Gatwech accuses Dr Machar or ‘using force to solve disputes’

The splinter SPLM/A-IO group commonly known as the Kit-Gwang faction led by Gen. Simon Gatwech Dual has accused the First Vice President Dr Riek Machar of trying to use force to resolve split within the party.

The group, which has hinted willingness to come to the negotiating table with the government, made a grave allegation that their friends-turned-rivals are plotting to harm its leaders. 

“We, therefore, condemn the attempts by the FVP to resolve the split in the SPLM/SPLA (IO) using violence and attempts by his allied militias to assassinate his former Chief of General Staff, First Lieutenant General, Simon Gatwech Dual,’’ it alleged in a statement seen by the City Review. 

The group made allegations on its position paper over the weekend in Magenis, Upper Nike State.

Early August this year, the Kit-Gwang faction passed a declaration purporting to be ousting Dr Machar; both as the chairperson of the political wing and the Commander in Chief of the SPLA-IO. It declared Gen. Gatwech as the new leader of the group, deputised by Gen Johnson Olony Thabo. 

The group accused Dr Machar of “nepotism and neglecting his fighters in the bush without access to basic needs, including food, medicine, shelter as well as safe and clean drinking water’’.

Since then, there have been recurring confrontations between the groups of Dr Machar and Gen. Duel with both trading accusations after attacks each other’s base in the Upper Nile region.

The clashes have claimed several lives, among them, two senior commanders of the Kit-Gwang faction. 

But the group emphasises the need for the cessation of hostility provided for in Chapter Two of the peace agreement, saying their primary split was the need for the implementation of the security arrangement protocol.

“It is only through the implementation of the Security Arrangements as laid out in Chapter Two of the Revitalised Agreement, can we attain political stability in our land,” said the group in its position paper. 

It added, “While recognising the natural right of self-defence, the primary objective of the Kit-Gwang Declaration is not to return the country to war. The fundamental objectives of the declaration are political.”

The Kit-Gwang group said lack of the implementation of the deal prompted them to oust Dr Machar as leader and commander in chief of the SPLM/A-IO.

They emphasised the need for the implementation of the security arrangements as viable means to achieving political stability in South Sudan.

The efforts to reach out to the SPLA–IO Deputy Spokesman Col. Lam Paul Gabriel were not successful at the time of going to the press. 

However, early Brig. Lam has maintained that the Kit-Gwang faction has been initiating attacks on the bases of Dr Machar’s forces with the aim of expanding its territory and as a result, they react in self-defence. 

“They have been attacking our bases and it proceeded till Sunday. This morning we couldn’t hold back anymore. So, at around 6 am, the SPLA-IO forces launched attacks on their launching areas,” Brig. Lam Paul Gabriel told the City Review in August.

Recently the government delegation led the Tut Gatluak, Presidential Security Advisor met with Kit-Gwang leaders in Khartoum to initiate talks aimed at ending the dispute between the groups.

Last month, Dr Machar’s spokesperson Puok Both Baluang revealed that they were happy with the idea of reuniting with their want-away colleagues if they drop their allegiance to Kit-Gwang declaration which he said violated SPLM/A-IO protocols.