Sudanese presidency asks SPLA to explain Jonglei fighting
Feb 5, 2006 (KHARTOUM) — The Presidency of the Republic has demanded an explanation from the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) regarding the incidents it said occurred in the Jonglei area in the South at the end of last week.
The Head of the Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration, (DDR), programme at the presidency, Sulaf al-Din Salih said that the SPLM forces’ attempt to disarm citizens in the South was a clear breach of the peace agreement which had determined certain procedures which needed to be followed when disarming armed groups and civilians.
Speaking at the graduation ceremony of members of southern armed factions, he said “we demand explanations and an inquiry into the incidents of Jonglei State.”, the Sudanese Akhbar al-Youm reported.
Some seven people were killed in Jonglei State in southern Sudan in clashes between SSDF armed militias and the Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA), despite a peace deal to end Africa’s longest civil war there.
In the same regard, leader of the Southern Sudan Defence Force (SSDF), Maj Gen Gordon Kong said he regretted the SPLM forces’ actions in disarming civilians and questioned whether the federal government was aware of this.
During an address at the same graduation ceremony, Kong asked why the UN had remained quiet about repeated attacks by SPLM forces in the south and called on it, as one of peace’s guardians, to reveal the truths and ensure that some sides were serious about the continuation of the peace process.
Gordon threatened that his forces would not remain silent in front of such blatant violations “we will take up arms to protect our citizens in the south” he said.
He further accused the SPLM forces of killing women and children in the area and said that partners in the peace agreement would be complicit if they remained silent with regards to what is happening in the south.
The spokesperson of the UN Mission in Sudan, Radhia Achouri, confirmed the fighting. Mainwhile she could not confirm the exact number of dead in the fighting over the past few days but said the United Nations had helped to evacuate 14 injured from Jonglei.
Details of the fighting
The official spokesperson for the SSDF Brig Gen Mohamed Chol revealed details of the incidents in Jonglei State. He said that SPLA forces led by Peter Paul Kong had carried out a widespread attack on the forces of the SSDF and civilians in an attempt disarm them which resulted in the death of many citizens.
Speaking to the press yesterday, Chol said the attack had occurred on Friday 3 February and further accused the SPLA of taking women and children hostage.
He stressed that the SPLA actions were a clear breach of the peace agreement and the disarming procedures in the south which were due to be carried out over several stages.
He said the SPLM had further committed other breaches including cutting off the main road between Al-Rank and Malut and was imposing taxes and was seizing vehicles belonging to citizens in the Al-Tibn area near Al-Rank and were attacking oil pipeline workers in the area.
Brig Gen Chol revealed that the SPLA forces had moved northwards in the Upper Nile areas and had attacked the Dini area which had been stable until SPLM forces had entered it.
Chol warned that these breaches could harm the peace agreement and called on the SPLM leaders to investigate the behaviour of its members because the SSDF would not remain quiet in the face of what is happening and had the right to defend its citizens by all means.
(ST)