S. Sudan SSUDA/SSDF urges talks with SPLM/A to avoid civil war
SSUDA/SSDF WARNS THE WORLD OF SPLM/A OF DECEPTIONS
Maj. Gen. Gabriel Tang and Brig. Gen. Mohammed Chol of SSDF
Thursday 21 December 2006 — The people of Sudan, South Sudanese in particular, and the international community should know that following the 21st April 1997 Khartoum Peace Agreement signed between the United Democratic Salvation Front (UDSF) and the Government of the Sudan, it was agreed that “there shall be established a Democratic Party to be known as South Sudan United Democratic Alliance.(SSUDA).
The South Sudan Defense Force was establish from the Southern Sudan Armed factions, namely, SSIM/A, EDF, SPLM/A-BGG, SPLM/A-United, SPLM/A-Bor Group SSIM/A-BGG and USAP , including other military forces in the south minus SPLM/A- Torit faction of the late John Garang. Therefore, let it should be known to the world that SSDF is not one-ethnic controlled entity. It is comprised of all South Sudan multi-ethnicities. Hence, any allegations that it is a GOS militia are baseless, groundless, and incongruent. SSDF is one of the largest autonomous army in South Sudan comprised of more than 70, 000 man strong. The South Sudan United Democratic Alliance/South Sudan Defense Force is a corporate body having perpetual succession and a common seal.
SSUDA/SSDF categorically rejects the SPLM/A deceptions, conspiracies, and manipulations of national and the international community that SSDF is a Government of Sudan militia. SSUDA calls for immediate peaceful negotiations between SSUDA/SSDF and the SPLM/A to avoid South-South civil war. The international community should not continue to believe SPLM/A deceptions and manipulations slogans. It is a well-known fact that since the inception of the SPLM/A, it usually presented non-SPLM/A negatively. This is not correct, will agitate conflict among southerners, and will jeopardize the CPA.
Currently, the SPLM/A cannot possible claims and misleads the world that they are the only people who have fought in South Sudan liberation. The SSDF freedom fighters have fought in the South retrospect to Anya-Anya-I (A-I) and were the first to rebel in 1975 and fought along the Sudan-Ethiopian border for a decade prior to the inception the SPLM/A in 1983. Most of the SSDF leaders were those who rejected the Addis-Ababa Accord of 1972, which granted the South a fake local autonomy within a United Socialist Sudan.
SSUDA/SSDF warns the SPLM/A not to ignore the meaningful way to peace. The so-called disarmament of all militias in Southern Sudan cities by Joint Defense Council (JDC) alleged by the SPLA Maj-General Bior Ajang only will fuel and ignite a situation that could turn the into inferno.
In the first place, SSUDA would like to reiterate that SSDF is not a militia. Therefore, the malicious usage of the term to describe southern who are not SPML/A members could have serious consequences. SSUDA/SSDF urges and appeals to all south Sudanese who are either members or non-members or what is known nowadays the SPLM/A liturgy as “confirmed and unconfirmed” to unconditionally refrained from applying the term to anyone in South Sudan. We have all fought and died for the south.
SSUDA calls on the government of Ethiopia or any other neutral party to facilitates a meaningful South-South Dialogue between SSUDA/SSDF and the SPLM/A. This dialogue should produce power, wealth sharing and security arrangement.
Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas and Happy New year!
Peter Chuol Gatluak, Information Secretary, SSUDA
Can be reached at [email protected] or +402-408-6352