SPLM W. Bahr el Ghazal office denounce rebellion

December 2, 2014 (WAU) – South Sudan’s ruling party (SPLM) office in Western Bahr el Ghazal state emerged on Tuesday to denounce all allegations linking its members to armed rebel activities.

Last month, Alfred Ladu Gore, a top rebel official, claimed the state governor Rizik Zackaria Hassan was arbitrarily targeting the local Fertite tribe in the state over their alleged loyalty to the rebels. Hassan has dismissed the rebels’ claims.

Gore, South Sudan’s former national minister for environment joined the rebel movement led by the country’s ex-vice president, Riek Machar nearly a year ago.

“We cannot accept any transformation of rebel’s activities in Wau county of Western Bahr el Ghazal state alleged by Gore,” said Anthony Ngberende, the SPLM chairperson in a letter extended to Sudan Tribune.

“We the SPLM caucus of Wau county and on behalf of our entire and respected people of Wau county as the matter concern of our people, we rejected all allegations that Ladu Gore has mentioned about our people being his supporters,” added the letter.

He described the rebellion as “meaningless tribal war” that only seeks to cause instability in a country that was on its recovery path.

The rebels, he said, want to destroy the peaceful co-existences and the good image of the people of Western Bahr el Ghazal state in generally and particular the community of Wau county.

“We the SPLM members of Wau county stand with the current leadership under elected President Salva Kiir,” stressed the letter.

Angelo Taban Biajo, the Wau county commissioner said the rebels wanted to destroy the unity existing among various tribes in Wau.

“Ladu Gore belongs to Central Equatoria of which nothing that can lead us the people of Wau county to have link with him if he joins the rebels. We are for peace not for any second war with our own people, we cannot be part of Riek Machar,” said Biajo.

(ST).