SPLA-IO issues warning on potential peace violation amidst governor’s push for base handover

JUBA – The Sudan People’s Liberation Army in Opposition (SPLA-IO), South Sudan’s primary armed opposition, has raised concerns over actions by the South Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF) that may jeopardize the revitalized peace agreement.

The alarm follows reports that Unity State Governor Joseph Nguen Manytuil has directed the SSPDF’s fourth infantry division command to expel SPLA-IO forces stationed at Nyuelnyuel village, northeast of the state capital Bentiu.

Nyuelnyuel, once exclusively an SPLA-IO base, was converted into a joint base accommodating both SPLA-IO and SSPDF forces after the signing of the revitalized peace agreement. It lies along South Sudan’s northern border with Sudan.

Speaking to Sudans Post on Tuesday, SPLA-IO sector two spokesman Major Kerbino Yai Pazale revealed that an SSPDF force, led by division 4 commander Maj. Gen. Manyang Mayak, approached their base at Nyuelnyuel, seeking a meeting with the commanders.

Pazale explained that the meeting did not proceed as Mayak refused to engage with SPLA-IO area commander Maj. Gen. Moses Ruai Khor who himself declined participation, stating that they hadn’t been informed by the SPLA-IO Division command about the meeting.

“Their intention was to evict our force in Nyuelnyuel, but they didn’t consult with the SPLA-IO Division 4A commander, the overall commander of our forces in northern Unity State, and they didn’t inform the SPLA-IO sector two commander about it,” Pazale stated.

Upon reaching Nyuelnyuel, the SSPDF force encountered Maj. Gen. Moses Ruai Khor. After a failed meeting request due to lack of notification, the SPLA-IO commander withdrew.  According to Pazale, Maj. Gen. Manyang informed the governor of the situation upon return to Bentiu.

He said they have intelligent information that Governor Manytuil promised that he would address the matter within two days and may deploy a force from Parieng to forcibly remove SPLA-IO forces from Nyuelnyuel.

“When Manyang came back with his team to Bentiu, they met the governor, and the governor told them that he would see what he can do in two days, and that they will bring a force from Parieng to evict the SPLA-IO forces in Nyuelnyuel by force,” he said.

“That meeting was conducted around 11 PM yesterday and based on our intelligence information. So, now we are waiting for what is going to happen in two days,” he added.

Pazale emphasized the need for consultation with the SPLA-IO division command before any actions related to security, stressing that bypassing such consultations could be interpreted as a declaration of war.

“Our message is that if the governor wants to do something, he should have come first to the division command because it was division 4A that deployed the forces in Nyuelnyuel and should not go directly,” Pazale said.

“There is a need for spirit of consultation with the parties in doing anything related to security. If someone wants to evict other parties’ forces from a certain area, this would be considered as declaration of war,” he concluded.