S. Sudanese oppositionist accuses Kiir of killing rebel leader Gai, warns of war
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July 29, 2011 (NAIROBI) – A South Sudanese opposition figure has
overtly accused the country’s leader Salva Kiir Mayradit of
liquidating rebel leader Gaultak Gai, warning that his death has
antagonized the Nuer Community and curtailed any prospect for peace in
the country.
JPEG - 41.8 kb
South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir waves to his supporters as he
arrives at the John Garang mausoleum before the Independence Day
celebrations in the capital Juba, July 9, 2011 (REUTERS PICTURES)
Gai, who had been leading a localized rebellion against the government
of South Sudan in Unity State since his defection from the country’s
army known as Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) following the
announcement of elections results in April last year, was shot dead in
mysterious circumstances on 23 July along with a number of his
bodyguards in Koch County.
Three days before his demise, Gai signed a peace deal with the
Government of South Sudan (GoSS) after six weeks of talks. Under the
deal, he was meant to integrate his forces into the SPLA and given the
rank of a Lieutenant-General in the SPLA.
The SPLA denied any involvement in Gai’s death, accusing his deputy,
Marko Chuol Ruei, of opening fire on his leader following internal
squabbles.
Ruei went on Bentiu radio to claim responsibility for the death of his
commander, stressing that he now had command over the old rebel group
and expressing his desire to see through the peace deal with the SPLA.
Gordon Buay, former Secretary-General of South Sudan Democratic Front
(SSDF), on Saturday chided South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir over his
"cowardice act to assassinate" Gai and warned that his death will
spark a war.
"The assassination of Gatluak Gai is something unknown to Dinka and
Nuer culture. In Nilotic culture, you cannot kill somebody who signed
peace with you," Buay said in a letter seen by Sudan Tribune.
He went on to cite the example of how the late southern leader John
Garang signed a peace deal with Riek Machar but did not kill him.
Buay warned that the entire Nuer community is "angry" and that even
Nuer intellectuals will now be going to "the frontline" because what
Kiir allegedly did "is something unknown in Nuer and Dinka culture."
"Very soon, the entire Warrap State will be on fire because of what
you did to Gatluak Gai who wholeheartedly signed peace for the benefit
of the people of South Sudan," he said.
The southern figure warned that peace in South Sudan was now "dead"
with Gai. "You need to polish your AK-47 because from now on you will
go to frontline if you are not a coward," Buay said in his address to
Kiir.
Analysts have long been warned that South Sudan, which gained
independence on 9 July, might descend into ethnic violence if the
government’s focus does not shift towards addressing internal
grievances.
(ST)
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