Former Sudanese VP dismisses alliance with Southern militia

KHARTOUM, Dec 14, 2004 (Sudan Radio Service) — Former Vice-President of Sudan Joseph Lagu says the formation of an alliance with a southern Sudanese militia group to fight the Sudan People’s Liberation Army.

Mr Lagu (photo) told journalists in Khartoum before he left for London, that the alliance forged with South Sudan Defence Forces, SSDF, is to pressurize the SPLA leader, John Garang, to sign a peace agreement with the government.

The SSDF, an umbrella of southern militia groups, was formed in 1997 to fight the SPLA, following the signing of the Khartoum peace agreement between the government of sudan and six SPLA breakaway factions.

The SSDF commander-in-chief, Paulino Matip, described the ongoing peace process in Naivasha, Kenya, as inadequate and incomplete. He says it will never realize any peace settlement in southern sudan if the militias are not included.