South Sudan’s army denies defection of over 130 soldiers to renegade Athor
March 11, 2011 (ABYEI) – The Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA), the military wing of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM), which controls the government of South Sudan, denied Friday that 136 of its soldiers had defected to renegade General George Athor Deng Dut.
Joint Integrated Units (JIU’s), which consist of soldiers from Sudan’s northern and southern armies, were formed as part of a 2005 peace deal that ended decades of conflict. The South will become independent in July after a referendum, which was a key part of the agreement.
Athor defected from the SPLA after he failed to win the Jonglei governorship in the 2010 national elections.
On Friday Puok told Sudan Tribune: “136 SPLA soldiers who were in the Joint Integrated Units in Malakal have crossed to our forces on March 5, 2011. They crossed after receiving orders from Lieutenant General Deng Wek, who is the deputy SPLA Chief of General Staff for operations, to return to the SPLA forces in division eight as reinforcement to SPLA forces deployed around areas hosting renegade General Athor and his forces but switched side on their way”.
Athor’s spokesmen said that most of the soldiers who have joined Athor are from the six villages he claimed were burned by the SPLA forces in the recent fighting, which claimed lives of over 100 fighters on both sides.
“These soldiers crossed because they are from the six villages from which SPLA forces killed 168 innocent civilians and burned down all the villages after they have refused to convince General Athor to surrender”, he said.
However SPLA spokesperson, Phillip Aguer Panyang, in an interview with Sudan Tribune, on Friday denied the claim describing it as “white lie and propaganda” intended to solicit more support from the local population.
“This is not correct. There is no information that shows SPLA soldiers have crossed to General Athor. It is a lie and propaganda manufactured by Athor to solicit massive support from within the area to join his movement. No single SPLA soldier can do that. Nobody will join him”, said Aguer.
The military officer said he has details of the SPLA soldiers who were in Malakal as part of the JIU’s and said that none of them have defected.
“We have clear details and the total strength of the SPLA soldiers who were in Malakal as part of the Joint Integrated Units. We have all their names and where they are being deployed. None of them has crossed. This is just a white lie”, said Colonel Aguer.
Defections from the SPLA and fighting between southern groups occurred during the Sudan’s second civil war (1983-2005) but often the forces reintegrated with the movement despite the large number of casualties caused.
As in the famous split of the SPLA in 1991, Athor has been accused of receiving assistance from Khartoum. Athor and Khartoum have denied the allegation.
(ST)