Gatwech says ‘there are attempts to disrupt’ Magenis conference from Juba

JUBA – South Sudan main armed opposition commander and self-imposed leader of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement in Opposition (SPLM-IO) General Simon Gatwech Dual has accused unnamed politicians in Juba of working to disrupt the opposition conference slated for September 30^th in Magenis saying there are ‘desperate’ attempts to dislodge him before September 30^th from Magenis.

Last week, Brigadier General William Gatjiath Deng, the spokesman of the Sudan People’s Liberation Army in Opposition (SPLA-IO) Kitgwang faction led by General Gatwech, a former opposition military chief of staff, said top opposition commanders and politician will convene for three days in Magenis, northern Upper Nile state, to decided what they will do over the impeded implementation of the revitalized peace agreement.

Speaking to Sudans Post yesterday, General Simon Gatwech said he was not aware of why he was being attacked by forces loyal to First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar and then said there are attempts by the government in Juba to make sure that he is dislodged from Magenis before the end of the month so that the opposition gathering which is expected to bring together different opposition groups including former South Sudan army chief Paul Malong and Stephen Buay Rolnyang do not take place as planned.

“Since August, I have been thinking why I was being attacked by the forces loyal to former SPLM-IO Chairman Dr. Riek Machar Teny and these attacks have escalated in recent days. I now understand that there are desperate attempts from the politicians under Salva Kiir in Juba to make sure that this conference does not go on as planned, they want to remove us from Magenis before we conclude the conference,” he said on phone from Magenis.

General Simon Gatwech Dual further confirmed that he has invited former SPLA chief of staff General Paul Malong Awan Anei and former SPLA Division Four Commander General Stephen Buay Rolnyang to attend the conference saying he seek to unite the opposition ranks so that a consolidated front against the government is created in case there is return to the civil war.

“I have written to General Buay and to General Malong, all of them they have confirmed their coming to the conference. I called them because now, our country has divided itself along ethnic lines, even the fighting between December 2013 and 2020 was largely based on ethnic lines, I want to change that because if there is to be change in South Sudan, all people of the country must participate to bring change, not a one or two tribes,” he said.