Gen. Buay’s delegates, Gatwech discuss alliance to topple Kiir

JUBA – A high-level delegation of South Sudan People’s Movement/Army (SSPM/A) under Gen. Stephen Buay Rolnyang has on Wednesday met the leader of the breakaway SPLA-IO Kitgwang Gen. Simon Gatwech Dual in the Sudanese capital Khartoum, according to a statement.

Brig. Gen. Alfred Gach Thot, the spokesman of the SPLA-IO Kitgwang faction said the meeting discussed mainly the position paper issued by Gen. Gatwech two weeks ago in which he called on holdout opposition groups to remove President Salva Kiir Mayardit from power.

“Our chairman and commander in chief of the SPLM/A-IO KD received a delegation from SSPM/A under 1st Lt Gen. Stephen Buay Rolnyang. The meeting has mainly focused on the statement which was issued by the Chairman and Commander in Chief of SPLM/A-IO KD,” the statement extended to Sudans Post reads in part.

The senior opposition military officer said the delegation was led by the deputy chief of staff of SSPM/A Lt. Gen. David Day Minydiit Dau and include Maj. Gen. William Machath Nhial Nyak, Buay’s advisor for Unity State, and Maj. Gen. Thichar Luak, the SSPM/A deputy chief of staff for administration.

NO PLAN FOR ELECTIONS

Gatwech in a position paper this month called on the regional and international community to hold responsible those he said are working against of peace and instability in the world’s youngest country.

In the document paper signed by him personally, Gatwech acknowledged efforts by the international community but said the regional community is sugarcoating against conduct of a free and fair elections in which South Sudanese can vote for a leader of their choice.

“Though the government of United States of America, the TROIKA, and the European Union have taken a bold stance on South Sudan, but the IGAD countries in actual fact are making another attempt to which may sent the country into further chaos and anarchy,” Gatwech said.

“In practical terms, if the region and the international community are not able to persuade President Salva Kiir and his government to implement regional and international mediated peace, which can definitely place the country into the road of free and fair elections if implemented, what would be the guarantee that the region and the international community will use their leverage to play an effective role in organizing and conduct credible elections in a volatile and insecure environment such as that in South Sudan?” he asked.

The prominent opposition commander further warned against what he call ‘any attempt’ for a premature elections while President Kiir is still in power saying the country is not ready for elections under Kiir’s rule.

“Any attempt to take the country for elections in its current status quo by anybody in the region or internationally, would be logically considered an intentional act of delivering the nation into permanent state of anarchy,” he added.