Kiir orders South Sudan army to protect civilians from rebels’ attacks

February 26, 2011 (JUBA) — General Salva Kiir Mayardit, President of the Government of South Sudan has given out instructions to military command council of the Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) to execute orders as part of the mandate to protect civilians vulnerable to attacks by forces loyal General George Athor.

Kiir, who is the commander in chief of the SPLA forces, made the remark while addressing hundreds of military officers and men in arms on Friday, at the SPLA General headquarters in Bilpam, at the outskirt of Juba town.

The president condemned attacks and killings of civilians which the two forces blame accused each other of committing in recent clashes in Fangak County, Jonglei State.

George Athor Deng Dut was one of the Senior Sudanese People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) operational zonal commanders and who was close to late SPLA/M leader, John Garang De Mabior, who died in a tragic plane crash while returning from Uganda on July 30th 2005.

Seeing Athor as one of the loyal and capable military officers after becoming First Vice President of the Republic of Sudan and a President of the semi autonomous region of South Sudan, Kiir promoted Athor from Major General to Lieutenant General and named him Deputy Chief of General Staff of the SPLA forces for Political and Moral Orientations.

However, Athor became rebel after losing gubernatorial seat for Jonglei in 2010 April elections as independent candidate against official nominee, incumbent Governor Kuol Manyang Juuk, after failing to secure approval of his candidacy by the SPLM Political Bureau, a highest organ in the movement’s structure. He accused officials from south Sudanese government of electoral fraud and intimidation after the National Elections Commission announced results in favor of his main rival.

Launching his rebellion in April 2010, armed elements loyal to him clashed several times with forces belonging to the SPLA in areas around and adjacent to his bases in his home county of Khorfulus, Jonglei State. But, President Kiir in October 2010 issued an executive order pardoning him and his forces.

The decree extended to the leaders of the other rebel groups including Gabriel Tanginyang whose armed elements sporadically clashed with SPLA forces several time in and around Malakal town, capital of Upper Nile State, in 2007, 2009 and 2010.

The presidential decision however demands forces loyal to these groups to lay down their arms before arrangements to join SPLA forces. A demand that Athor viewed would compromise the fate of his forces and political supporters. He requested President Kiir to modify the decree in a way to cover his forces and political allies.

The decree meant to resolve disputes emerged before and during the April elections between officials in the ruling SPLM with political leaders and other factions for a successful conduct of the referendum on self determination.

The president went further to appoint a committee compromising two bishops from the Sudan Episcopal Church and Roman Catholic of Sudan and armed generals to discuss with Athor ways to end conflict in the area.

Acting on recommendations of the committee, the south Sudan government signed a ceasefire agreement with General Athor on 5 January 2011 and agreed that forces from both side withdraw from some locations occupied by either side. The truce also proposed some places to be used by forces loyal to General Athor as transitory assembling points as they wait for integration into SPLA forces.

However, on February 9 and 10, Dok James Puok, spokesperson of General Athor, in an interview with Sudan Tribune, accused SPLA forces of attacking their forces in three different locations in Koliet, Kolnyang and Door. He said their forces were attacked by SPLA forces from Fangak County in what he termed an attack organized and coordinated by Jonglei State Governor Kuol Manyang Juuk and GOSS internal affairs minister Gier Aluong through Ayod and Fangak county commissioners and Jonglei State minister of law enforcement.

A charge Colonel Phillip Aguer Panyang, SPLA spokesperson was quick to deny and accused Athor of initiating the attack in which 211 people were killed on both sides.

Following the fighting, the United Nations Mission in Sudan (UNMIS) approached the two sides with an offer to broker a solution for the conflict, but no formal position of the government has been made known to the public though General Athor accepted the proposal of the United Nations, saying they are ready for peaceful dialogue and settlement of the conflict.

Colonel Phillip Aguer Panyang, SPLA spokesperson on Saturday said in an interview with the Sudan Tribune that the President Kiir condemned the attack waged by Athor forces in February in Fangak underscoring that he ordered the army to deal with him and David Yauyau in Pibor and Colonel Gatluak Gai Unity State.

Kiir in his speech to the army at the SPLA General headquarters on Friday condemned attack carried out by the forces loyal to General Athor and said he ordered the army to protect civilians against these groups since they have turned down the amnesty.

“The president said so because as army we have the mandate to protect civilians and their properties against aggression,” he said adding “Of course, as an army, we cannot allow civilians to be killed at our watch. General Athor, Gatluak Gai and David Yauyau have turned down the amnesty and continued to kill civilians”, the Colonel told Sudan Tribune.