REJECTED SPLA FORCES APPEAL TO THE WORLD TO CONDEMN THE DECISION OF SPLA LEADERSHIP

Public Statement
SPLA Forces in Juba

We, the members of Sudan People Liberation Army (SPLA), appeal to the whole World to condemn the decision of the SPLA Chief-of-staff on April 4, 2008, that rejected 7,000 former members of South Sudan Defense Force (SSDF) of Lt. Gen. Paulino Matip.
On April 4th, the SPLA Chief-of-staff, Lt. Gen. Oyai Deng Ajak and his deputy, Maj. Gen. Salva Mathok, came to our head-quarters and told us that "the leadership of the SPLA has decided not to integrate 2,511 soldiers into the SPLA." Maj-Gen. Salva Mathok stated succinctly that "based upon the final decision we have taken in SPLA G/HQRS office, the SPLA will not consider former SSDF as part of the SPLA."
He further made it clear that "it is up to you either to go back to Jelaba or the bush or to Paulino Matip."
The number of SPLA forces in Juba rejected is 2,511 soldiers. Another 6,500 in the rest of the South have also been rejected.

We are appealing to IGAD, Moi Institute, U.S.A., Italy, Norway, Canada and the United Nations that the SPLA leadership has once and for all nailed the Juba Declaration of 2006 into its final coffin.

Based on Juba Declaration of Jan, 2006 between the SPLA and SSDF, it was agreed that "Integration of SSDF into the SPLA and its command structures and all its component units including the Joint Integration Unit" would be implemented without delay.

Since the signing of Juba Declaration, most provisions of the agreement have not been implemented. So many members of former SSDF served in the SPLA like slaves without being paid. Rather than implementing Juba Declaration to the letter, the Chief-of-staff of the SPLA, under orders from SPLA C-in-C Salva Kiir, rejected former SSDF of Paulino Matip to be integrated into the SPLA.

For the sake of peace in Sudan, we are appealing to the international community to counsel Lt. Gen. Salva Kiir that the decision he had taken to reject former SSDF forces would militate against the smooth implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA).

There is already rebellion in Upper Nile where 4,000 rejected SPLA soldiers decided to take the law into their own hands by destabilizing the region until their demands are met. It would not help the leadership of the SPLA if Upper Nile rebellion is replicated in the other parts of the South.

On March 24, over 2000 SPLA officers in Malou, Rumbek, demonstrated for the lack of salaries for more than seven months. There is widespread discontent among SPLA forces on the handling of SPLA affairs.

Rejection of former SSDF forces would not help the leadership of the SPLM in resolving pending issues surrounding the smooth implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA).

In no uncertain terms, we condemn the leaderships of both the SPLA and SPLM Party for attempting to fling the South into military conflicts after the signing of the historic Juba Declaration.

The position taken by Lt. Gen. Oyai Deng Ajak and Lt. Gen. Salva Mathok will not bring peace but war among South Sudanese. We reject such attempts to amend the Juba Declaration unilaterally.

Such a blatant violation of the agreement demonstrates that the SPLA leadership is not determined to end all forms of conflict and hostilities among Southerners, so as to usher in a new era of hope, stability and sustainable development in Southern Sudan.

We call upon the United States of America, Norway, Canada, UK and Italy to voice their concerns about the possible destabilization of the CPA by the shortsighted SPLA leadership.

The international community must make sure that tribal ideologues of the SPLA do not hijack the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) at the expense of peace in Sudan.

For contact:
Col. John Ror, leader of the Rejected SPLA Forces in Juba
1st Lt. David Bol Machok, Spokesman and Coordinator of the Rejected SPLA Forces
Tel. +249-129498055
Email: gattuthang@yahoo.com