In early February, Gen. Biel defected from the SPLA-IO supposedly to join the leader of the breakaway SPLA-IO Kitgwang faction, but ended up joining the South Sudan People’s Defense Forces and accused Machar, who is also the country’s First Vice President, of turning the group into a family business.
Since then, there have been speculations that he was planning multiple attack on several SPLA-IO bases and cantonment sites in many parts of Unity State including Dingding, a designated cantonment site housing opposition forces allied to Machar just outside Bentiu, the capital of the oil-rich Unity State.
In a statement extended to Sudans Post on Monday, a spokesman belonging to General Tito Biel said they don’t plan to attack Dingding Cantonment site, but would want Machar to handover weapons and ammunition belonging to them peacefully, failure of which he said would result in the use of force to take them.
“It’s of great pity to learn the current situation perpetually set by rumours circulators that we are sending our soldiers to Dingding cantonment site to collect our left behind artillery, Sacristan Zoal Wal, Gen. Biel’s Press Secretary, said in the strong-worded statement.
“The news generating panic at Dingding isn’t part of our plan. It’s a guessed opinion that we may at any time seek to collect our left behind weapons, but we need them brought to us in a peaceful way,” he added.
“Things that will bring us to difference aren’t going to appear from our side but instead rejecting the path on which we direct you to walk upon.
“On the military platform, things said are not reminded. If not implemented, find other means possible for it to easily be understood. What splitted us wasn’t you, but the entire administration, and as such, we haven’t got any area of differences yet. If we must have! We have got them yet. Feel free at your base! Don’t lose any sleep. We’re not harmful.”
I think Dr. Riek Machar Teny is doing well at his political even though he is lacking some fundamental knowledge such as balancing appointment, and tribalism, he is okay politically but he will never win by Military.
If Dr. Riek Machar Teny want to try to winning election then, he has to give up Military and be political leader. Mixing Military and political wouldn’t work for him and I am doubting that, he will not will general election because he has been supporting violence for years and when the people heard his name ,the first thing come to people’s minds are rebellion activities he was been supporting and poor leadership which cost him many people to leave him and they returned back to government. The people who have seen the way Dr. Riek Machar appointed people will make different during general elections. They are ready to lobby their people in their communities against Dr. Riek Machar Teny. I have some friends who were supporters of Dr. Riek Machar Teny from Nasir faction up 2013 until the end of conflict but they are against Dr. Riek Machar Teny because they believe if Dr. Riek Machar becomes a President of South Sudan simply, the Nuers people will have a big problem as we have seen during Kitgwang faction and the appointment of his relatives including his wife are the signs.