Statement of South Sudan govt on Juba incidents

Dec 17, 2006 (JUBA) — On the early morning of Friday 15th December 2006, some elements of the Joint Integrated Units (JIU’s) from the Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) caused some disturbances and disorder in Juba town.

At about 6am on that day, these elements – the size of one Company (CoY) left their base at Gumbo east of the Nile and crossed the bridge into Juba town on foot while shooting into the air particularly around the area of Konyokonyo Market. After reaching the burial site (Mausoleum) of the Late Dr. John Garang De Mabior, they shot more bullets into the air and began to make their demands. These incoherent demands include:-

i. Immediate payment of their delayed salaries for the month of November 2006 which was anyway paid to most of their colleagues in other units in Juba town a day earlier on Thursday 14th December 2006. These particular indiscipline elements refused to get their salaries, unlike their colleagues and preferred to perpetuate problems. They refused explanations from their superiors that the funds arrived late from Khartoum as often happens. Infact it was not only their salaries, but even the other soldiers belonging to mother Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) were not paid on time.

ii. They claimed that they the SPLA component of the JIU’s were less paid than their colleagues who have remained in the mother SPLA units. This of course is not true as the pay of the JIU’s is the same as those in the SPLA. The only difference is that the SPLA have been getting some arrears while the JIU‘s were not because the JIU’s have been getting their salaries regularly as of October 2005 while the SPLA only started getting their salaries in May 2006. The SPLA have therefore been receiving their arrears as of May to October 2006 which was construed as double payment and more than that of the JIU’s.

iii. They were also demanding their 9 months arrears that dates back to 9th March 2006 at the time when the JIU’s were supposed to be formed as per the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA). They were again informed by their superiors that the Joint Defence Board (JDB) that consists of the mother SPLA and Mother SAF were working on this issue and that they would be paid soon, but they insisted on immediate pay which was impractical since these salaries come from Khartoum. It is worth mentioning like in the other demands above, that the JIU’s are being paid by the Federal Government (GONU) while the SPLA is being paid by the Government of Southern Sudan (GOSS). The GOSS is not therefore responsible for these demands but was helping in discussions with GONU to have these issues resolved.

The GOSS and the SPLA Command have been dealing with the situation since that time. The immediate thing to be done was to bring the situation into normality by ordering the soldiers to go back to their barracks at Gumbo and declaring a curfew over Juba town from 7pm to 6am daily until further notice. As of now, the situation is fully under control. The soldiers have now reported back to their barracks, and have laid down their arms. Their arms are now secured in stores. They also accepted to receive the November Salary which will be paid to them tomorrow Monday 18th December 2006.

The curfew is being observed satisfactorily with very few violations caused by some militias allied to SAF who have been shooting randomly at night in some locations in Juba town.

So far, no deaths have been reported as a direct result of the incidents. However, three people have died – two as a result of stray bullets and the other one was run down by a motorist at KonyoKonyo Market. Other three people have been slightly wounded in various areas in Juba town.

The next step to be taken is to institute an investigation committee to look into the whole incidents and determine whether these soldiers were influenced by outside factors or not. This of course takes into account, the fact that the events in Malakal last month were influenced by some elements in the Sudanese Armed Forces due to arming of militias that are anti peace. This cannot be ruled out in what has happened last Friday in Juba town.

Signed:

Dr. Samson L. Kwaje
Minister of Information & Broadcasting
Government of Southern Sudan (GOSS)
Juba, Sudan