Army officer flees Juba, joins Malong’s rebel movement
January 25, 2022 (NAIROBI) – A South Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF) officer has fled the country’s capital, Juba and joined South Sudan United Front/Army (SSUF/A) led by former military chief General Paul Malong Awan.
Lt. Col. Buay Kandong Liem, in a statement extended to Sudan Tribune on Tuesday, said he was relieved to have safely fled Juba, citing insecurity concerns.
“Last week, I left the country and together with it for good by God’s grace the pathetic, ethnocentric leadership of President Salva Kiir Mayardit. This all-time decision of mine has come about in response to the-ever-guilty conscience I have been living with since that forced returned of mine to the country through Gen. Taban’s [Deng Gai] peace with Kiir four years ago,” he wrote.
The officer faulted the South Sudanese leader for the ending cycles of violence, deep political rips, poor governance and rampant corruption.
South Sudan has been ranked as the most corrupt amongst the 180 countries in the 2021 Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) by Transparency International (TI), a Germany-based non-governmental organisation.
“That our country gasped for an imminent change is not uttered for its own sake. The current state of affairs in our nation tells us otherwise: the stagnant peace, the dwindling economy, the humiliating conditions faced by our fellow citizens among others are more than enough to let those with hearts for this nation to join change seekers,” further stated the military officer.
He accused president Kiir of encouraging the practice of dishonesty and cheating, nepotism, favouritism, immorality as well as moral compromise.
The military has not yet officially reacted to the army officer’s statement.
SSUF/A SPOKESPERSON RESIGNS
Meanwhile, the spokesman for Malong’s rebel movement has resigned, amid claims that the former army chief has failed to lead the rebel group.
Lt. Col. David Deng Chapath, in a statement, described Malong as “frustrated and at the point of desperation without progress”.
“Gen. Paul Malong has veered off from political path as the Movement has long ago plummeted. This has blocked any objectivity and if cadres refuse to go personal, they are always accused of having been bought but Malong receives money from Juba frequently and never accuse himself of having been bought”, he wrote.
Chapath said left quit SSUF/A after a long soul-searching reflection.
“I mulled over the issues pertaining to my beloved country, the Republic of South Sudan, and I arrived at a conclusion that there is need to embrace peace and shun all the hostilities that are directed at the government of South Sudan. Having seen the torment our people go through, I conclude that opposition without principles is not changing anything, instead it is dangerous for the country”, stressed the former SSUF/A spokesperson.
Chapath is the latest top official to abandon the ex-military chief’s rebel movement.
(ST)