SPLM blams Sudanese ruling party for Juba killings

Nov 8, 2006 (Juba) — A senior official of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) has said that the movement holds the ruling National Congress Party (NCP) responsible for the recent killings around Juba, south Sudan’s capital.

In the last two weeks, there have been small scale guerrilla operations in Eastern Equatoria State on the roads leading from Juba to Kenya, from Juba to Uganda and from Juba to Bor in which dozens of people have been killed.

“The impression was that it was the Ugandan rebel group, the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) or groups associated with it. Now it is clear it is groups connected with the National Congress,” the official said.

The SPLM official who did not want to be identified said that the Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA), the military wing of the SPLM had captured 15 of those responsible for the attacks and they are now prisoners of war.

“This is the most serious incident to take place since the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) was signed in January last year and this will put the CPA and the SPLM/NCP ties in jeopardy,” the official said.

According to the SPLM official, there is anger amongst rank and file of the SPLM due to these incidents.

The NCP is reported to still have strong links with the militias in the south, contrary to the constitution and the CPA.

(Khartoum Monitor)