Malong reacts to Gen. Johnson Olony’s comments

JUBA – South Sudan’s former army chief and leader of the rebel South Sudan United Front/Army (SSUF/A) General Paul Malong Awan Anei has reacted to comments made by General Johnson Olony Thabo last week in which he said General Paul Malong Awan should not join the SPLM-IO Kitgwang faction but go to Bahr el Ghazal region to wage war against Kiir if he wants.

Last week, Olony said during an interview with Radio Tamazuj that his group is not ready to accommodate politicians and rouge military generals such as General Paul Malong Awan and General Thomas Cirilo saying he won’t allow that certain individuals use the Shilluk Kingdom as a battle field.

“If Malong wanted to continue to fight Salva, let him go to Bahr El Ghazal, there is IO there. If Thomas Cirillo wanted to fight with Kiir, let him go to Central Equatoria, the same applied to Henry Odwar, let him go to Imatong and fight the president. But we don’t want to see any renewed fighting in the Shilluk Kingdom. We will agree with the government because we don’t want to keep on creating insecurity every now and then,” he said.

In reaction, General Malong’s group said it is not a tribal movement and that its activities should not be limited to regional contexts.

“We have learned of General Johnson’s Olony Thubo statement on Radio Tamazuj few days ago, exactly on date 20 September, 2021, where he delved into a number of issues related to their organization’s course and the recent invitation extended to our movement among others by the Interim Chairman and Commander –In- Chief of SPLM IO General Simon Gatwech Dual,” SSUF/A spokesman Deng Chapath said in the statement.

“General Olony’s response to the question asked by Radio Tamazuj Journalist on whether the postponed conference was to bring together the hold out groups to forge a strong alliance that would fight the common enemy- The dictatorial regime of President Salva Kiir Mayardit. Surprisingly, General Olony’s response to the journalist’s question came completely absent from reality, he said and I quote ‘those who want to fight president Salva Kiir to take his seat, the likes of General Paul Malong Awan, General Thomas Cirilo and the rest should go and wage war in their regions not Chiluk Land’. This shocking statement by one senior General has caused us to respond.

“Firstly, let me enlighten you on what our movement South Sudan United Front /Army (SSUF/A) Stands for. SSUF/A is politico-military organization founded on the fundamental principle ideals of nationhood, peace, democracy and development. These values are reflected in our diverse leadership structure that represents all the faces of our people and regions. Therefore, we are fighting primarily to change the failed dictatorial government led by president Kiir and to install a democratic Government that will unit our people, alleviate them from poverty and bring development to the nation.

“As a national movement, no party has the right to limit the activities of SSUF/A to a specific geographical spot, we do not advocate for regionalism, our main goal is to unite all the social components of the people of South Sudan in one melting pot.

“The fundamental and intractable problem that haunts the Country stems from these reactionary ideas that are confined to regional trenches. We implore Gen Johnson to search and investigate the goals of the South Sudan United Front/Army before he plunges himself into the narrowest level. We do not wear tribal clothes, but we are a national component.”