SSPDF appeals to armed parties to drop arms ahead of unification
The Deputy CDF of the South Sudan People’s Defence Forces (SSPDF), Lt Gen. Thol Chany Reat, has called on the armed parties to the agreement to cease hostilities.
He said the military spokespersons of the parties to the agreement must harmonise their media to communicate messages of peace in one voice.
Addressing the media at a joint press conference yesterday, Lt. Gen. Thol Chany Reat, Deputy Chief of Defence Force, urged Major Gen. Lul Ruai, the SSPDF spokesperson, and his counterpart, Col. Lam Pual Gabriel of the SPLA-IO, to harmonise their media.
“Let it be one [because] the command has already been unified, and in case of anything, you have to sit and consult your command. It is not advisable to just go to the media or put it on Facebook without consulting. Those are the things that are always spoiling the agreement, “he said.
“I advise you to always remain in consultation with your leadership.”
This briefing came after an address from the Joint Defence Board by the Presidential Advisor on Security Affairs, Tut Gatluak Manime, who also serves as the chairperson of the National Transitional Committee (NTC) on the implementation of the security arrangements.
Gatluak also briefed the JDB on the unification of the command, the consolidation of trust-building among the senior command and officers of the parties, setting date for the graduation of forces and the plans of the trainees in the training centres as part of phase two.
Initiative welcomed
However, Lt. Gen. Thol welcomed the agreement on the unification of command and the structure of the army, which comprises the police, national security, prison, fire brigade, and the army to form one army in the country.
“On behalf of CDF, who also serves as the chairperson of JDB, I would like to inform the general public that we welcome the decision on the unification of the command across the security institutions,” he said.
“I am also pleased to say that all my colleagues and commands at SSPDF have also welcomed the decision of the presidency,” he added.
He extended an olive branch to members of the opposition parties, saying he looked forward to working with them.
“To my colleagues who are representatives from SPLM-IO and SSOA, we are looking forward to your joining us so that together we rebuild our beloved country, South Sudan,” Lt Gen Thol added.
He urged the mechanisms to speed up the process of phase one of graduation of the necessary unified forces, as well as to increase effort to prepare for phase two of the initiation.
Last month, the SSPDF and SPLA-IO spokespersons verbally exchanged bitter blame, in which many citizens, including civil society activists, condemned the statements issued by both spokespersons.
This came after the SPLA-IO accused the SSDPF of attacking its positions in Mirmir in Bentiu, Unity State and Mayiwut County, Upper Nile State, prompting the SPLM/A-IO to withdraw its members from participating in the security mechanism.
However, since the signing of the agreement on the unification of the command on April 3, 2022, the tension between the SPLM-IO and SSPDF has significantly reduced. Also, the First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar lifted the suspension of their participation in the meetings of all the security mechanisms, including CTSAM-VM and R-JMEC.
Gen Thol has now urged all the military spokespersons of the parties to the agreement to change their tone of communication. He said the army is being placed under one unified command and they should do the same.
