Late Anya-Anya rebel leader key to South’s independence, say former colleagues
July 2, 2013 (BENTIU) – Since After Vincent Kuany Latjor, a former South Sudanese rebel leader, died in Khartoum early on Thursday 27 June tributes have continued for the late Anya-Anya II leader.
Retired lieutenant general Paul Dor Lampuor, one of Latjor’s colleagues described him as a true leader of democracy during decades of conflict with the Khartoum government.
Lampuor recalled that the first bullet was fired to declare civil war against the Khartoum regime on 8 August 1955 at 8:00am, some months before Sudan became independent from Anglo-Egyptian rule on 1 January 1956.
A veteran of both the Anya-Anya I & Anya-Anya II pro-southern independence movements, Lampuo was addressing a group of mourners in Bentiu town on 1 June after major general Latjorr, who was 74 when he died, was buried over the weekend in his home capital town of Bentiu.
Lampuor said his colleague was instrumental in the Any-Anya II movement, which sought to overthrow the Khartoum government. He noted that the Anya-Anya II movement predated the SPLM/A – the former rebels who have governed the now independent South since a 2005 peace deal – and the start of the second Sudanese civil war in 1983.
“In relation with his officers during Anya-anya II, he used to be a strong icon in fighting enemies and coordinated forces along [the] Uganda, Kenya and the current DRC borders. He was a true leader without tribalism. He united [us] as one in the bush and his war aimed at [gaining the] right of self-determination of South Sudanese”, added Lampuor.
After decades of struggle South Sudanese voted to become independent in January 2011, officially seceding from Sudan on 9 July 2011.
Lampuor said that the existence of the SPLA was formed by the late Latjor in 1983, when he reunited the splinted branches of rebellions across South Sudan to go to Ethiopia to handover leadership to John Garang the chairman of the SPLA, who died months after the landmark 2005 peace deal.
The former general asked his audience in Bentiu and all South Sudanese to adopt Latjor’s style of leadership.
“We have achieved our independence and the flag of South Sudan is flying [all] over the world, and I’m urging young people in the Republic of South Sudan to be kin enough to make this country a better place. We have done our part and it is now the responsibility of the people of South Sudan to decide their future”.
Nearly 1,000 people paid their final respects to the late general at the event 1 June.
Nyakoang Gai a 60-year-old resident of Bentiu said Latjor should be remembered for his graceful leadership toward his groups of rebellion in decades the decades of war.
“Without Vincent Kuany’s contribution to breakout the second Sudanese civil war, there would be no existence of the current SPLA in South Sudan. We have to respect him very much like other who contributed in the nation’s sovereignty”, said Gai.
Anya-Anya I ended in 1972 with the signing of a peace agreement in Addis Ababa. Latjor joined the Sudan Armed Forces, but mutinied in 1975 and helped form the Anya-Anya II to continue the fight for South Sudanese independence.
Retired lieutenant general Paul Dor Lampuor, who fought alongside Latjor in both Anya-Anya I and II, described Latjor a natural leader.
(ST)