South Sudan militia leader responds to presidential amnesty

June 4,2013 (JUBA) – A militia leader whose group has been fighting the South Sudanese army (SPLA) for the past two years in Upper Nile state has responded positively to to a recent the presidential amnesty, according to the military.

The chief of general staff of the (SPLA), James Hoth Mai, said on Tuesday that his office has reached an understanding with militia leader Johnson Uliny that he will abandon his revolt and return to the country so he could contribute to the consolidation of peace and nation building.

Uliny is one of the six militia generals who was offered an amnesty in April by President Salva Kiir Mayardit. The amnesty order pardoned them, as well as those who served under their direct command, regardless of the atrocities they may have committed while fighting government forces.

The SPLA’s spokesperson Colonel Phillip Aguer told reporters on Tuesday the rebel group had already been received by the forces on the ground in Kodok, Upper Nile state.

Aguer said the militia leader had come with a contingent in 38 vehicles carrying an assortment of weapons. The extent to which he was armed confirmed that he had been backed by neighbouring Sudan.

“The General Chief of Staff of the SPLA and the general command wants to confirm that militia leader whose forces have been fighting SPLA forces along the border with Sudan, General Johnson Uliny has surrendered. He is now in Upper Nile. He was the one who has been fighting the SPLA forces in the whole of Shilluk kingdom since 2010. He was based in White Nile State in Sudan”, Aguer explained.

President Salva Kiir last month welcomed to Juba the leader of South Sudan Liberation Movement and Army (SSLM/A), Bapiny Monytuil and his deputies, Karlo Kuol and Tut Gatluak after they had accepted the amnesty and around 3,000 of their forces crossed in Unity state’s Mayom county from Sudan’s South Kordofan state.

The May meeting took place in the presence of the presidential advisor on legal affairs Telar Ring Deng, minister of Defense Gen. John Kong, minister of interior, Alison Manani Magaya, chief of general staff, James Hoth and senior officers from Internal and external security bureau.

Kiir said that he appreciated the former militia leaders for responding positively to his order pardoning them and for joining the people of South Sudan in the journey of nation building.

Tut Gatluak told journalists at the time on behalf of the group that they returned to participate in the process of peace building. He called on those still carrying arms against the young country to join them in the peace building process and expressed his gratitude to the president and all the people of South Sudan for reception upon arrival to the country.

Gordon Buay, who identifies himself as spokesman of the leadership council of the rebels who have responded to the presidential amnesty confirmed the arrival of the militia leader in the country, asserting that his arrival to the state capital Malakal marks the end of the conflict.

“The arrival of Maj. Gen. Johnson Olony marked the end of war in Upper Nile state and the beginning of the New South Sudan Order in which every political issue must be settled through peaceful means. All the issues which brought misunderstandings among the people of South Sudan shall be addressed through peaceful means rather than the use of force”, Buay said in the statement on Tuesday

(ST)