South Sudan’s rebel leader Peter Gatdet returns to Juba after peace
deal with gov’t
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August 4, 2011 (JUBA) – The leader of the rebel group known as the
South Sudan Liberation Army (SSLA), Major General Peter Gatdet Yak has
returned to Juba to make peace with the government.
JPEG - 43.2 kb
Former South Sudan rebel leader Peter Gadet (FILE)
Gatdet arrived on Juba aboard a Jetlink plane from Nairobi on
Wednesday in an unexpected move that has been welcomed by the public.
In a press statement, the SSLA spokesperson Bol Gatkuoth, who
accompanied his leader, said they have returned to Juba in
“acceptance” of President Salva Kiir’s offer of amnesty to the rebels
in order to end the violence.
Gatkuoth said his leader, Gatdet, had been conducting close door
dialogue in Nairobi, Kenya, with officials from the Republic of South
Sudan who were delegated by President Kiir to resolve the conflict
with the rebel group.
He added that his group was also interested in making peace with the
government as an assurance to the other rebel groups that “genuine”
peace was still possible with the government following the mysterious
killing of Gatluak Gai, three days after signing the ceasefire.
Last week, a rebel leader from Unity state, Gatluak Gai, was killed
after signing a peace deal with Juba. His family accuses the South
Sudan army of orchestrating the murders but leading members of his
group said they killed him because he was not committed to the peace
deal.
The government’s spokesperson, Barnaba Marial Benjamin, while shaking
hands with the rebel spokesperson, Gatkuoth, congratulated the rebel
leaders for accepting the amnesty announced by the president on
Independence Day celebrations on 9 July.
SSLA launched rebellion last year in Unity state against the
government in what the rebels claimed was a war against corruption and
tribalism that had befallen the government in Juba and wanted to
topple the leadership.
However, a five-page press release purporting to be issued by SSLA
said that the army was not part of the ceasefire and that Gadet and
“his spokesman” reached a unilateral deal with Kiir. The alleged rebel
statement said their leader had defected and designated Maj. Gen.
James Gai Yoach as new leader.
(ST)
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