S. Sudan opposition alliance denounce Changson Chang’s leadership

July 4, 2019 (KHARTOUM) – Members of South Sudan Opposition Alliance (SSOA) have issued a statement denouncing Gabriel Changson Chang, the interim chairperson of the alliance and Denay Chagor who was earlier declared acting chairperson of the alliance.

“SSOA leadership takes this opportunity to inform the general public that from today Hon. Denay Jock Chagor is the chairman of South Sudan Opposition Alliance (SSOA). To this effect, we would like to inform SSOA member organizations, partners in the R-ARCSS, regional and international bodies, supporters and well-wishers about this new development,” the statement signed by Chang and Chagor reads.

However, SSOA, in a separate statement issued on July 4, described the July 2 statement issued by Chang and his followers as “baseless”.

“It is true that SSOA has been discussing its reunification since March this year under the facilitation of the South Sudan Council of Churches. All of us had agreed on the issues that need to be addressed to achieve the unity. But due to the level of the polarization then present we had agreed for a transitional period under a joint leadership from the two factions so as to build trust and confidence before a new Chairman was elected,” reads the statement.

The statement acknowledges the role South Sudan Council of Churches has played in ensuring the internal dialogue takes place with the alliance.

“This dialogue took place and all apologized to each other and forgave one another. As a result, we did away with the Co-chairmanship and were ready to elect one Chairman for SSOA. One person, Gabriel Changson, has been consistently absenting himself from these meetings but we have been persistent not to exclude anybody from the unity,” it further stated.

The meeting, it said, resolved that Josephine Lagu, who chaired the internal dialogue sessions be confirmed as SSOA’s acting chairperson.

“On the basis of the above and due to our keenness to maintain the unity of SSOA, we give these two gentlemen, Gabriel Changson and Denay Chagor, twenty four (24) hours to renounce their statement so that they resume their positions in the united SSOA,” it stressed.

In March last year, nine South Sudanese opposition groups agreed to form an alliance to expedite efforts to end the country’s civil war ahead of the next round of the revitalization of the peace accord.

SSOA is an umbrella group composed of the Federal Democratic Party, National Salvation Front, National Democratic Movement, People’s Democratic Movement, South Sudan Liberation Movement, South Sudan National Movement for Change, South Sudan Patriotic Movement, South Sudan United Movement and United Democratic Alliance.

(ST)