South Sudan ex-army chief denies influencing rebellion of associates

January 4, 2018 (KAMPALA) – The former army chief of staff of South Sudanese army Paul Malong Awan denied on Thursday reports linking him to decisions taken by most of the associates, saying has no contact with them whatsoever.

“I have no contact with those I am told through the media they decided to leave the country. They know why they left and you can speak to them directly. I cannot ask people to rebel against the government”, said Gen Paul Malong Awan, former army chief of staff on Thursday.

The former top military officer in the country said he cannot stop people from talking about his name, saying he is aware of people making unfounded allegations about him.

“I know there are people who are talking. Let them talk but they have evidence about whatever they are saying about me. If they have, let them give you and you give them to the public. That is the work of the media. It is not my work”, he said.

The former army chief of staff was sacked on 9 May on reports by the security services that he had been plotting to overthrow President Kiir. But Awan denied the charges.

Nonetheless, all his close friends or relatives have been removed from their positions at the military and civil administrations

In recent statements to Sudan Tribune, a presidential aide claimed that Awan continues to incite associates to rebel as a way to draw the attention of the president to his grievances and to return him to the government.

He mentioned the former Warawar tax collector Manut Yel Lual and the former Aweil north county commissioner Kuol Athuai Hal. Also, he pointed to Garang Chan and his group saying they rebelled also and currently are around Juba.

(ST)