May 2, 2018 (JUBA) - South Sudan President Salva Kiir has appointed General Gabriel Jok Riak as the country’s new army chief of staff.


General Gabriel Jok Riak (Getty Image)

Riak, according a decree issued on Wednesday, succeeds General James Ajongo Mawut who died last month.

The order of appointment came into effect in a decree Kiir issued on 2 May.

Riak, who hails from South Sudan’s Jonglei state, briefly served as the acting army chief of staff after the position recently became vacant.

A former deputy army chief of staff, Riak also served as sector commander in Bahr el Ghazal region before moving to the general headquarters for top level assignment at command leadership.

In July 2015, the United Nations Security Council imposed travel bans and asset freezes on Riak, among other senior military officers. The move came after the United States Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control designated for sanctions Riak, who was then commander of Sector One of the South Sudanese military.

The president, despite the sanctions, promoted Riak to the deputy chief of defence forces in December last year.

(ST)

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3 May 2018 01:14, by lino

There you go!!! Mading Bor got the Army Chief as expected!!! I mentioned that when Ajongo passed on! Now Gonglie owns the defence! We will see who things will shakeup with Awiel rebellion!!!

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- 3 May 2018 05:49, by South South
  
  Lino,
  In Dinka, Mading Aweil=Mading Bor
  This is just to let you know. Aweil people are not stupid to destroy Aweil. You are welcome Lino to move to Juba, our capital.
  
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  - 3 May 2018 14:58, by lino
    
    Hahaaa!! Ya South,
    Mading Awiel is not = Mading Bor!!! All 4 Big Sections Dinka Group’s are not = to each other as welll! “ Padang, Bor, Rake, and Agar!!!
    We know very well history of Monyjang/ Jieng brother and we can lecture you as well. You are just part of this Konyo Konyo Government Group!!!
    
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3 May 2018 04:52, by Mayendit

The appointment of gen, Gabriel Jok Riak has come on the right time in the right direction and the right person. I am absolutely supporting him because he is honest, experience person, skillful and above all, he is one of the patriotic general and he will not betrayed South Sudanese people like what Dr, Majak D. Agot, Pagan Amum, Paul Malong, Dr. Riek Machar and more others triators have done.

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3 May 2018 05:02, by Mayendit

I am hearing many people disagrees on the appointment of gen, Gabriel Jok Riak to Chief of staff just because of having two people from one State of Joinglei serving in the powerful positions in the SPLA but I got message from them. South Sudanese people, we must understand that, what the nation need is the citizen who will do good job whether 100 appointed in one Payam and works good that is .

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3 May 2018 05:13, by Mayendit

I met Gabriel Jok Riak East side of Juba in 1989 before Omar al Bashir took power by coup. Riak arrived with Mobile Task Forces from Bhar El Ghazal regions and he was been around Juba for a while with others ranking generals but he done absolutely outstanding job and I think the man has met all requirement that were needed by the Bilpam Headquarter otherwise, there is no need to complain period.

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3 May 2018 05:32, by Mayendit

Finally, I would like to say to new SPLA general Chief of staff Gabriel Jok Riak please accepted my appreciation and thankfulness for being the man who never change his mine whatever difficulties which you have had faces in years serving your people, Country and I wish God may blessing your recently sick and keep up serving your Country. SPLA Oyee, SPLA Oyee
Congratulation general Gabriel Jok Riak

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- 3 May 2018 06:26, by Mike Mike
  
  Congratulations Jok for wining the gov’t trust to be appointed as the army chief of staff of the SPLA.Know that gov’t have done its part by giving u this key position and what has remain in question now is your part.Will u be able to do the work effectively as required by the gov;t and the people of SS?.Please u need to do the reform in the army like what James has started and left incomplete.
  
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  - 3 May 2018 06:34, by Mike Mike
    
    I know Jok is more capable for this position because he have got more experiences that he had gained when we were in the bush fighting with Khartoum regime. There is no any other person who can be qualified for this position of the chief apart from Jok Riak. What we need from him is to equip the army and transforms them to respect the right of their people and only deal with external danger.
    
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3 May 2018 07:20, by Lenin Bull

Millions congratulations Gen.Jongdit! Three important top priorities for you in that position: The money of SPLA must not delay and must not be corrupted/misappropriated, two equip and arm the SPLA quickly, and finally crash the rampant rebellions in the country by capturing Akobo, Tonga, Fan-gak and Panyijar period. These are the last remaining hide-outs for rebel criminals/SPLA-IO.

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- 3 May 2018 07:41, by Resolution
  
  committing atrocities against 63 tribes will not maintain dinka kingdom to remain, FYI your Gabriel has already sanctioned he will not improve anythings
  
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3 May 2018 07:31, by Lenin Bull

Gen.Jok, if you don’t do the above urgently required reforms within and for the SPLA, you would have let down the very army you spent the whole of life time serving. Please, put more efforts than even your predecessors to rescue our national army the SPLA!

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3 May 2018 07:37, by Gabriel Ajak

Congratulations to general Gabriel Jok Riar Makol for his recently appointment in to the position of chief defense. And also my appreciation goes to the president of the republic for the trust. Wishing him a blessed serve.
Two major things need to be done. 1. The army salaries on time. 2. Reorganisation or reformation of the army. Captain in the Army. God bless

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3 May 2018 07:55, by Theallseeingeye

I thing its now a perfect chance for Makeui and Mading bor in particular to take-over with a real coup rather than a fake staged coup.

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3 May 2018 07:56, by Sunday Junup

It is up to America now to response to this criminal appointment to most wanted terrorist

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- 3 May 2018 12:39, by South South
  
  We are singing for the joyful day of South Sudan. General Jok will add new strength to SPLA. Traitors are crying for help from America. What? America will help betrayers because South Sudan has a new General Chief of Staff. Oh America, oh OPEC, oh UN, oh IGAD, oh AU, oh monkey help us.
  
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3 May 2018 08:31, by Gabriel Ajak

Gen Kuoldit, Gen Jok from Jonglei state u r all under the test, please do something historical don’t lead down the great name of Jonglei. But one more request gen Lualdit Diing said, the SPLA do take much care about somebody else child and throw his own child in to the mud. I say please try to take care of ur own, what’s wrong with real SPLA promotion why always under bogus ranks command?

Regards

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3 May 2018 08:38, by Lenin Bull

Idiot! America is not coming. Neither is Sudan, Ethiopia, and other SPLA-IO supprting countries. You are screwed dog style for good. You will wait for America till Ngundaeng resurrect from his long sleep in his tomb in Bieh State. Why rely only America now for your liberation? Where is your much boasted about bravery and the 75% army? Where has this 75% soldiers in army gone to ?

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- 3 May 2018 14:37, by Theallseeingeye
  
  Lenin Bull
  I wonder why you can’t offer a compelling argument without mentioning the "dog style". but guess what after a long deliberation I’ve come to realize that you are right, because the Mathiag anyoors have been executing the "dog style" almost perfectly that if ones wasn’t quite careful, would literally think that those are actual DOGS doing such things to human beings, you know why?.....
  
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  - 3 May 2018 14:47, by Theallseeingeye
    
    Cont...
    its because Jienge and dogs can sleep with their mothers, so it means Jienge have adopted the DOG’s habit as culture. I bet you got the habit of STUPIDITY & LAZINESS (that is scouting under laloop tree, wasting time and relying on free & looted food) from the donkey too, this could be called "A DONKEY STYLE". can you help me put that in thong monjang?
    
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    - 3 May 2018 15:04, by Theallseeingeye
      
      cont...
      therefore, Jubaone, I have an answer to your question you posted few weeks ago, it was a cow that came first than Jienge because even cow don’t make such disgusting things. but I got another one for you too, it goes "who first slept with his mother, a dog or Jienge?" and if the answer is Jienge you know that makes you Lenin Bull? "A MOTHER F**KER".
      
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      - 3 May 2018 16:09, by Lenin Bull
        
        Thank you theallseeingeyes for your framing of me and the Jieng nation. The Jieng nation is more than you know neither will they become what you wish them to be.You hate them and after that go to hell with satan.
        
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3 May 2018 08:39, by Lenin Bull

Idiocy and self-deception! Pure and simple!

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3 May 2018 09:31, by wau nar

Welcome Madam Gabriel
When a new wife came home for the first time she can do goods then the old one ,your appointment is highly welcome to preform ur duties effectively by reforming the army not by messing it up n pleaes do not allow those fake drivers to drive you away from work thx

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3 May 2018 11:33, by marial-akol

Congratulations Gen. Jok Riak for your new assignment. I predicted this on my facebook page last week that there are two potential guys to take up this position of chief. 1. Jok Riak 2. Chol Thon Balok. but Jok won the trust of the president. I would like you to do three important things to the army. 1. feeding for the army(salaries) 2. Uniform should be equal 3. defensive equipments(arments).

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- 3 May 2018 13:14, by Kuch
  
  Mr. Jok Riak & Jonglei young boys & girls must work together to resolve the menace of the US, the UK, their UN, their sleazy NGOs, UNIMISS, their evil juus & some of their shifty allies in between like North Sudan & their so-called ethiopia. The US, the UK, their UN, their sleazy NGOs, their evil juus, their North Sudan & some of their creepy allies like ethiopia bullying has gone too far>>
  
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  - 3 May 2018 13:22, by Kuch
    
    ’The Greater Bhar El Gazelles including some Nuers have done their parts, Some boys & girls in Greater Equatoria have done their parts, and even some boys & girls here in our greater Upper Nile have tremendously done their parts. But here in our former greater Upper Nile, specially some of our Nuers & Shilluks with their foreign masters from the US, the UK, their UN, their sleazy NGOs,>>>
    
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    - 3 May 2018 13:26, by Kuch
      
      their evil juus & some of their creepy allies in between like the Gulf Arab states, North Sudan, ethiopia, Al Qada, ISIS/L, Boko Haram, Jesh Al Islam, Al Nustra, our own so-called SPLM-IO, Free Libyan army, free Syrian army et al have step on the wrong people’s feet, us.
      
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      - 3 May 2018 13:34, by Kuch
        
        Let the losers, thieves & traitors like Rebecca Nyandeng, Pagan Amuom, Lam Akol, Adwok Nyabe, Uyai Deng Ajak, Riek Machar & Majak Agoot bring their evil white Americans, English people, their UN, their sleazy NGOs, their evil juus, their so-called cloned arabs of North Sudan, their gulf Arab states paymasters & some their creepy allies like ethiopia>>>
        
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        3 May 2018 13:39, by Kuch
        
        I will repeat again & again, the evil white Americans, French, English people, their evil juus, their Gulf arab states, their cloned so-called arabs of North Sudan, their UN, their sleazy NGOs & some of their creep allies in between like ethiopia ’HAS GONE TOO FAR’ and it must stop. Fellows, watch this space.
        
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3 May 2018 14:19, by Games

You 100% deserves this position gen.. But stop killing civilians like what you have done in Unity State. Wishing you all the best for your long journey

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3 May 2018 14:27, by Mapuor

Congratulations Gen Gabriel Jok Riak. You are the bravest Gen in the SPLA and we are sure you will do miracles in the SPLA. All traitors are now crying but all in vain.Gen Gabriel Jok Riak is a liberator and will teach those traitors good lessons. Military victory is the only solution. SPLA Oyee

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- 4 May 2018 11:56, by jubaone
  
  Mapour,
  The Kiirminal once said, he is more worried when a Nuer captain rebels than a jienge general rebels. The opposition was not scared of Malong and it held its ground. Who is this Jienge Bor popularly known as "Murle cowards" who often have hidden behind jienge Gernyang of Aweil? No fear at all. Just an ordinary jienge Bor whose kin are cowardly squatting in Nimule.
  
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  - 6 May 2018 12:59, by Khent
    
    Jubaone
    
    I doubt that Salva actually said anything even remotely close to that. The Nuer were a threat when we were fighting Khartoum, and they still could not prevent their lands from being razed to the ground in retaliation for the 91 massacres. Jok Riak is a true warrior, so talk your nonsense.
    
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3 May 2018 23:17, by Nairobimitot

Does the General chief of staff like Nuer people or hate them?. That is the question that we need to ask our fellow Dinkas. Because if there is no new direction of respecting other tribes as one family, this could still affect the country even if you are the strongest in the nation. Please reply to my country only if you are a Dinka who likes togetherness with your fellow citizens of South Sudan

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3 May 2018 23:17, by Nairobimitot

Does the General chief of staff like Nuer people or hate them?. That is the question that we need to ask our fellow Dinkas. Because if there is no new direction of respecting other tribes as one family, this could still affect the country even if you are the strongest in the nation. Please reply to my country only if you are a Dinka who likes togetherness with your fellow citizens of South Sudan

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4 May 2018 15:46, by Ram Mi Ran

This is not new. South Sudan government is Dinka organization only that some food lovers doesn’t know what is going on in the republic of South Sudan.Wake up South Sudanese, Wake up South Sudanese, wake up South Sudanese.

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- 6 May 2018 16:58, by Redeemer
  
  Ram Mi Ran
  Until you call Dinka to join and control the top and full operation, the South Sudanese u are calling have join u and came back, don’t be shameful I know u are calling Dinka indirectly. Let me ask u a question, Have u ever seen any major offensive in the history of Sudan without Dinka? u are wasting time and people’s life for nothing
  
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South Sudan president appoints new army chief of staff

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