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Sudan Tribune

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SPLA rebel General Athor welcomes South Sudan president’s amnesty

October 10, 2010 (BOR & JUBA) – Gen. George Athor Deng, a former chief of staff to the southern army, who rebelled against the southern government, after losing a bid to become governor of Jonglei state, has welcomed Wednesday’s presidential amnesty directed at him and other rebels.

George Athor Deng (ST)
George Athor Deng (ST)
Speaking to United Nations Mission in Sudan (UNMIS) sponsored Miraya
FM
on Sunday, Gen. Athor said he will respect President Salva Kiir
Mayardit’s call for peaceful return and reintegration of his forces into the
south’s army, the Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA).

Gen. Athor contested for Jonglei state gubernatorial post but lost to
incumbent governor Kuol Manyang Juuk of the Sudan People Liberation
Movement (SPLM)- the political wing of the SPLA.

Athor alledges that the SPLM, who have governed the southern region since a 2005 peace deal rigged April’s elections against him and chose to start an armed uprising in protest.

Since his forces first attacked Dollib Hills in Upper Nile state in May 2010,
which the SPLA blame on Athor forces, the regional army made several
attempts to demolish his forces in vain.

The government of southern Sudan (GoSS) initially rejected peace talks proposed by UNMIS and turned down several efforts by local community leaders for peaceful resolution.

Last week, President Kiir released a decree pardoning Gen. Athor, Gen.
Gabriel Tenginyang and others who rebelled against his government to
rejoin aftering disarming their forces.

Details from Athor’s acceptance are still sketchy.

The amnesty was welcomed on Saturday by John Kong Nyuon, a security adviser to the president of the government of southern Sudan.

On Wednesday, Salva Kiir Mayardit, president of the government of southern Sudan and a commander in chief and the Sudan People’s Liberation Army issued an executive order pardoning the four millitary officers, Lieutentant General George Athor Deng, Major General Gabriel Tanginye, Robert Gwang and Colonel Gatluak Gai.

The executive order urged the officers to immediately join ranks and files of the SPLA forces and assured them they would be able to move freely in the region without any fear.

The pardon will not come into effect unless the officers lay down their ams without condition and return to rank and files of the regional army.

Speaking to Sudan Tribune on Saturday, Nyuon commended decision of the president and urged the officers to return.

“The decision taken by the president is an excellent […] wise and unifying decision,” said Nyuon.

The BBC noted that the report coincided with the visit of the United Nations Security Council and that the move could be seen as a way to show visiting diplomats the south’s seriousness to provide security ahead of the January’s referendum on southern independence.

Kiir issued the order following a meeting between the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM), who govern southern Sudan and representatives from other political parties to prepare for South-South dialogue conference, scheduled to take place on 13 October 2010.

The agenda of the conference is believed to include discussion about ways to reach consensus on the conduct of the referendum on self determination for the people of the region. It will also touch on post-referendum governance.

Under the 2005 peace deal signed between the two former warring parties the SPLA and Sudan’s ruling National Congress Party, citizens of South Sudan are expected to vote early next year to decide whether to remain part of a united Sudan or opt to become an independent nation.

General Athor and Colonel Gai have clashed several times with the SPLA after rebelling in protest of the outcome of April’s election results.

Athor attempted to win Jongeli state’s gubernatorial post as an independent candidate after he failed be endorsed by the SPLM.

The senior military officer was among the 340 SPLM members rejected for candidacy by the SPLM’s political bureau before the April elections.

Prior to his rebellion, Athor held many of the top military positions within the SPLA, the last of which was the position of the SPLA deputy chief of general staff for moral and politician orientation. He refused to concede defeat after losing to the official SPLM candidate and accused the government of rigging the vote.

In August, government of southern Sudan authorities said it captured an aircraft flying military weapons from Khartoum allegedly destined to areas under George Athor’s control. The south’s security services say the Russian owned helicopter was also carrying individuals loyal to Gen. George Athor, charges Khartoum denies.

Colonel Gatluak Gai also turned rebel after failing to become commissioner in one of the counties in Unity state, which was declared for the incumbent Governor Taban Deng Gai who beat Angelina Teny.

Teny, the wife of south Sudan’s Vice President Riek Machar, was denied endorsement of her candidacy and disowned by the political bureau before the polls.

Like Athor, and other SPLM figures who failed to be endorsed, Teny went entered the election as an independent. Although she believed she was ahead in most polling stations, the national elections commission announced in favour of the SPLM candidate.

The Small Arms Survey said Gatluak who was not seen as a major player in s the before April 2010 elections, is accused of being close to Angelina Teny, wife of Vice-President Riek Machar who ran as an independent candidate for the Unity governorship.

The report further said this accusation pushed Juba government to take his threat seriously and decided to deploy more troops in the Unity state to fight him.

(ST)

13 Comments

  • Ahmed Chol
    Ahmed Chol

    A prodigal son
    Athor,

    You need to come back home. You were lost and now prodigal son. You turned all grace into disgrace. We still remember you as a man who was once our hero. We will not turn our back to you and the rest over there so as long as you are willing to come back home. There are so many rooms for all of you here in the south.

    Ahmed Chol, the future commander of Anya-nya III if the south joins the north

    Reply
  • The Living Witness
    The Living Witness

    SPLA rebel General Athor welcomes South Sudan president’s amnesty
    Strident words have been exchanged ramping down the entire country all swaying towards self determination. Therefore, all the conspiracies instigated by khartoum to dismantle our goverment. And for the case of other narrow minded comrades who still think arabs are fair, its high time they rushed to south to recieve their ranks before the unfolding situation emerge at the last minute.

    Salva is indeed a dynamic and a true leader, but must watch carefully before he intergrates them in the goverment.
    I would suggest our president should rather wholly allow them after refrendum.
    Garang once said in his speech at IOWA State university in 2002 that, refrendum will not be accepted by NIF and if need be, why would we bother ourseleves seeking for freedom in khartoum and yet we already have it in south as a new country proven by self determination.

    Reply
  • Malou Manyiel
    Malou Manyiel

    SPLA rebel General Athor welcomes South Sudan president’s amnesty
    bravo to the leadership of the government of South Sudan.
    Forgive them and it will be them to regret what they have done to their own people whom they have too fought for in the first place.

    Reply
  • okucu pa lotinokwan
    okucu pa lotinokwan

    SPLA rebel General Athor welcomes South Sudan president’s amnesty
    Athor.
    The past respect to you, will not be there again but you are pardon by your President Maryadit come home let us be on the same boat going to the promise Land.

    OKUCU PA LOTINOKWAN

    Reply
  • Padiet Deng Alony
    Padiet Deng Alony

    SPLA rebel General Athor welcomes South Sudan president’s amnesty
    Let all forgive and forget our conroverses and unite as one body.
    I know President Kiir meant it in the bottom of his heart that pardon. we all knows that human being is not perfect we have our weaknesses and strengths for each and every one of us.

    Thanks Athor for accepting the call of your comrades and stand hand to hand to face our common foe.

    Is now time for Southern Sudanese to stand united for the final events.

    God Bless South Sudan

    Reply
  • Manyieldit
    Manyieldit

    SPLA rebel General Athor welcomes South Sudan president’s amnesty
    I think this time Cdr Gier Chuoang Aluong will not oppose to this amnesty as he was the main stumble block to the coming back of Gen. Athor. So I would to let Mr Gier knows that, your brother is 100 times as good as your friend. do not betray your own brother because of power or position, with him you would have not been proud of Pigi as your homeland, otherwise it would have been completely destroyed by forces loyal to Tanginya or SSIM who was lead by then Vice president of GOSS. Gier has play a great roll on assassinating the characters of brother Athor as well as pushing his political game too. Thank God for for making Mr. Kiir and his Achuil of GOSS police for blindfolding Gier to remove all the senior police General from Jonglei (mainly Bor) from the police rank without any charges not there any retirement policy or package for them. They were told go home like thieves, But I think Gier has learn a good lesson from that move, that is why he was threatening to resign when he heard the rumors of his replacement, He thought Kiir is his permanent friend, but things turn against Mr. Kiir as the relationship with the president and his group fall apart.

    Reply
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