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By Toby Collins
October 27, 2011 (LONDON) – A South Sudan rebel group has given UN agencies and aid groups one week to leave the oil rich Unity state, threatening to attack the state government which it accuses of human rights abuses.
The South Sudan Liberation Movement / Army (SSLM/A) released a press statement on Thursday rebuking the governor of Unity state, Taban Deng Gai, accusing him of committing human rights abuses and threatening to ’violently resist’ his rule.
- Unity state governor Taban Deng Gai (AFP)
’SSLA is calling upon all NGOs and UN personnel to leave Unity State within a week for their own safety because the people of the state will violently resist the regime of Gov. Taban Deng through popular uprisings that may include the use of force,’ say the rebels.
They claim that Gai is responsible for abusing the human rights of residents of Mayom and Nhial Diew counties by ordering government troops to administer physical abuse, imprison unlawfully and impound the cattle of family members of SSLM/A members.
They claim 600 hundred cattle belonging to their members’ families have been taken. The rationale given is that ’the wives of rebel commanders should be divorced by taking the dowries they paid to their in-laws’ which is ’a violation of Nuer customs.’
The SSLA commander, Kol Chara Nyang from Nhial Diew, according ot the statement, had three of his wives arrested and 400 cattle belonging to his in-laws were taken.
It is alleged that the fathers of the arrested wives were advised that they should look for new husbands as the governor has ’issued a decree divorcing the wives of rebel commanders.’
A recent arms seizure suggests the SSLA was well-equipped, however its current strength is not clear. The need for aid, however, is clear; a Unity state county commissioner in March appealed for food aid, due to failed crops.
The SSLM/A is a predominantly Nuer, armed rebel group operating in Unity and Upper Nile states, originally led by Peter Gadet. However, a botched peace deal with the Government of South Sudan in August brought his position into question.
The former rebel leader is now based in Juba and reintegrated the South Sudan army, Sudan People’s Liberation Army.
(ST)
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