S. Sudanese rebel leader dismisses Changson Chang
August 7, 2015 (ADDIS ABABA) – South Sudan’s former vice president and leader of the armed opposition faction of the Sudan Peoples’ Liberation Movement (SPLM-IO), Riek Machar, has issued an order relieving Gabriel Changson Chang from the position as chairman of National Committee for Finance and Resource Mobilisation.
“Pursuant to April 2014 Nasir Consultation Conference resolutions, I, Dr. Riek Machar Teny-Dhurgon, hereby relieve Cde Gabriel Changson as Chairman of National Committee for Finance and Resource Mobilisation,” reads the order extended to Sudan Tribune .
Machar in another order appointed Wieu Kuon Kiyang as new chairman of the national committee for finance and resource mobilisation replacing Changson.
There was no explanation given for the relief of the official. But observers relate the action to the ongoing rumours that Changson had planned a defection as a ring leader with a number of senior military commanders.
Other sources also alleged that Changson used the money he mobilized from the contributors in the Diaspora, such as from the United States and Canada to facilitate his defection scheme with the commanders.
“When he came to us here in the US [United States], Changson used to speak negatively about the leadership and the fact that the disintegrated SPLM was seeking to reunify. He was against the reunification of the SPLM and hinted that he would form his own organisation and deal with the government separately,” said Paul Deng, one of the members for the resource mobilisation.
Senior government officials including the presidential advisor on decentralisation and intergovernmental linkage, Tor Deng Mawien, told Sudan Tribune Thursday that the government was monitoring reports of imminent split within the rebel movement.
The rebels, however, downplayed the significance of the rumours, insisting that the alleged defectors were still part and parcel of the movement, adding that the relieved officials would be reassigned to other capacities.
But the relief of Changson, said to be the ring leader engineering the split, is an indication that the rebel leadership might have been aware of the alleged move. The defectors were alleged to be preparing to declare their split in order to join the government as a different group with a separate peace agreement.
President Salva Kiir’s government said it would welcome back to Juba any rebel official or commander ready to give up the fighting and rejoin his leadership in the young nation.
(ST)
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