NBGS: candidate dismisses allegations of arms smuggle

By Ngor Arol Garang

April 15, 2010 (TURALEI) — General Dau Aturjong, an independent candidate running for gubernatorial post in the southern state of Northern Bahr el Ghazal, has dismissed allegations of his implication in arms smuggling in the region describing it as election propaganda to tarnish his popularity.

On Sunday 11 April, northern Bahr el Ghazal citizenry entered the poll with allegations that General Dau colluded with the dominant National Congress Party (NCP) to smuggle into the region military hardware including 14 tanks purportedly to destabilize the area in the event incumbent governor Malong is declared winner of the ongoing poll scheduled to end this Thursday 15 April 15, 2010.

The movement of the 14 tanks painted white and camouflaged UN logos to the state were however claimed to have been intercepted by Southern intelligences and detained in Wau, Western Bahr el Ghazal State. Military sources in Wau nonetheless denied holding any weapons destined to Northern Bahr el Ghazal. We do not have arms going to Aweil or reports of weapons going to division five, said military source who did not want to be named.

However, Ayual Maker Beny, an SPLA officer with joint integrated units in Wau, said he heard a report that SPLA intelligence in Kuajok, Warrap State, are holding 9 military tanks with UN logos and documents giving details indicating their destination as Juba for Bangladesh contingent of the united nations mission in Sudan charged with monitoring Comprehensive Peace Agreement in Sector one, being three states of greater Equatoria of Eastern, Central and Western Equatoria.

These tanks are being held in Kuajok not Wau though their documents and communications with UN show they are form Bangladesh because of concern involving civil transporting company without military personnel escorting them, he said. This is being investigated at the higher level in Juba and may be this is what politicians in Northern Bahr el Ghazal might have heard as well, he adds.

General Dau while reacting to these allegations in an interview with Sudan Tribune dismissed the charge saying they do not hold any truth. “There is nothing substantial in these allegations. They are concocted news intended to discourage potential and eligible voters participating in the ongoing poll to vote against their choice,” he said.

Dau said he had repeatedly warned that independents candidates, do not have political association with any political party to smuggle arms into anywhere in the south including Northern Bahr el Ghazal as being circulated, he said asking reason for arm smuggling.

“What is the reason to smuggle in arms outside the states? With who are we going to fight and why, he asked saying he opted to contest these elections because he wanted changes to be brought to civil population through ballot papers not barrel of guns. This was why I went to the bush to fight for change including democratic transformation Sudanese have been denied since colonial era,” he said.

(ST)