Gatwech, Olony warned of legal consequences over continued rights violations

JUBA – A South Sudan activist has condemned the ongoing military clashes between conflicting parties of the SPLM-IO Kitgwang faction in Northern Upper Nile state, warning that Gen. Simon Gatwech Dual, and his former deputy General Johnson Olony Thabo, will bear consequences for ongoing displacement of civilians and other human rights violations.

This comes after fierce fighting broke out in some parts of Upper Nile state involving SPLM-IO Kitgwang faction led by General Simon Gatwech Dual and the Agwelek faction led by General Johnson Olony with SPLM-IO under First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar Teny accusing Olony of going out to attack their base with directives and support from South Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF).

In a statement, the Executive Director of Community Empowerment for Progress Organization (CEPO) Edmund Yakani condemned the renewed violence and deplored the conditions civilians have been subjected to as a result of the fighting.

“CEPO strongly condemned the ongoing violence between Gatwech and Olony forces in some parts of Upper Nile state that is leading to high displacement of civilians and human rights abuses. It is a fighting of war lords that are forgotten no one cares about. This is a clear example of the impact of the gun class in our society,” he said.

The outspoken activist warned of a genocide as a result of the conflict and that General Gatwech and Olony are working to eliminate each other.

“CEPO is witnessing possible commitment of genocide among the communities where the forces of Gatwech and Olony are clashing recently. The fighting is deadly and discriminatively among the forces. Already elements of crime against humanity are committed in the recent fights. The worse is that Gatwech and Olony are hunting for each other’s life,” he said.

Yakani said the rival leaders “will be handle accountability for the atrocities their forces will be committing now. Is better to ceasefire now before it is too later. Sudan army that were the mediators of the Kitgwang group-Juba peace agreement of January 16, 2022 should intervene.”

“Finally, CEPO viewed Gatwech and Olony forces on going fighting as war of forgotten war lords that is total genocide mission in some parts of Upper Nile state,” he added.