SPLM-IO’s advisor for political affairs and former Unity state minister of information and communication Andrew Kuong yesterday declared his defection to General Simon Gatwech Dual accusing Machar of surrendering the main armed opposition group to the regime of President Salva Kiir Mayardit to seek for position claiming that 90% of all the members of are against Machar’s leadership which he has no potential of changing the regime in Juba.
In the statement declaring his defection, the senior opposition official accused the minister of defense of being used by the government of President Salva Kiir to derail the implementation of the security arrangements provided for in the revitalized peace agreement which could see the country establish a professional national army whose ranks are drawn from the government forces and their opposition counterpart as part of effort to achieve peace and stability in the country.
“Angelina Thomas, is becoming an agent used by the regime to dismantle SPLM/A-IO, appointed and recruited her the minister of Defense in order to water down the security arrangement and the graduation of what should become the new national army of the South Sudan, whereby all 64 tribes should have been represented,” he alleged.
In early August, General Simon Gatwech Dual announced that he has removed Machar as chairman and commander in chief of the SPLM-IO following a three-gathering of top opposition commanders and had since assume powers of the SPLM-IO chairman and commander in chief and later on accused Machar of attempting to kill him when opposition forces allied to Machar attacked Magenis on August 7, 2021, in which over 30 people perished including senior opposition commanders allied to Machar.
Andrew Kuong claimed that First Vice President Machar had attempted to kill General Simon Gatwech Dual, General Johnson Olony and General Thomas Mabor Dhol in order to silence the group purposely to derail the implementation of the revitalized peace agreement and return the world’s youngest country to the devastating civil war.
“The recent attack of Magenis was a plan to eliminate and to kill Lt. Gen Simon Gatwech Dual, Gen. Thomas Mabior Dhol and Lt. Gen. Johnson Olony, to silence the Kitgwang declaration a purpose of dismantling IO forces, in order to derail the implementation of the security arrangement, dismantling cantonments of IO forces all over the South Sudan and use proxy war against the SPLM-IO forces to finish up the remaining forces that still have hope in different fields, around 3 Equatoria states, western Bahr el Ghazal, and Upper Nile,” he added.
This is lies . First of all, the position of Minister of Defense is not only for the SPLA I0 but it is a national level and she has to do things differently for the country and not one side.
Second, our people are wasting their valuable time to go that way and do things against the future of next generations. The notion of rebellion activities wouldn’t move us to better future and good development instead of refocusing on things that will benefits us and our country. Each and every one is claiming to get something from government and this is very wrong Idea because the government is not only way of life and the government’s is not the answer for individuals. Life is about struggle and it is about yourself to make your life better not government and not any way around.
Another wrong Idea, there are people who wanted to have National Army to be distributed equally to 64 tribes and this is absolutely dead Idea and there is no room. Let me talks about South Sudan particularly, I know very well many tribes in South Sudan are very cowardly people and the government is looking for citizens who defending country not only payroll and wearing uniforms. The Borders of South Sudan have not been clear and you can not recruiting massive people from cowardly tribes who wouldn’t be able to defend the country. It is up the Army leaders to decide who will fits and who will not but the word of Army is not a liberty department.
I strongly opposed that no body coward in this country, if some tribes are coward this country would have not achieved, imagine somebody ran from Bahr El Ghazal and Upper Nile Region fear being killed and hide in Equatoria Region and Equatorian received them like brothers and sisters because they did not want Arabs.
This Country was a collective struggle not only three Regions but also Nuba Mountain people and people Funj
we do not want to here that one tribe claim the victory. every tribe has right join national army, my friend if it is not like this country will remain in problem and do not think that you receive honey every year from Uganda, Time will come Uganda will turn their faces from those who claim to be liberators.
this uniform is not for tribe who love command but not participate in the Field. the children of 64 tribes are the one dying you are there commanding shame on you.
nobody born cowards. I think those tribes that you said coward if they get chance getting weapons you see nobody will stay comfortably. those pretend that they are the liberator let them thanks to 64 tribe who participated in these war.
Samuel Ohitai.
I am just laughing brother. First of all, what I said was generally and not mention specific region or one tribe in South Sudan. Again, there are cowards in South Sudan this is the facts and there is no question or denying the truth. I think you will be one of those cowardly people by saying that, you should not come up with Equatoria Region while, my view is about tribes or people in South Sudan and did not state about Equatorians people.
Let me accept that, most of the tribes in Equatoria Regions are fearful people is that not reality. From Eastern Equatoria region all the way to Western Equatoria State, half of million Dinkas fighters died while, liberated areas and none of Equatorians died in Upper Nile Regions and Bhar El Ghazal Regions respectively. I know the few Nubians SPLA helps Dinkas fighters during the SPLA struggle in Equatoria Regions. The reason why people are in Equatoria Regions is because this is the Regions that cost many lives during the SPLA and SPLM struggle and in addition, the national capital has been placed in Equatoria Regions but not because others citizens are gaining anything from you guys. You have oil benefiting Equatorians officials and this oils came from Nuer areas and the Dinkas people. You should be ashamed for your racial profiling.
Adult Liet
Cowards people are those who have marks on their Faces.
In the war of 21 years,62 tribes are in front Lines, 2 tribes are commanded only.
The war moved to Equatoria because there is a lot of food, Equatoria mobilazation in thousands of thousands, that is why we got Independence of SSD.
Garang himself said,if he didn’t came to Equatoria and organised himself with Equatoria,the Lebration is Failed because of the two tribes.
The two tribes don’t Cultivate,their food is Fish,Beans and Dura, Beans and Dura brought from Juba and Jalaba.
Yaa, Duol and Samuel.
It is not a times for tribal argument dispense in public media, a time we encourage our government to manage for good governance of how to rules in our developing country. I accepted, liberation was responsibility to entire tribes. First of all, our country needs a speed total implement security arrangement, because our people have been killing each other for lack of secure forces existing around the country. Don not be proud of your tribe for nothing, we are one nation, one people and one God in South South Sudan.