Machar has turned SPLM-IO into ‘family’ property – Gatwech

JUBA – South Sudan’s Sudan People’s Liberation Movement in Opposition (SPLM-IO) factional leader General Simon Gatwech Dual has claimed that First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar Teny has turned the affairs within the opposition group into family issues and has subjected the people of South Sudan into an immense suffering for impeding change.

General Gatwech made the remarks in a statement in which he welcomed a Jonglei spiritual leader and self-proclaimed prophet Dak Kueth who last week asked Machar to resign, before declaring his allegiance, along with thousands of armed youth, to the SPLA-IO Kitgwang faction led by General Gatwech.

“On behalf of SPLM/A (IO) and on my own behalf, I would like to congratulate spiritual leader “Dak Kueth Deng” aka (Gook-Deng) of Nuer community who has endorsed the popular calls known as Kit-Gwang declaration,” General Gatwech said in a statement extended to Sudans Post.

He said the people of South Sudan have never enjoyed peace “rather than exploitation, death, displacement, resentment, and traumatization after a long war which was purposely imposed on them by both enemy and Dr. Riek Machar for over three decades.”

“Dr. Riek Machar Teny the former chairman of the SPLM/A (IO) has turn the objectives of the SPLM/A(IO) into a power struggle and family affairs, no single objectives of the SPLM/A (IO) has been achieved since the formation of the SPLM/A(IO),” Gatwech added.

He said under First Vice President Machar, SPLM-IO reform agenda  of democracy, justice, equality and freedom of expression in South Sudan has never been achieved, the security arrangement has never been implemented, the hybrid court is not established, our people are still suffering in UNMISS protection sites and in refugees camps.”