South Sudan president pardons rebel army officers
October 6, 2010 (JUBA) – The President of the semi-autonomous Government of Southern Sudan (GoSS) and Commander-in-Chief of the Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA), General Salva Kiir Mayardit, has issued an Executive Order, pardoning senior army officers who rebelled or fought against the SPLA forces before and after April’s elections.
Kiir’s order issued on Wednesday bestows amnesty on Major General Gabriel Tanginye, Lt. General George Athor Deng and Colonel Gatluak Gai. It also urges them to rejoin the rank and file of the SPLA forces and move freely in the South.
The SPLA accused its ex-foe, Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) of supporting the renegade officers saying they serve to destabilize the southern region.
The southern Sudan authorities said last August they impounded in Upper Nile state, a Khartoum-destined cargo helicopter carrying men loyal to Gen. George Athor. However, Khartoum denied the accusation and the plane was moved to Juba for investigations.
Major General Tanginye was accused by GoSS of causing military confrontations with the SPLA in 2006 and 2008, which left about three hundred people dead in the Upper Nile state’s capital of Malakal. General Athor and Colonel Gai have also rebelled and clashed with the SPLA in protest of the outcome of the gubernatorial elections in Jonglei and Unity states, respectively.
Athor, who served and held senior positions within the SPLA, refused to concede defeat and claimed the vote was rigged.
Kiir said that the pardon will not come into effect unless the three officers unconditionally lay down their arms and rejoin the SPLA.
The move comes one day after the ruling Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) kicked off preparatory meetings with all the Southern Sudan political parties for the purpose of reaching a consensus on the referendum and post-referendum era.
South Sudan is due to vote early next year on whether it wants to remain united with the north or to become a independent nation.
On Tuesday and Wednesday the Vice President and the Deputy Chairperson of the SPLM, Riek Machar, chaired meetings with 17 southern political parties to discuss the way forward and prepare for next week’s conference.
In a press statement after Wednesday’s meeting, the Minister of Agriculture and Forestry and the SPLM Deputy Secretary General for Southern Sector, Ann Itto, said the parties have agreed on the agenda.
Itto who will also head the Information sub-committee in the preparatory committee added that the conference is to reconcile and achieve a consensus on the upcoming Southern Sudan referendum which should be free, fair and transparent.
(ST)
Gatwech
South Sudan president pardons rebel army officers
Dear readers,
I do admire the wise leadership exercised by President Kiir and his deputy Dr. Machar.
Yes, bring back the rebelled officers and unite all the South Sudan political parties. That is a wise strategy as we approach the referendum.
Let the South unite and be ready for any eventuality. We are all in one boat of self-determination to independence of the South in just over 90 days.
Bravo the leadership for the wise strategy!
Bravo Gen. Salva Kiir!
Bravo Dr. Riek Machar!
Bravo Hon. James Wani!
Long live the vision of independent and prosperous free and united South Sudan.
Dinka Boy
South Sudan president pardons rebel army officers
To me it sound good, but there something fishy about the so called Tanginya. That man is pure evil hearted. He never join the SPLM/A. He has a nyagat ever since. So by pardon his evil deed would cost a lot of problem with Nuer thenself.
The highers rate of militias in south sudan are belong to nuer tribe specially Lou and Pan gak where Tanginya came from. I totally disagree with president Kiir.We also have Gordon Koang another scunk. We have Chibetek Mabil and etc.
If I were president kiir, Athor is the right person to be pardon. But those of Tanginya are arab militia. The been exist since the formation of the movement and the did nothing. The empty minded. Used by Jallaba.
Achouth
South Sudan president pardons rebel army officers
This is a good and welcome move by the HE Kiir to make sure that the Southerners face the North with a good united front.
Putting differences behind has been the forced use by the Movement during the 2 decades of war… and it is a great strategic approach to the junior leaders like Athor.
Athor should take this opportunity and put aside his genuine reason that have not been resolve since the April elelction for the sake of his people and the referendum… because the outcome of referendum is very uncertain with the likelihood of war from the North on Abyei area in Particular which will spark the War….
Once again Dear Pres. Kiir your moved has encourage Southerners with a hope of uniting all Southerners together at this time of need for unity.
Kur William
South Sudan president pardons rebel army officers
This is really wrong move by Kirr these guys Tangia, Cibetek, Mabil and Gordon Koang couldn,t be offers any pardons if they are not willing to rejoins SPLA forces It may cast doubt to everey one mind that one day they cause a trouble to the South. Kur
DASODIKO
South Sudan president pardons rebel army officers
Congrat Kiir
Good step toward bring harmoney in South Sudan. North Arabs always use such people to weaken SPLM/A despite I am sure they would do nothing when is too late.
Bol Bol
South Sudan president pardons rebel army officers
This is a very excellent move. President Mayardit has done his job and it’s now up to these guys to accept the offer because they wouldn’t want to be caught on the wrong side of history.
ater kuot ater
South Sudan president pardons rebel army officers
well done mr kiir,we are behind you in every step,that is a wise idea to bring back our lost sheeps,and it was stated in the bible saying that,one man owned 100 sheep and one got lost,and he left 99 sheeps and went to look for the lost sheep,when he found it,he became happy,long live spla,long live southern sudan,spla wayeeee.
Mou Magok
South Sudan president pardons rebel army officers
Bravo……………. SPLM Leadership.
I am happen to hear that those wrong doers have been forgiven…….. Thank you very much for that intiatives
God bless you all
Yirol boy
Laat Ayie Jal
South Sudan president pardons rebel army officers
Dear Readers,
I was not moved at’ll by Kiir’s decision to pardons the rebel generals; our president is going to navigate even more possibilities to unit our beloved South Sudan.
This note however; goes to General Athor, take this golden opportunity and rejoined your comrades; lets witness history in the making together in Jan 9th 2011.
Another invitation is for Dr. Lam Akol; the recent calling for southerners parties in Juba is not for anything other than putting the efforts together, we need Dr. Lam to erase the D.C thing and considerate on just the SPLM…Everyone in the hidden place for any reason; come out and help pulled out the South before we are all made to bend down towards east (Mecca) and leave our christian religions.
Adam
South Sudan president pardons rebel army officers
Dear Southerners,
It doesn’t work that way Mr. President.
The problem is deeper than to be addressed like this. I know that some efforts were made, but to make these rebellions repent – not to look carefully on their pleads. SPLA/M is the one to be blamed for the present turmoil in the South and the country as a whole. The policy of barring the other, and the dominance of one ethnic group over the others, have lead to the nightmares we are witnessing in the bright day light.
Gentlemen, this announcement is to tell the whole world that the GoSS junta has done all in its capacity to reconcile the matter, but failed. It is an introduction to a fierce war. Wait and see. How come such an announcement is made while the dogs of SPLA are imprisoning the family of Mr. Gai and looting the poor citizens?
Get prepared for blood-shed. The history will call us the heart of blood-shed.
This is a very unfortunate end to the South dreams of unity, development and above all , PEACE.
Adam Milawaki, Kansas City
Haak
South Sudan president pardons rebel army officers
bravo !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1 bravo Kiir and Machar for the move, you really show your intellect in this historicall movement we are approaching, peace Alut Continuo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! but than i think its against natural and universal law that a person is only guilty or innocent when prove in court of law, the question come does universal suffrage allowed president to veto such criminal like Gatluak Gai of unity state who killed more than 2000 people alone? i think Kiir could only pardon Tang and George some body like Gatluak Gai are just political orphan who could only wait to be huge after independent of southern sudan. we all know he (Gatluak Gai) will have no outlet after peace.
thanks
Haakamadology
James Okuk Solomon
South Sudan president pardons rebel army officers
For me, this GoSS’s residential order only sound good politically. Otherwise, and speaking strictly in terms of the rule of law, it has loopholes. For example, the phrase of the order that “These senior officers and their followers are free from legal prosecution,” can generate a critical question: when did these senior officers and their followers went through due legal process ending in prosecution chain in the first place for the so-called pardon from “legal prosecution” to make sense of freedom here?
As far as I know, there has not been any court order demanding for the prosecution of these officers and their followers in the first place. If it is uplifting of “political prosecution” that was levied on them, then H.E. Salva Kiir’s order of pardon can be treated as meaningful, else it can’t. Even the use of term “amnesty” as it was smuggled in by some blind propagandists in this forum doesn’t apply professionally to this home news.
Dr James Okuk