25 defect from Sudan Army Forces to SPLA in Unity state
By Bonifacio Taban Kuich
August 22, 2010 (BENTIU) – Officers in Unity state from the Sudanese Army Forces, controlled by the Khartoum government, have defected to the Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) who have controlled south Sudan since a 2005 peace deal.
The group who are led by Colonel Wal Khan also include Gai Yoach and four other ranking officers.
Unity state deputy governor William Dawut Riak, told Sudan Tribune on Friday during a meeting of the council of state ministers, that the group joined the SPLA on August 20.
“Col. Wal Khan confirms that they were twenty five in total and said five of whom were ranking officers including him,” he said.
Wal Khan, who is originally from the oil rich state said that he thought it was important to join the SPLA before the referendum on self-determination scheduled to take place in January next year, according to Riak.
He also told the council of unity ministers that Khan had said that living in northern Sudan meant that he had some experience of the policies and characteristics of the SAF.
“Col. Wal Khan said that some of his forces were integrated by the government of National Unity (GoU) to travel [to the western]region of Darfur [where] some of them have been seriously [… ] wounded”, according to Riak.
Riak said that that Khan accused the Sudanese Army Forces (SAF) of using them as tools to kill their brothers in other areas of Sudan.
Khan also urged southern Sudanese who are still in north to decide whethr they were going to remain there or join the SPLM before the Southern Sudan referendum take place next year, said Riak.
Unity states’ Minister of Information and Communication, Gideon Gatpan Thoar, State, confirmed that the states authorities that 25 former SAF soldiers were integrated into the SPLA on 20 August.
Thoar said state authorities were happy to receive them as this voluntary move showed the world that south Sudan wants to stand alone as independent country apart from their ‘brothers’ in the north.
Gatpan claims that Unity state has the highest number of defections from the ruling north National Congress Party (NCP) – who control the SAF – to the Sudan People Liberation Movement (SPLM)- the political branch of the SPLA – than any other of southern Sudan’s ten states.
January’s vote on self-determination was agreed as part of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement between the NCP and SPLM, which ended over two decades of war.
Southern Sudan is widely expected to vote for separation.
Preparations for conducting the referendum as well as agreeing what will happen in the eventuality of a unity or separation vote are well behind schedule.
(ST)
Achiek Alier Jr
25 defect from Sudan Army Forces to SPLA in Unity state
Welcome but…
Welcome to SPLA Colonel Wal and your comrades but respect SPLA traditional rank and file within its system. There are possiblities of serious integration and demotion given your military training status.
Expect less benefit my brothers, South Sudan Forces have mearge payment given African-Arabs mistreatment of our regional. They are paid less by the GOSS, because a little we are given by stupid northerns is not enough to solve all problems
And that is the reason why we want to separate with them. If you are Unity State residents, note that Bentiu is a strategic state in the South due to its oil production. We do not want to lose both people and wealth to distorters of state constitution.
Wal P Muoranyar Biet
25 defect from Sudan Army Forces to SPLA in Unity state
“He also told the council of unity ministers that Khan had said that living in northern Sudan meant that he had some experience of the policies and characteristics of the SAF.”
Welcome to SPLA, the army of free men. Now tell us, what kind of enemy SAF is!
SPLA Oyei
Wal Muoranyar BIET
junub
25 defect from Sudan Army Forces to SPLA in Unity state
Please allow me to pour my sincere congratulations to governor Taban Deng Gai for the greatest role he played to bring all pro-NCP militia back on board prior the referendum. Thanks indeed for your work is much appreciated.
DASODIKO
25 defect from Sudan Army Forces to SPLA in Unity state
Wecome back to our consciousness I would say. Colonel Wal Khan you have broken my heart with such beautiful words ” They use us to kill our brothers in Darfur”. I hope these are to be the last of our people to be used by Arabs in the North to kill each other. Congrats men!!!! Now the margin of Sudan can unite to aim their weapons towards the common enemy the centeral gvoerment in Khartoum; because I can see that they are playing with their talis.
Simpleman
25 defect from Sudan Army Forces to SPLA in Unity state
Dear my fellow comrades (SPLA) let me hope you are using a good psychologist and a competent politician to determine the integration of our antagonists into the party. Otherwise they might have joined as spies to discover your military arrangement as their Chief is working hard to interrupt our referendum verdict.
Please keep up your military intelligences.
The Great is always for justices
Sudan virus
25 defect from Sudan Army Forces to SPLA in Unity state
Logical decision brothers.All are welcome.
I happy to hear that word”SAF use us southerns to kill our brothers in south”.
Because we have been this saying several times in net but James OKUk,Buster2 DR.Lam Akol,just to mention a few could not believe.
okucu pa lotinokwan
25 defect from Sudan Army Forces to SPLA in Unity state
Welcome all the 25 defected SAF to SPLA it is not yet late,we believe, all the remaining SAF from the south soon they wii follow the same step.
Your mother land is your mother land no one is to joke of, whether means death, die for it.The time is over for every southerners to see wider in every corner.
OKUCU PA LOTINOKWAN
unity state boy
25 defect from Sudan Army Forces to SPLA in Unity state
welcome wal khan to SPLA but takcare for your selves Taban Deng is not good person in the SPLA.as weell weknow he playing with ours goods in Unity state and he is killed people in south
Thank
by Amen in UK