Rebel groups calling for regime change name Pagan Amum as spokesman

JUBA – South Sudan opposition groups who have called for a new peace initiative and a technocratic government in the country have appointed Pagan Amum Okiech, former SPLM Secretary General and now leader of the Real-SPLM, as the spokesman, days after saying that the country was “on the verge of collapse”.

In a statement on July 13, five opposition leaders General Thomas Cirilo, the leader of the National Salvation Front (NAS), Pagan Amum Okiech, leader of the Real-SPLM, General Paul Malong Awan, leader of the South Sudan United Front (SSUF), Emmanuel Ajawin, leader of the National Democratic Movement (NDM-PF), Thomas Tut Doap, leader of the UDRM and Alex Yatta Lukadi, leader of the SSNM, said they reject any extension of the transitional period and called for a government of technocrats.

“It is incumbent upon all the stakeholders in the country, from the political organizations, civil society, faith-based organizations, women, and youth groups to collectively reject the extension of the period of R-TGONU and decide the future of the country to avoid its collapse into chaos and disintegration,” they said in a statement extended to Sudans Post.

“We the Non-Signatory South Sudan Opposition Parties, who rejected the R-ARCSS, and now driven by the noble goal to rescue our state and our nation from collapse and disintegration, call on all south Sudanese political forces and all the other South Sudanese stakeholders from civil society, faith based, women and youth organizations to forge a way forward, formalizing the current discussion and to build consensus which will lead to the establishment of a New transition with a government of Technocrats/Hybrid government, as the R-TGONU Transitional Period comes to an end by February 2023,” they said.

In a statement this evening, the group calling itself as Non-Signatories South Sudanese Oppositions Group (NSSSOG) said they have appointed Pagan Amum, leader of one of the groups making the new alliance up, as the group’s spokesman.

“The Non-Signatories South Sudanese Oppositions Group (NSSSOG) would like to inform the people of South Sudan, the International Community that in line with its recently issued press statement (An urgent Call to All South Sudanese Stakeholders dated 13th July), the Group met on the 14th July, and appointed Hon. Pagan Amum as its Interim Spokesperson,” they said in the statement extended to Sudans Post.

“Hon. Amum is the officially authorized person to speak on behalf of the (NSSSOG) in dealing with media and the public. Nevertheless, this doesn’t prevent the other five leaders of (NSSSOG) to express their views if requested to do so,” the statement added.

The group also identified Deng Vanang, Peter Natan and Lual Dau as “the focal point for those political, civil society, faith-based, women and youth organizations that are interested in joining the urgent call to rescue the country from constitutional vacuum and total collapse.”