Gatwech blames ‘barbaric mentality’ of Gen. Olony for renewed Upper Nile fighting

JUBA – South Sudan’s main armed opposition commander and leader of the breakaway SPLA-IO Kitgwang faction General Simon Gatwech Dual has accused Gen. Johnson Olony Thabo of standing behind the disagreements leading up to the split within the main armed opposition faction, lamenting him for what he calls ‘barbaric leadership style’.

This comes after General Olony accused, in a statement, Gen. Gatwech and his forces of attacking his bases in Tonja of Upper Nile state in which he also implicated SPLA-IO forces led by First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar Teny and those of National Democratic Movement (NDM) led by Dr. Lam Akol Ajawin.

In a statement signed by his spokesman, Gatwech denied the claims by Gen. Olony and said the fighting between the two factions of the SPLA-IO Kitgwang was instigated by Gen. Olony because he wanted to control the opposition faction as he has been longing to be the leader of the opposition outfit since its split from the SPLM-IO under First Vice President Machar.

“The office of the spokesperson of SPLA-IO Kitgwang under the Chairman and Commander in Chief of SPLM/A-IO Kitgwang Lt. Gen. Simon Gatwech Dual is here by refuting the false allegations made by Commander of Agwelek Division. Gen Johnson Olony Thabo on his press release dated 27/08/2022,” the statement a copy of which was extended to Sudans Post reads in part.

“The SPLM/A-IO Kitgwang would like to clarify and bring it to attention of the public that the genesis of SPLM/A-IO Kitgwang internal feuds came through Gen Johnson Olony’s barbaric leadership style in the movement that led to the current conflict that fitted the SPLM/A-IO Kitgwang under Chairman and Commander in Chief, 1st Lt. Gen Simon Gatwech Dual and Agwelek Division Commander Gen. Johnson Olony Thabo and it’s a senseless war that does not benefit the two warring parties,” it added.

The statement said General Olony cannot be trusted as he has changed sides several times during the course of the South Sudan’s civil war and that Olony’s main objective to wage war against the government has nothing to do with national issues of country, but only limited only to the Chollo Kingdom.

“Gen. Johnson Olony rebelled against the government of South Sudan and declared war in 2011, claiming that he was fighting to bring back the Chollo land which were annexed to Dinka community in Upper Nile and Jonglei states respectively by President Salva Kiir and years later he was lured to join the government through fake deal by their own sons and daughters from Chollo Community,” he said.

“In early 2014, after Dec 15, 2013 Juba massacre of Nuer tribe, Gen Johnson Olony rebelled again the government and switched his allegiance to SPLM/A-IO under former Chairman and commander in Chief. Dr. Riek Machar and Gen. Johnson Olony kept his forces (the Agwelek) as independent entity but fought the same enemy with us.

“In 2021, after SPLM/A-IO Kitgwang declaration Gen. Johnson Olony continued operating parallelly by commanding and commissioned his forces separately yet controlled all the supplies and armored captured from the enemy in all fronts without consulting the Chairman and Commander in Chief of SPLM/A-IO Kitgwang and when asked for accountability, he dogged the query.

“In 2022 after the signing of security agreement on 16/01/2022 in Khartoum, it was clearly spelt out that the pre-transitional security arrangement period shall be implemented in 3 months and all necessary needs to be provided to the SPLA-IO Kitgwang and Agwelek forces at various cantonments areas. Gen Johnson Olony received unverified cash money from Juba as for logistics to the soldiers at cantonments and he (Olony) bought 3000 sacks of sorghum plus other assorted food stuffs without informing the chairman and commander in chief of SPLM/A-IO Kitgwang.

“On the 17/04/2022. Gen Johnston Olony developed hidden plans and imposed to all the SPLA-IO Kitgwang that are loyal to Chairman and commander in chief of SPLM/A-IO Kitgwang to vacate the Chollo lands and go to the Nuer lands and when Maj. Gen. Majiek Latjor questioned what prompted the decision, he (Gen Johnson Olony) arrested him with his five body guards and disarmed them without knowledge from chairman and Commander in Chief of SPLM/A-IO Kitgwang and when he released them weeks later, he refused to hand them their guns until to date.”