama was aimed to freeze the assets of selected individuals within the government and among rebel officials. President Kiir is NOT among the individuals the US government wants to target.

I would like to inform the public that nobody among the government officials has any property in USA. Members of SPLM-Opposition are the ones with properties. Pagan mum has a house in Colorado; Deng Alor has a house in Seatle and three houses in California; Majak Agot has a house in Texas and Ezekiel Lol has a house in North Carolina bought with stolen referendum money.

Our government will start engaging the US in higher level next week to workout bilateral understanding between the two friends and to smooth the relationship between the two sovereign states.

Our relationship with US government depends on whether President Obama has accepted the following principles to guide the peace talks between us the rebels.

1. Riek Machar and his rebels must accept that the government of President Kiir was democratically elected government that cannot be toppled via the use of force.

2. President Obama's administration has accepted in principle that the government in Juba is a legitimate government that cannot be overthrown by anybody. President Obama personally made his position clear last year after the conflict and expressed, in no uncertain terms, that the U.S. will NOT accept the overthrow of the democratically elected government.

3. Peace between us the rebels must be guided by the spirit of brotherhood, inclusiveness and respect for democratic principles. Thus, recognition of the South Sudan government as a democratically elected government is a prerequisite for any meaningful dialogue with the rebels.

4. It is the position of the government that Riek Machar must renounce violence as a means to achieve his political position and must, without equivocation, accept that the government in Juba was democratically elected and it is a legitimate government which has the mandate of the people of South Sudan.

5. The U.S. government, in order to play a positive role in the peace talks, must strongly tell the rebels that the idea of overthrowing the legitimate government of South Sudan by force will NOT be entertained by the U.S and its allies.

After the aforementioned principles are accepted by the Obama's administration, our government is willing to negotiate with the rebels to reach a political settlement. However, we cannot reach any settlement with the SPLM-Opposition unless they renounce violence and the desire to unseat a democratically elected government.

Gen. Gordon Buay
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