Dickson Gatluak withdraws from peace initiative, accuses government of dishonor

JUBA – South Sudanese opposition leader General Dickson Gatluak Jock Nyuot has withdrawn from a peace initiative with President Salva Kiir’s government and left Juba, accusing the government of violating the agreement.

Gatluak was the deputy chief of staff for administration of the South Sudan United Front/Army (SSUF/A) until January last year when he formed his own faction. At the time, he accused General Paul Malong, the head of SSUF/A, of undermining the movement’s goals.

Gatluak noted that sanctions imposed on Malong by western countries in respect to the 2013-2018 civil war had hindered his ability to engage in diplomatic efforts, including traveling to South Sudan, where his forces are stationed.

He later proposed a “homegrown” peace initiative to be negotiated within the country, leading him to travel to Juba for talks. However, these talks have yet to make progress.

Speaking to Sudans Post in an exclusive interview on Wednesday, Gatluak, who has named his faction the South Sudan United Front (SSUF) Nairobi Declaration, said that he had withdrawn from the peace initiative with the government and had left Juba.

“We decided to pull out of Juba because the government, especially the national security under the leadership of General Akol Koor and General Abud Stephen, the current military chief of intelligence, failed to honor their words,” he said.

“It was the national security that was negotiating with my team when I joined Juba, and they were the ones actually receiving me. But after all things failed, the leadership failed to honor its words and whatever we agreed on January 28th, 2023, in Nairobi, went in vain,” he added.

The opposition leader explained that an agreed-upon plan involved his party registering independently and forming a coalition with the ruling Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) led by President Salva Kiir Mayardit, but not joining it.

“Upon arrival in Juba, the government pressured me to join the SPLA/M, which we did not agree to, and I told them, no, this is not what we had agreed in Nairobi. SPLA/M is too deformed to be reformed. It is too corrupt. It no longer reflects the vision of its founder, John Garang, and has become a tool for looting resources,” he stated.

Gatluak also claimed that the government security agencies in Juba had imposed travel restrictions on him and that he was not able to travel to his hometown in Maiwut County of the country’s Upper Nile State.

“I was denied permission to travel within South Sudan, including visiting my hometown and Bentiu. A passport belonging to one of my senior members was confiscated by National Security. And when I requested the release of a sick war prisoner, LT Colonel Shirey Gya, I was denied,” he said.

The opposition leader expressed his intention to regroup outside Juba and explore further options for peace. “We are not going to be violent, since we have chosen peace over war,” he said. “South Sudanese are tired. Our people are suffering.”

Gatluak warned the government against aggression, stating his forces are prepared to retaliate if necessary and calling on the government to prioritize dialogue and honesty to achieve lasting peace.

“If it is an issue of forces, yes, we have forces at the Sudan border, especially in the Western world. We have forces in the Great Upper Nile and within Juba. Let us be sincere to ourselves as South Sudanese. In the course of one week or so, yes, our leadership will decide whether we are going to join the Tumaini Initiative or not,” he said.

Gatluak expressed concerns about the Tumaini Initiative, fearing that the same restrictions faced by Dr. Riek Machar, the leader of the opposition SPLM-IO who has been confined to Juba since February 2020, and others could be imposed on negotiators.

He concluded by reiterating his commitment to peace and avoiding military solutions.

“We are trying to recover our economy. We are trying to recover ourselves, trying to come out from this situation, but we could not make it. Destruction is very easy, but to rebuild the country, it takes long,” he said.