South Sudanese rebel group sacks top official
By Tesfa-Alem Tekle
January 9, 2016 (ADDIS ABABA) – The leadership of South Sudan Armed Forces/ South Sudan Federal Democratic Party (SSAF/SSFDP) on Saturday said it had fired one of its senior official over what it described as unilateral acts.
Kleto had been mediating between SSAF/SSFDP and the Riek Machar-led SPLM-IO.
According to the chairman and commander-in-chief of the SSAF/SSFDP, Major General Anthony Ongwajja, Bertino who was the official spokes person of the group has no mandate to dismiss the mediator without consulting its top leadership.
“We have today January 7, 2016 dismissed Col. Oliwa for the press statement he issued on January 07 on Nyamilepedia denying our full authorization of Ambassador Peter Oyoyo Kleto as mediator between our movement and SPLM/A in opposition” said Ongwajja in a statement he extended to Sudan Tribune.
The opposition chairman said Bertino’s dismissal took effect from 07 January, 2016.
“He [Bertino] has not reported to the headquarters up to now” he added.
Ongwajja said his group learnt of elements in Denmark who practice divisive politics, intend to divide people and drag them to join a wrong movement for personal interests.
“We have identified those two elements in Denmark who are using every way to confuse our people and we will never tolerate and entertain that at all,” he added.
In an email to Sudan Tribune, SSAF/SSFDP last week declared allegiance to the leadership of SPLM/A under leadership of vice president designated Riek Machar.
The group reaffirmed that Kleto, the SPLM/A-IO deputy representative to Tanzania is fully mandated to mediate the movement with SPLM armed opposition faction.
“We have been in touch with SPLM/A IO Deputy Ambassador to Tanzania for quite sometime now and we trust in his work and we will not tolerate spoilers to bury the blood that South Sudanese have fought for over 50 years”, said Ongwajja.
“We are warning those two men to stop dragging us to a wrong direction otherwise they will regret for their decision”, he added.
The group on Wednesday said it has given its list of demands to Kleto, to present SSAF/SSFDP demands to the chairman and commander in chief of SPLM-IO.
The group’s name, which shares the military wing’s name of the Gabriel Changson Chang’s group, also dismissed allegations that the opposition faction is connected to the former or General Peter Gatdet Yak’s group.
It instead said it is an independent movement formed to liberate the entire country from “tribalism” and “dictatorship”.
The group, which claims to be active in Eastern Equatoria state says it has ordered all its forces to remain in their barracks in honor of the peace agreement and only act in self-defence.
Formed in August 2015, SSAF/SSFDP is a breakaway faction of the armed opposition.
(ST)