South Sudan SSUDA/SSDF sacks Secretary General for nepotism, corruption

South Sudan United Democratic Alliance/South Sudan Defense Force dismissed Mr. Peter Chuol Gatluak from Leadership

September 6, 2007 — The leadership of SSUDA/ SSDF would like to inform the public that Mr. Peter Gatluak has been dismissed from the position of Secretary General of SSUDA/SSDF and its membership. This dismissal is immediately effective as September 3rd, 2007. The Executive Political Bureau (EPB) of SSUDA in consultation with SSDF, and NCP leadership has unanimously dismissed Mr. Peter Gatluak for the following violation of SSUDA and SSDF principles and military code of conduct:

SSUDA /SSDF as organization that against tribalism, corruption, and nepotism cannot and will not tolerate any corruption and nepotism within it leadership. As such, Mr. Peter Gatluak has been found to have committed a serious corruption and nepotism, within the party. Upon receiving money and funds which was intended for organization work, he (Mr. Gatluak) embezzled the money by giving it to relatives and clan men from his own village. Having done that Mr. Gatluak had surfaced in Khartoum on the pretext of organization mission without the knowledge of the party chairman and the entire leadership. As it appeared, this moved came as surprised to the leadership of SSDF and the National Congress party, and thus, immediately was rejected by both leadership.

After a serious investigation, it was learnt that there was one high ranking and individual who was involved in such corruption and nepotism, such as General Gabriel Tang. As was discovered, Gen. Tang happened to be a close relative of Mr. Peter Galuak and was involved in such facilitation of corruption without the knowledge of the SSDF leadership. As a result of such corruption and nepotism act, the leadership of SSDF removed General Tang from his position as the head of logistic and operation of the SSDF, pending further investigation.

Mr. Peter Chuol Gatluak, has also brought in individuals that been dismissed or outlawed from other Southern political parties to infiltrate SSUDA or bought them with money to joint him on his mission of tribalism, corruption and nepotism. This also was a serious violation of the party principles.

The SSUDA /SSDF leadership would like all Southerners and the Sudanese people as whole to know that unlike the SPLM leadership, it does not promotes or condone individuals within it leadership who committed corruption, tribalism, and nepotism. Therefore, this action is taken as part of leadership accountability, which should be the core values of any democratic organization.

During the last three weeks since the arrival of Mr. Gatluak to Khartoum not only has been a controversial weeks, but also are weeks in which many people specially those who been reading the writing of Mr. Peter Chuol Gatluak and his village man Prof. Dechand, were asking many questions; and the main questions are, who were talking what?, and who were accusing who on corruption, tribalism, and nepotism? We in the leadership of SSUDA/SSDF believed that the meaning of “walking the talk” is that you cannot accuse others of tribalism, corruption and nepotism while practicing one.

To this end, what had happened here is a clear indication that those who have big mouth and quick to blame others often are far worse than their accused. And if given a chance to have access to public resources and authority, they would do more damage to the public than those they are accusing. Typical example of such individual is Mr. Peter Chuol Gatluak and his associates.

Now that SSUDA/SSDF remains a clean and purified organization from individuals who are promoting self-interest, corruption, tribalism, and nepotism; we believed that this leave our leadership and the organization to be more united and strengthen than before.

And, that the struggle for justice, democracy, equality, and the pursuit for accountable government in South Sudan will continue until we reach our final destiny, where all of us shall be free from all forms of oppression and exploitation. Though our road to democracy is long, we believed that, this struggle not only demands maturity and political consciousness, but also a firm determination to see to it, that peace, development, democracy and stability is achieved throughout the Sudan.

In the last seven months of this leadership, and by working with our political allay (the National Congress Party), we have made some progress toward the implementation of the CPA. Many of our forces were integrated; the fear for forceful foreign occupation was avoided; the pushed for violent confrontation from the SPLA/M side over the oil production areas was minimized and avoided; and children like confrontation and the use of abusive language toward our political enemy and opponent was stopped.

This new leadership believed that Sudan as a country has a culture of political tolerance and tradition. Thus, we believed that the time has come for policy politics where we can move from military confrontation to real civilize politics where the people should be given a chance to determine who should governed them. It is in this crucial time that the challenges facing us, such as the coming of election need a team work, collective and visionary leadership which require skillful politicians that can handle the SPLA/M.

Lastly, we the Executive Political Bureau (EPB) of SSUDA would like to thank and congratulate the leadership of SSDF and our political allay (NCP leadership), particularly the Southern section for their firm political stand and unwavering action taken against such individuals who are in struggle only for self-interest and village mate.

The Executive leadership also would like to reaffirm their sincere commitment for the SSUDA/SSDF leadership under General Gordon Koang and Dr. Ojulu Ochalla for their hard work by keeping the SSDF forces and SSUDA leadership intact. Finally, we call on all SSUDA/SSDF supporters inside the country and in the diasporas for their continue support during this difficult time.

SOUTH SUDAN UNITED DEMOCRATIC ALLINCE/SOUTH SUDAN DEFENSE FORCE,

EXECUTIVE POLITICAL BUREAU (EPB), Khartoum

SINGNED

General Gordon Koang, Commander- In-Chief of SSDF

Dr. Ojulu Ochalla, SSUDA/SSDF Chairman

C.C. To:

-The National Congress Party (NCP)

-SSUDA/SSDF Diasporas Offices