Malong denies congratulating deputy spy chief

The South Sudan United Front/Army (SSUF/A) leader, Gen. Paul Malong Awan, has refuted sending a congratulatory message to the newly appointed country’s deputy director-general of the National Security Service, Gregory Deng.

On Monday, a media outlet in Juba quoted Gen. Malong’s purported congratulatory message to Gregory upon his appointment to the position by President Salva Kiir last week.

“I encourage you to go and make huge waves in your new position as you continue to be the best at your work,” the purported statement read in part.

However, in a press release dated December 5, 2021, and signed by the Secretary of ICT and South Sudan United Front/Army’s (SSUF/A) Spokesperson, David Deng Chapath, Malong denied sending the message.

“It is our surprise to see our headed paper being forged by some group in Juba on which is a purported congratulatory message to Gen. Gregory, who has just been appointed as the deputy director of National Security Services (External).

“In response to that fake and forged congratulatory message, I would like, on behalf of the SSUF/A, to make it crystal clear to the public that neither the chairman of the SSUF/A nor any of his members wrote such a message,” the press release partly read.

The statement argued that how could SSUF/A, as an opposition to the government, send a congratulatory message to Gregory, who has been appointed to serve the interests of the government.

Similarly, in October this year, Malong refuted an apology letter to President Salva Kiir to offer him amnesty and come back to Juba.

“Your Excellency, I heartily apologise to you as a brother who has been my leader since the SPLM/A days for all the hurtful words, actions, and disrespect of any form that was directed at you as a person, and your leadership, either by me or my aides and friends.

“I accept that it was all my fault, and please forgive me for being irresponsible, and please give me another chance to prove myself as your worthy brother and friend,” a letter purportedly written by Malong read.

But Chapath, in a statement, said the letter was written by elements whose aim was to disintegrate the South Sudan Opposition Movement Alliance (SSOMA)

“The advancement of technology nowadays has enabled criminals and enemies of our struggle to forge such shameful documents to distract us from the course of our struggle, confuse us and our alliance with SSOMA, with whom we are together pursuing peace talks mediated by the Community of Saint’Egidio in Rome.”

 “We affirm our commitment to the Rome platform as an alternative fertile ground for reaching an understanding formula to bring lasting peace and stability to our people.”