‘I cannot sit like a woman’ – General Gatwech Dual threatens to attack if attacked

KHARTOUM – The SPLA-IO Chief of General Staff General Simon Gatwech Dual has threatened to counter attack if attacked by government forces again, saying he ‘cannot sit like a woman’.

Dual who made the comments in an interview quoted by Radio Tamazuj said the revitalized peace agreement was no being implemented saying government forces are not reporting to training centres which he said points to lack of commitment to the revitalized peace agreement.

“On the 21st of September 2020, our forces were attacked in Moroto training camp, and on the 28th Forua training center was also attacked. On the 29th another training center was attacked. Then on the 4th of this month, a recce squad of ours was attacked. Yesterday at 5 pm our second headquarters base in Jekou was shelled using artillery pieces,” he said.

General Dual said he will defend himself saying main armed opposition leader Dr. Riek Machar Teny is in jail as he decried continued attacks by government forces.

“No. There is no response up to now. This now means I have to defend myself because Dr. Riek Machar is in jail. I will engage in self-defense forthwith. This means that if we are attacked again like it happened yesterday evening, it means we will fight,” he said.

“I cannot sit like a woman,” he added.

“I will fight immediately if I am attacked again because I have evidence of the attacks on us. On the 21st, 28th, 29th of last month, and on the 4th of this month, I defended myself. All this time we did not react and only defended ourselves. How can there be peace when these attacks continue?

“Some people have been compromised with little money to scuttle the agreement. Our forces are here without food and medicine and have not been passed out. These issues can negatively affect and fail this peace agreement and this is what the government in Juba desires. This is politics. Even Dr. Riek Machar stays in one place and cannot move about in Juba and is worried about his security. He does not even have his bodyguard and is guarded by Salva Kiir’s guards. How can the person you fought with guard you?

“On the 21st, 28th, 29th of September, and the 4th of this month we have been continuously attacked and nothing has been done. Months after months the salient points in the peace agreement are not being implemented. Dr. Machar went to implement the peace agreement in Juba 9 months ago and there is still no success in implementation. There is nothing so what can I do apart from self-defense.”