South Sudan rebel leader urges opposition unity for ‘fundamental change’

KHARTOUM, JULY 1, 2023 (SUDANS POST) – The leader of South Sudan’s main armed opposition Sudan People’s Liberation Movement in Opposition (SPLM-IO) Reformists, Duer Tut Duer, is appealing to opposition groups outside Juba to join forces for a radical change to be successful in South Sudan.

Duer, a former opposition governor for the defunct Sobat State, in 2021 declared ouster of First Vice President Riek Machar as leader of the main armed opposition SPLM-IO resulting in the split within the rank and file of the group.

He then named his faction “SPLM/SPLA (IO) Reformists” to resonate with his campaign for change within the rebel movement.

In a statement extended to Sudans Post, SPLM-IO Reformist National Secretary for Political Mobilization, Public Orientation, Documentation and Press, Both Yich Yat  called on holdout opposition groups to rally behind Duer for change.

“The SPLM-IO’s leadership  (the Reformists), is calling upon all opposition movements/factions across the republic, to declare their allegiances to the people’s movement, led by H.E Duer Tut Duer Makuac, for fundamental change and genuine peace in South Sudan,” he said.

It is not the first time for Duer to make such calls.

Following his split from SPLM-IO in 2021, Duer called on opposition movements as well those who left the SPLM-IO under the leadership of Machar to return and form a strong opposition force to fight the government of President Salva Kiir.