Machar says defected rebel commanders are welcomed to rejoin movement
By Tesfa-Alem Tekle
September 4, 2015 (ADDIS ABABA) – South Sudan rebel leader, Riek Machar, said he would welcome defected rebel commanders should they decide to rejoin the armed opposition faction of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM-IO).
The former vice president said the two key generals who were in command are not dismissed from the army up to now and they are welcomed to rejoin the movement.
“I relieved them. It is them [Gatdet and Gatkuoth] who left. But if they decide to come back we will welcome them” Machar told Sudan Tribune.
The two generals decided to defect accusing the leader of thirst for power and poor leadership.
According to some reports, the generals have launched a new opposition movement but it is not clear if the newly formed group has an army. However Machar said the defected commanders have no separate troops from the troops his movement has.
The defected generals have vowed to fight both the government in Juba and the Sudan Peoples’ Liberation Movement (SPLM-IO).
According to some rumours the two SPLA generals have formed an alliance with a little known Ethiopian rebel leader, Gen. Thokwath Pal Chay, who are collaborating with government in Juba to fight against the Ethiopian government, during a meeting they held on 6 August in Nairobi, Kenya.
The two sides formed a group named “Alliance Defence Pact” which aims to launch joint military operations in and around Greater Maiwut including Pagak of South Sudan and in Gambella region of Ethiopia. However, their significance is in question as they have no followers.
One of the two Generals, Gadet has been the subject of sanctions by the United States, European Union and the United Nations for “fuelling the conflict and contributing to the devastating humanitarian crisis” in South Sudan.
General Peter Gadet and General Gathoth Gatkuoth are currently living in Khartoum and Nairobi respectively. While General Gatdet was admired by many of the Nuer people for firing the first bullet in defence of the people massacred in Juba, General Gathoth Gatkuoth is blamed for weakness and allowed Nasir town, his home area, captured from him by the government and never retook it back.
Although the disgruntled group of generals and their political leader, Gabriel Changson Chang, have one thing in common which is defection, observers say they have different approaches.
Also Changson is seen to be inexperience in liberation struggles as a banker who had never before participated in an armed liberation struggle and seen by many as not a good politician but can become a good technocrat.
Many also allege that their defection was a result of the government’s project to try to derail the peace process by creating a division within the movement through its agents and delay the signing of peace agreement.
South Sudan was plunged into war in December 2013 after President Kiir accused his former deputy of plotting coup, an allegation the latter denies.
The conflict has killed tens of thousands of people and displaced more than 2.2 million.
(ST)