SSDF supports Paulino Matip’s war on SPLA “Tribalists” leadership

October 15, 2006 — The South Sudan Democratic Forum Party condemns the tribalists of both the SPLA and SPLM Party for attempting to fling the South into military conflicts after the signing of the historic Juba Declaration. The meeting held on Friday, Oct. 13, in Juba between Lt. Gen. Paulino Matip Nhial and the SPLA top leadership revealed the sinister motives of the tribalists within the GoSS.

The deputy chiefs-of-staff and the chief-of-staff of the SPLA, Lt. Gen. Oyai Deng Ajak, told Paulino Matip that the former South Sudan Defense Forces (SSDF) will not be paid unless the high-ranking officers are decommissioned. They further stated that 900 officers of SSDF, who are all university graduates, will not be integrated into the SPLA because “the Nuer officers will dominate the army”.

Paulino Matip warned the SPLA tribalists that the position they have taken regarding the salaries of former SSDF forces and the rejection of the integration of SSDF officers violated the Juba Declaration signed on Jan. 9, 2006. In the preamble of the Juba Declaration, both the SPLA and the SSDF agreed that they are “determined to build trust and confidence among themselves and to avoid past mistakes that have led to divisions and internecine conflict between themselves and among the people of Southern Sudan in general”.

The position taken by the SPLA tribalists such as Lt. Gen. Oyai Deng Ajak and Lt. Gen. Salva Mathok will not bring peace but war among South Sudanese. Gen. Matip rejected the attempt of his subordinates with the support of SPLM Party tribalists to amend the Juba Declaration unilaterally. Such a blatant violation of the agreement demonstrates that the SPLA tribalists are not determined to end all forms of conflict and hostilities among Southerners, so as to usher a new era of hope, stability and sustainable development in Southern Sudan.

The South Sudan Democratic Forum Party fully supports the decisions taken by Lt. Gen. Paulino Matip that if SSDF forces are not paid before Oct. 18, 2006, the Bank of South Sudan (BOSS) must be closed down by SSDF forces. We also support the decision of deputy commander-in-chief to arrest any SPLA general who will attempt to disrupt the unity among South Sudan armed groups.

We call upon President Salva Kiir to order the Ministry of Finance to pay former SSDF forces before the deadline given by Paulino Matip expires on Wednesday, Oct. 18, 2006. Failure to do so would mean that the President is under the influence of SPLA tribalists who formulated discriminatory policies against the Nuer in the army. For instance, the policy that only Dinka should be members of SPLA Artillery Units is discriminatory to say the least. The silence of President Kiir on these evil policies may tantamount to acceptance of tribalism with the SPLA.

We call upon the United States of America, Norway, Canada, UK and Italy to voice their concerns about the possible military confrontation between Gen. Paulino Matip and the SPLA tribalists. The international community must make sure that tribal ideologues of the SPLM Party do not hijack the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA).

For Contact:

Representative of South Sudan Democratic Forum Party

Ottawa, Canada

Email: [email protected]

Tel. (613) 260-9307

More Contact:

Secretariat of South Sudan Democratic Forum Party

Head Office

Juba, South Sudan