South Sudan rebel chapter in Australia disown leader

June 29, 2017 (JUBA) – Members of South Sudan’s armed opposition faction (SPLM-IO) in Australia have disowned their leader, William Orule, after the announced his defection the country’s First Vice-President, Taban Deng Gai.

The armed opposition faction, in a statement, strongly criticized Orule’s move to join a rival faction led by its former chief negotiator.

“We would like to inform the public, the region and the world at large that the IO movement respects the right of individual who decides to leave or join us. This is a core principle of our democracy and freedom of choices or speech. Comrades Orule had decided to leave. We view this as his right. Let continue the fight against genocide regime as usual,” partly reads the statement.

Some members of the armed opposition faction, however, vowed to continue backing former First Vice-President, Riek Machar despite what they referred to as his “illegal” detention in South Africa.

South Sudan was plunged into conflict in December 2013 as the rivalry between President Kiir and Machar, turned into a civil war. Since then, the fighting, which has often been along ethnic lines, triggered Africa’s worst refugee crisis, with over three million people fleeing their homes.

(ST)