“I was in Sudan” admits Uliny as rebels accept amnesty in Upper Nile
June 6, 2013 (JUBA) – Former South Sudanese rebel leader Johnson Uliny admitted receiving support from Sudan as his forces accepted a presidential amnesty and were met by senior military officials on Thursday.
“It is true I was in Sudan. The [Khartoum government cooperated with us in all areas. They provided any support we need including logistics and training when we were with them”, Uliny said in an address broadcast on state media.
He however said it was now time to work together to fulfill the dream of South Sudanese president, Salva Kiir.
“This was why [we] responded. The support we had from Sudan has come with us. It will not go back to them. The 3,000 soldiers they helped us to train have come,” the former rebel leader remarked.
Uliny, while speaking at military function in Lul, some 35 kilometres north west of the Upper Nile state capital, Malakal said his forces “will be part of the SPLA”. At this function, his forces were officially received by SPLA.
The ex-rebel leader said it was time to forget the past and work together as the president has repeatedly stated in his call for amnesty so peace can be realised in the new nation.
Brig. Gen. Malaak Ayuen Jok, the head of information and public relations within the SPLA also reiterated South Sudan’s earlier position that neighbouring Sudan has been providing all types of support to different militia groups used as mercenaries to fight proxy war against the young nation.
He further stressed that Khartoum’s claims that South Sudan supports the Sudan People Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N) rebels were baseless, adding that the southern regime had no connection with the north-based rebel group.
“They [SPLM-N rebels] separated from us when we became an independent country and they became different entity under complete different leadership and command,” Jok said.
“We have come today to this area to participate in the reception of our brothers who were fighting the SPLA forces here in the Shilluk kingdom who have now responded to the amnesty given to them by the president and the commander in chief of the SPLA,” he added.
The forces under General Johnson Uliny are the third such force to accept Kiir’s amnesty, Jok explained in a statement broadcast by state-run SSTV on Thursday.
“The first group came last year with the vehicle and weapons. It was led by Major General James Guit”, he noted.
The second group, the South Sudan Liberation Army led by Bapiny Monytuil, Carlos Kuol and others, crossed from Sudan into Unity state’s Mayom county in April with around 3,000 armed men, who are also waiting to be transferred into the military.
Before accepting the amnesty “they were all in Sudan”, Jok said, adding that the former rebels “have said themselves that they were getting all types of support from [the] Sudanese government. This is true because they have never captured anything from us instead it is us who have always been capturing things from forces which gets from Sudan.”
The senior military officer said because the militia groups were heavily armed, it was clear evidence that Sudan was providing them with support.
The Sudanese government “have always been denying providing any support to the militia group fighting us but now it is clear. The coming of General Uliny and the other groups who have come already are clear living examples. The rebel leaders themselves have said it but Khartoum continues to deny for the sake of it. And if it is not Khartoum, who else on earth can provide this supports”, General Jok asked.
General Johnson Gony Biliu, the commander of the SPLA’s sector II in Malakal, congratulated Uliny and his forces for responding to the amnesty offered by the commander in chief of the SPLA forces.
“I welcome you on behalf of the general command to your country. This is where you were born and grew [up]. You are South Sudanese and you will always be. This country belongs to all of us. Our identity is South Sudan. So feel at home and feel free. You are now in division seven under sector II. If there is any problem just let me know. Uliny will soon go to Juba for meeting with the general command so that your integration takes immediate effect”, said General Biliu.
He said his country has documentary evidence showing Khartoum provides support to the rebels but that was the work of the politicians to take the issue up with the government of Sudan.
“For us, we are not just accusing Sudan for the sake of accusation. We have hard facts. We are now holding detailed documentary evidence showing that Sudan provides support to the rebels so that they destabilise this country but they will not succeed whatsoever”, he explained.
Khartoum has always denied backing South Sudanese rebels and has consistently accused the SPLA in South Sudan of backing the SPLA-North, who are fighting the Sudanese government in South Kordofan and Blue Nile in coalition with the main Darfur rebel groups.
(ST)