![South Sudan former minister of humanitarian affairs and disaster management James Kok Ruea [Photo by moderated by Sudans Post/via Facebook]](https://i0.wp.com/www.sudanspost.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Untitled-design-2.png?resize=1280%2C720&ssl=1)
Last week, James Kok Ruea surprised SPLM-IO supporters when he wrote a statement declaring his resignation from the Machar-led movement before declaring his allegiance to join the ruling Sudan People’s Liberation Movement led by President Salva Kiir Mayardit, saying his people from Fangak County have suffered under Machar.
But the Press Secretary in the Office of the First Vice President and SPLM-IO Director of Information and Public Relations Puok Both Baluang said James Kok’s defection was an engineered strategy to derail the implementation of the revitalized peace agreement and decried mobilization from other parties to join the SPLM.
“All this process is an attempt to slow down the implementation of the peace agreement, but we are committed to implementing the agreement in letter and spirit,” Baluang said, according to the City Review.
“It’s very unfortunate now to recruit from another side to join and defect,” he added.
While saying the opposition politician turned SPLM-IO rival hasn’t raised any concerned during internal SPLM-IO meetings, Baluang said the group is not surprised about his decision to declare and switch his allegiance to the SPLM faction under Kiir saying he is known for defection.
“We are concerned that this departure happened in the time of peace instead of focusing on how to implement the agreement,” Baluang told the Juba-based City Review newspaper.
“We are not surprised with the defection of James Kok because this is not the first time. He is known for that; defecting here and there. We believe he has all rights to choose his side,” he added, before concluding: “He had not raised any concern internally that made him leave the party.”
SPLM I0 led by first vice President Dr. Riek Machar Teny is losing and I don’t think he will do better than he use to. For 30 years, Dr. Riek Machar Teny has dominated the entire Nuers societies and some people from different tribes unfortunate, the appointment of his relatives into big positions and powerful like Defense ministry and oils Minister have become a wake up call for his members of the SPLA and SPLM I0.
People began to realize and think why Dr. Riek Machar has done this and if he became a President of South Sudan what will happen? In my view if the first vice President Riek Machar became a President of the Republic of South Sudan eventually, the whole Dok Nuer section would be on Top of all positions in the government with no question. The people who have been supporting him from 1991, 2013, 2016 and 2018 on signing this revitalize peace agreement have left with big surprise because they were not aware that, their own Son will turned against them. The late Chairman Dr.John Garang said, Sudan will not be same again and same thing to people who were trusting Dr. Riek Machar Teny, the supports he gained from Nuers people will never be same again.
Jieng Elders of council and the national dialogue delegates have said everything. The National dialogue initiative conference was very important for South Sudanese people but the Top two leaders hated because they were asked to steps down and allowed South Sudanese people to find someone else to be the caretaker until they are ready for general election. Jieng council of Elders said, the 2018 peace agreement is going to be worse however, the President Salva Kiir Mayardit ignored immediately while, Dr. Riek Machar Teny was not concerned about whatever he said and they said. Now the first vice President Riek Machar is very worried about the 2018 peace agreement and massive defections within his own camps.