The Sudan people`s Liberation Movement (SPLM) and the opposition Sudan People`s Liberation Movement in Opposition (SPLM/IO) have traded accusations over harassment and detention of each other’s members.

Addressing a press conference in Juba on Wednesday, Kuol Atem Bol, the SPLM’s secretary for political affairs, organization, and mobilization, said the SPLM-IO has created a no-go zone for its members in areas controlled by the opposition outfit’s army-the SPLA-IO.

“SPLM-IO has established a no-go zone and they have their troops there that are not part of the unified forces. An example is what is going on now in Fashoda with the group of (Gen. Johnson) Olony and the group of (Gen. Simon) Gatwech and there are also forces in Akobo,” Atem charged. “No person from the government (SPLM) could go to Akobo until recently when the commissioner was relieved the new commissioner is the one who allowed it.”

Atem said allegations by the SPLM-IO that there is no civic space are false.

“They have not come up in any town organizing their rally and the rally was prevented, instead it is the opposite, SPLM organized a peaceful rally in Nzara (Western Equatoria) and the governor and the commissioner dispatched the public by force,” Atem said, adding. “The SPLA-IO forces in Panyijar in Unity State have detained SPLM members. So, SPLM-IO is part of the government and there is also another SPLM-IO (B) which is governing itself in the bush.”

In response, however, the acting press secretary in the office of First Vice President Riek Machar, Puok Both Baluang, instead accused the SPLM of using state security agents to silence the activities of the SPLM/IO.

“The SPLM (In Government) usually uses the security organs to arrest and also sometimes to intimidate our members across South Sudan. These are not done by the SPLM-IO,” he said. “Many cadres (SPLM) and members are living in the areas under the control of the SPLM/A-IO and no reports have ever reached us stating that they have been harassed as the SPLM (IG) usually do.”

Both revealed that last week security operatives detained bodaboda riders hired by the SPLM-IO who were headed to the opposition outfit’s secretariat in Juba during the launch of its registration exercise in Central Equatoria State.