Gen. Gatwech, Olony ‘still active’ SPLM-IO members despite differences with Machar – spokesman

JUBA — South Sudan’s main armed opposition group, SPLM-IO, under the First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar Teny has said that controversial opposition commander General Simin Gatwech Dual and General Johnson Olony Thabo are still active members of the group, according to Machar-allied SPLA-IO spokesman Colonel Lam Paul Gabriel.

This comes two months after General Gatwech rejected an appointment by President Salva Kiir Mayardit as peace advisor upon recommendation of his first deputy Dr. Riek Machar Teny saying Kiir is not willing to fully implement the revitalized peace agreement.

In June last year, Olony was nominated by Machar as governor of the oil-rich Upper Nile state, but President Salva Kiir Mayardit rejected him claiming that the controversial opposition commander is a ‘warmonger’ who will jeopardize reconciliation efforts among bitter Upper Nile state communities.

In a statement on Friday morning, Lam Paul who is also the press secretary for South Sudan’s defense minister Angelina Teny said a meeting of the Joint Defense Board (JDB) was convened chaired by the co-chair of the body General Gabriel Duop Lam who is also the acting SPLA-IO army chief and informed the body that the two opposition commander who have largely remained outside the peace implementation and who have hinted for return to war are still active SPLA-IO members.

“The SPLA-IO Members of the Security Mechanisms implementing the Security Arrangement in Juba had a Meeting yesterday 28th July, 2021. The Meeting was called and Chaired by Lt. Gen. Gabriel Duop Lam, the Co-Chair of Joint Defense Board and the Acting Chief of General Staffs of the SPLA-IO,” the statement said.

“The agenda of the meeting was mainly to brief the members of the Security mechanisms on the current stage of the implementation of the Security Arrangement and also the Security Situation in Magenis and Juba,” it adds.

The statement then said: “During the meeting, the SPLA-IO command made it very clear that the situation in Magenis is an internal issue of the SPLA-IO. Gen. Simon Gatwech Dual, the Former Chief of General Staff is still an active member of the SPLM/A –IO being appointed as an  Advisor to the President on Peace Affairs.

“Secondly, Lt. Gen. Johnson Ulony is still the Commander of Sector one of the SPLA-IO. Therefore,  the SPLA-IO forces are directed to avoid relying on rumors and negative propaganda from social media.”