SPLA announces effective integration of largest South Sudan militia
June 19, 2007 (JUBA) — After 18 months of the signing of Juba Declaration on the integration of the largest militia in the region, Southern Sudan army has effectively recognized the elements of the militia as members of its forces.
Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) spokesperson Major General Kuol Deim Kuol told the Nairobi based Sudan Radio Service that the SPLA general headquarters will communicate to all SPLA units across Sudan to officially recognize the members of the SSDF into the SPLA.
Major General Kuol said that over 50,000 former soldiers of the Southern Sudan Defense Forces have now been officially integrated into the SPLA and the Government of Southern Sudan’s civil service.
“The list of something going to 3,700 officers had been radioed through radio communication to all the units of SPLA. This is how we do our things in the SPLA. Any officer joining the SPLA, then we make him known to all the units of SPLA so he enjoys the respect with the rest of the SPLA officers.”
The SPLA spokesman added that the Government of Southern Sudan will be requested to adjust its budget to pay salaries for the newly integrated soldiers.
Under the command of General Paulino Matip, the SPLA Deputy Commander-in-Chief, the SSDF is the south’s largest militia. SSDF soldiers would now be paid and treated as equals with SPLA troops and were moving into SPLA barracks throughout the south.
South Sudan spends approximately $550 million a year on its army, around 40 percent of the total budget.
Under the 2005 peace deal, the north and south have separate armies. By July 9, all northern army forces should be redeployed from the south and all militias should join either army.
A breakaway SSDF faction led by Gordon Kong has not yet agreed to join either army. Sudan’s north-south civil war claimed 2 million lives and forced more than 4 million from their homes.
(ST)