SPLA-IO denies sacking of General Gatwech Dual as military chief

JUBA – South Sudan’s main armed opposition Sudan People’s Liberation Army in Opposition (SPLA-IO) has denied reports by a section of the media that the chief of general staff of the group General Simon Gatwech Dual has been sacked by Dr. Riek Machar Teny.

Earlier today, Sudan Tribune said it obtained “An order bearing the name and signature of South Sudan’s First Vice-President in the coalition government, Riek Machar said Gen Simon Gatwech Dual has been removed and replaced with Gabriel Duop Lam.”

Popular news blog Nyamilepedia also picked up and reported citing Sudan Tribune.

Speaking to Sudans Post moments ago, Colonel Lam Paul Gabriel, the deputy SPLA-IO spokesman, said he is not aware of any changes to the SPLA-IO military leadership saying the alleged changes are not true and General Simon Gatwech can serve as advisor while retaining his position as chief of staff.

“I don’t think the information that he has been sacked is true. What I know is that he has been appointed as a presidential advisor in the R-TGONU and as the Chairman and the Commander in Chief of the SPLM/SPLA (IO) is the First Vice President in the R-TGONU, the chief of General Staff of the SPLA-IO can also be an advisor while serving the role of Chief of Staff,” he said from Juba on phone.

“So, the information is not true, given that there is no official letter from the leadership regarding the alleged sacking,” he added.

For his part, Puok Both Baluang, the SPLM-IO director of information and public relations said the report is based on an old fake letter.

“That is a report based on an old fake letter and the Chairman and Commander in Chief Dr. Riek Machar Teny has not removed or replaced anyone from the SPLA-IO,” he said from Juba.

The report by Sudan Tribune seemed to have used a previous fake statement in which it was purported that the SPLM-IO chairman Dr. Riek Machar Teny has removed General Simon Gatwech Dual.

That letter turned out to be unauthentic after the office of the First Vice President issued a statement dismissing it as a part of a campaign by ‘enemies of peace’ to jeopardize the trust within the  main armed opposition group.

Sudans Post also contacted the Press Secretary James Gatdet Dak in Addis Ababa who referred Sudans Post to one of his office assistance who “may have the latest, if any.”