---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: John Ashworth <[email protected]> Date: Sun, Apr 3, 2011 at 12:53 PM Subject: [sudan-john-ashworth] Fw: George Athor "committed to peaceful settlement" To: Group <[email protected]>
George Athor's original reasons for his rebellion bear little credibility, particularly his claim on the governorship of Jonglei. His name had been linked to conflicts around Khorfuluss more than a year before the elections, suggesting that he has other reasons for trying to assert his power and influence. While he was only one perpetrator amongst many of isolated and independent incidents of violence, all with different causes and dynamics, there was a hope that these separate incidents could be contained and dealt with. However there are worrying signs that different groups are now coalescing around George Athor with the real danger that a recognisable movement might spring up. The alleged defection of Peter Gadet and Abdel-Bagi Ayii are also bad signs. The situation is not helped by GOSS' apparent slowness to deal peacefully with rebels, and by the human rights abuses allegedly committed by some SPLA forces in dealing with them militarily. Peaceful negotiations are a priority. John 1. Renegade General Athor: I remain committed to peaceful settlement By Ngor Arol Garang April 1 2011, (WAU) -George Athor Deng Dut, a former senior military officer in the Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA), turned rebel, said on Friday he remained committed to peaceful settlement of the conflict believed to have claimed over 300 lives and displaced countless others since he launched his rebellion on 30th of April 2010. Speaking to Sudan Tribune on Friday from an undisclosed location by phone, Athor said he was not in Khartoum and that he remained committed to a peaceful settlement to the conflict. "Our position to negotiate how to settle our reservations and issues which concerned our people has always been one of our desires and demands. We have never changed this position. We have never rejected any attempt for peaceful settlement. Our people need peace and so do we. We are ready for any peaceful settlement if the other people are ready to negotiate with us," said Athor. "I am not in Khartoum and have not gone to Khartoum. I am speaking to you from my base in south Sudan. Who said I am in Khartoum or I have gone to Khartoum? When did they say we met or saw me in Khartoum?" asked Athor. Officials from GoSS, including the SPLM secretary general Pagan Amum last month accused Khartoum of supporting the rebellion in the south through proxy militias. He also claimed Athor flew to Khartoum after fleeing from his base. "I have never gone to Khartoum and I do not have any intention to go. What for?" asked Athor, an interview with Sudan Tribune on Friday. Attempts made by Sudan Tribune to contact spokesman of the SPLA failed. Atem Biar, a member of the SPLM in Juba said the request for a peaceful settlement by Athor is another trick to regroup his forces for other atrocities. "Claims that he is committed to peaceful settlement are mere media tricks. He just wants to use period of negotiations to regroup his forces for other atrocities. No way. The government will not buy these claims. If he needs peace, he has to lay down arms and surrender without making any condition," said Biar. Athor was one of the senior independent zonal commanders close to late John Garang, chairman of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) and commander chief of the SPLA, until his death in 2005, during more than two decades of conflict between north and South Sudan. He rebelled after losing the gubernatorial race for Jonglei state. Following Garang’s death, the leadership council of the movement swiftly moved to name Salva Kiir Mayardit as an immediate successor. Recognising the loyalty and dedication of Athor in his contributions during the war, he was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant General, from Major General and named Deputy SPLA Chief of Staff for Political and Moral Orientation, a position he held until when he rebelled in 2010. Armed groups loyal to him since launching his rebellion clashed on several occasions with forces belonging to the SPLA. In October, the South Sudan President issued an executive order pardoning Athor and his forces. The decree was also extended to leaders of the other armed groups but gave conditions demanding the laying down arms before assimilation into the SPLA takes place. Athor made reservations requesting South Sudan President Salva Kiir Mayardit, to slightly modify the decree in a way it would cover fate of his armed groups and political supporters. In December 2010, just a month into the January vote on self determination for the people of South Sudan, president Kiir formed a peace and reconciliation committee including two bishops from Roman Catholic and Episcopal Church of Sudan and army Generals. This was amid calls for peace and reconciliation for the successful conduct of the referendum, as was emphasised by the South Sudanese Political Parties’ Conference held at Nyakuron Cultural Centre in Juba, Central Equatoria State, in October 2010. The committee was primarily tasked with finding ways to end conflict in the area. They met General Athor in one of his hideout bases in his home county of Khorflus, Jonglei state and held talks with him. Chairman of the committee, Archbishop Daniel Deng Bul, described the negotiations and their meeting with General Athor, in one of the interviews with journalists, shortly after arrival from Malakal at Juba International Airports, as successful and encouraging. On 5 January 2011, just three days before the South Sudanese were to go to the polls, the GoSS announced it was signing an agreement on the cessation of hostilities with the rebellious forces of General Athor, David Yauyau and Colonel Gatluak Gai. The pact signed in Juba, allows some of the areas previously occupied by forces belonging to both sides of the conflict, to be used as transitory assembly points. Others were to be used as integration points and others were left to forces loyal to either side, based on the consensus. However, Dok James Puok, spokesman for the renegade groups, on 9 of February 2011, accused SPLA forces of having launched an attack on their forces in three different locations, resulting in heavy fighting, which claimed lives of over 200 people, most of whom were reportedly identified as innocent civilians many of whom had recently returned from northern Sudan in Fangak county, Jonglei State. Colonel Phillip Aguer Panyang, spokesman for SPLA, in a separate interview with Sudan Tribune at the time, denied launching an attack and blamed Athor of initiating the conflict. In early March 2011, president Kiir gave SPLA forces an executive mandate to protect the lives of the civilians and their properties and accused Athor to having used the amnesty to recruit more fighters from the local people, against southern army. Responding to the call made by the president, the SPLA launched an offensive operation aimed at containing the rebellion, resulting in the taking of areas previously under the control of General Athor, including his base. (ST) END1 2. South Sudan confiscates newspaper for report on rebel group April 2, 2011 (JUBA) — Southern Sudan security service seized the last issue of The Juba Post newspaper preventing its distribution in the capital of the South because it includes threats by a rebel spokesperson to attack Juba. Printed in Khartoum due to a lack of printing facilities in the semi autonomous region, some 2500 copies of the independent newspaper are transported by airplane twice per week to Juba where they are distributed. The Juba Post has a circulation of 5000 copies. In its latest issue, the newspaper published statements by the spokesperson of the rebel South Sudan Democratic Movement (SSDM) headed by the General George Athor. Dok James Pouk said they would launch heavy attack in Juba before the independence of the South Sudan in July. On Wednesday security agents at Juba airport confiscated 2500 copies of the biweekly newspaper and briefly detained the distribution officer, the New York-based press freedom watchdog, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) said on Saturday. The Editor in Chief Michael Koma said he was summoned by the security service but he declined to appear. He also disclosed he lodged a complaint with the minister of information Barnaba Marial Benjamin who will meet him on Monday. It is believed that the newspaper was confiscated for a headline of the story related to the rebel spokesperson "Athor plans to attack Juba". The SSDM spokesperson says their group gathers all the rebel groups recently formed in the region and they plan to storm Juba. Minister Barnaba reacted to the seizure saying he does not approve a ban of a newspaper because of its content. "Hostile articles should be allowed to run, that is freedom of expression which we support," the minister said in statements to Reuters on Saturday. He further said he was looking for more details about the Post’s allegations. Southern Sudanese journalists who enjoy more freedom than their colleagues in the north, suffer however from the lack of legal framework organizing their profession and protecting them from harassment by security agents. The editor of the Juba-based The Citizen was detained in the past for converging an alleged corruption scandal within the finance ministry. Last February Nhial Bol said agents of security service raided the office of the daily newspaper. The Juba Post Editor in Chief and journalist Deng Atem Kuol were detained for nine hours last February for a news article alleging the Ivory Bank was facing financial difficulties. Southerners overwhelmingly voted last January in favor of the independence of South Sudan. The event will be proclaimed formally on 9 July six years after the signing of a peace agreement in 2005 ending civil war between north and south Sudan. During the interim period, the southern Sudan legislative assembly failed to adopt three bills related to the press: the Right to Information bill, the South Sudan Public Service Broadcasting bill, and the Independent Broadcasting Authority bill. (ST) END2 3. Unity state condemns ‘defection’ of SPLA Maj. General Peter Gatdet By Bonifacio Taban Kuich March 30, 2011 (BENTIU) - Unity state’s spokesman for state government Gideon Gatpan Thaor confirmed to the state citizens on Wednesday that Maj.General Peter Gatdet has left South Sudan’s official army (SPLA) in an apparent rebellion against the southern government. The state official condemned the move saying that resorting to violence is not the right way to resolve South Sudan’s differences. The defection of Peter Gatdet Yaka from the southern sudan army is added to the growing list of rebels taking up arms against Juba government ahead of independence in July. Thaor said that the Unity state government condemned Gatdet’s saying that the South should be looking to embrace peace and harmony ahead of the regions secession after the overwhelming vote for seperation in January. The spokesmen said that any grievances should be achieved through a negotiated settlement. Peter Gatdet was the deputy SPLA divisional commander in Northern Bahr el Ghazal before his defection but has a long history of switching sides. During the Sudan’s second civil war (1983-2005), he became militia leader under Paulino Matip’s top commander in the battles for Unity state and its oilfields. Nonetheless in 1999, he then returned to the SPLA before defecting back to the Khartoum government’s side in 2002. His defections during the war always drastically shifted the balance of power over who controlled Unity state. Since 2005, he was used by the SPLA as a field commander both in Abyei clashes in 2008 and the clashes in Malakal with forces loyal to Gabriel Tanginye in 2009. According to SPLA spokesman Philip Aguer, Peter Gatdet took an official leave to Nairobi for medical treatment, but once arrived there, he took a plane to Khartoum. Since he did not respond to SPLA attempts to contact him. The SPLA accuses the Sudanese Armed Forces of being responsible for his flight to Khartoum, but SAF Spokesman Al Sawarmi Khalid has denied General Gatdet is in the northern capital. It is assumed that the renegade commander will try to mobilize forces in his home area of Unity state, where he fought throughout the war. It is not clear if he will join hands with other rebels in the state – Gatluak Gai, Bapiny Monytuel and Gai Yaoch, all of whom also fought under Paulino Matip during the war. That rebel force are thought to currently be led on the ground by Matthew Puol Jang. Matip has not defected and still retains his position of Deputy Commander in Chief of the SPLA, which he gained in 2006 when his forces merged with SPLA after the 2005 peace deal with Khartoum. Thaor said that the Unity state’s security organs have established contact with Gatdet’s close allies, who acknowledged their defection but have refused to disclose the intentions of their rebellion. Thaor added that General Gatdet is known as a charismatic leader and talented mobilizer, and the state hopes he chooses other means to express his discontent. The state spokesman said that these issues should be addressed through national consensus and constitutional means instead of violence. The political situation remains tense in Unity state since April 2010. Many citizens rejected the election of Governor Taban Deng Gai, believing that the vote was rigged against his main rival Angelina Teny the wife of South Sudan vice president Riek Machar. Gadet joins a growing group of rebels across South Sudan, which appears to be forming a coalition under the leadership of former SPLA deputy chief of staff George Athor, who accuses the government of rigging last year’s elections. (ST) END3 4. Ex-adviser for Salva Kiir launches new rebellion in South Sudan March 23, 2011 (JUBA) – A former adviser for South Sudan president Salva Kiir has declared war against the semi-autonomous government, a spokesman for the Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) announced on Tuesday. The SPLA spokesperson Colonel Philip Aguer said in a televised statement today from Juba that General Abdel-Bagi Ayii, from Northern Bahr el-Ghazal state, had rebelled but did not give a reason for this move. Major General Ayii was a presidential adviser to Kiir, until the government was reshuffled after the 2010 April elections. He joins a growing list of disgruntled militia officers in the South who have decided to take up arms, which now includes George Athor and David Yauyau in Jonglei state and Gatluak Gai in Unity state, and Oliny in Upper Nile state. The Muslim figure was one of the former militias officers who joined the South Sudan army in 2006 and had their forces integrated in the SPLA. The SPLA official reiterated accusations that the northern government of President Omer Hassan Al-Bashir of fueling these defections by arming militias in almost all the frontier states bordering with the North. Last week Major General Ayii made an interview to Sudanese Media Center (SMC), a website closely linked to the country’s intelligence circles, in which he accused the SPLM leadership of corruption and giving preferential treatment to some figures. He also claimed that Muslims in South Sudan suffer discrimination citing examples of properties were taken away from them and given to foreign investors. The rebelled officer added that some ordinary citizens came up to him saying that they suffer harassment because of their Muslim names and where told that they should change them. Major General Ayii has demanded disbanding the South Sudan government and forming an interim one where Muslims are represented by 30%. The rebellions will cast a shadow on the preparations for South Sudan’s official independence next July. The people of the region voted almost unanimously for secession in last January’s referendum. (ST) END4 ______________________ John Ashworth Sudan Advisor Sudan Ecumenical Forum [email protected] +254 725 926 297 (Kenya mobile) +249 919 695 362 (Sudan mobile) +27 82 853 3556 (South Africa mobile) +44 750 304 1790 (UK/international) +88 216 4334 0735 (Thuraya satphone) PO Box 52002 - 00200, Nairobi, Kenya This is a personal e-mail address and the contents do not necessarily reflect the views of any organisation -- The content of this message does not necessarily reflect John Ashworth's views. Unless explicitly stated otherwise, John Ashworth is not the author of the content and the source is always cited. You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "sudan-john-ashworth" group. 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