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By Bonifacio Taban Kuich
November 30, 2011 (BENTIU) - South Sudan’s army (SPLA) has denied allegations by a rebel movement in Unity state that 55 soldiers including three majors and five captains from its fourth division have defected to the South Sudan Liberation Movement/Army (SSLM/A).
- SPLA soldiers march during a parade at the 4th anniversary celebration of the signing of the CPA in the southern town of Malakal January 9, 2009. (Reuters)
The SSLA has been fighting the South Sudan government since April this year accusing the government of tribalism and corruption. The rebel group has often called for members of the SPLA to defect claiming that they are badly treated by the top brass.
Maj Gen Mangar Buong Aluonge, acting commander of the SPLA’s fourth division in Unity state, dismissed as lies the SSLA claims in an interview with Sudan Tribune on Wednesday.
He said that rather than defecting the SSLA had managed to capture some wounded soldiers from their houses in Nhialdiu payam [district].
Aluonge said it was a SPLA policy that wounded soldiers be "allowed to stay in their payams in [the] various states of South Sudan."
Major Yien Nyinyar, an SPLA soldier from Dhuar was captured by the SSLA he said and a search had begun to recapture him, Aluonge said.
He described the SSLA as hungry group of men who were happy to steal property by ambushing innocent people.
Unity state governor Taban Deng Gai, said the SSLA’s claim that is government had instructed troops to rape Bul Nuer women in May clashes between the SPLA and the rebel group in Mayom county was SSLA propaganda against him.
- Acting Commander of the SPLA’s fourth division in Unity state Maj Gen Mangar Buong Aluonge talks with Sudan Tribune at Rubkotna division headquarter 30 November 2011 (Bonifacio Taban for Sudan Tribune)
Mayom county was were the SSLA declared their rebellion and has seen the worst of the fighting. The SSLA’s leader Peter Gadet accepted an offer of amnesty from the government in August but failed to bring most of his forces with him to reintegrate into the SPLA.
The governor described the SSLA’s allegations and "nonsense" and “baseless” accusing the rebels of human rights violations. However the SSLA says the International Criminal Court should investigate crimes committed by the SPLA under his command.
The SSLA has threatened to attack Unity state capital, Bentiu, but says the assault has been delayed to move refugees from north Sudan out of the area. In Jonglei state the charity Oxfam has stopped some of its work and pulled out some staff in part due to the SSLA’s insurgency.
Juba accuses Khartoum of backing South Sudan’s rebel groups, while north Sudan says the SPLA continues to support rebels in their territory. Both sides deny the allegations.
A Small Arms Survey report recently found that Khartoum had questions to answer over new Chinese weapons and landmines that were taken from South Sudanese rebels in Unity and Jonglei states earlier this year.
Landmines are becoming an increasing problem in Unity state with rebels laying mines in areas and roads that had previously been de-mined.
The SPLA says that the SSLA are now using Heglig an oil region just over the border in north Sudan as a base to attack the SPLA.
As part of a peace deal in 2005 the SPLA became the official army of South Sudan, ending decades of conflict. In July this year South Sudan seceded following a referendum in January conducted as part of the landmark agreement.
(ST)
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