Press Release,
Juba, South Sudan
August 15, 2021—This press release serves to inform members of the SPLM/SPLA (IO) and the public at large that there has been a split in the Movement. The public should disregard the fake news of the expulsion of the Deputy Chairman, some Political Bureau members and the mendacious lie that I– the defunct National Chairperson for Information and Public Relations – have resigned.
The Movement has split over the principle on which it was founded – the search for a dignified peace for our civil population. The SPLM-IO (Juba group) claims to be implementing peace despite the fact that after three years, our civil populations are still languishing in PoCs, refugee camps or suffering the brutality of inter-communal violence in our cattle camps and in thevillages.
The dismal failure to implement Chapter II: Permanent Ceasefire and Transitional Security Arrangements, has resulted in a fundamental difference of political opinion. Chapter II deals with the reform of the security sector. After the former Chief of Staff, Lt. Gen. Gatwec Dual, called on the former
Chairman, Dr. Riek Machar, to brief the military on the progress of the Security Arrangements but was ignored, the army deposed Dr. Riek Machar as the Chairman and Commander in Chief of the SPLM/SPLA (IO) on 03/08/2021.
If the army has deposed the former Chairman and Commander in Chief, all structures under him are rendered null and void. A deposed leader cannot expel members of a leadership that has already been overthrown. I call on the public to remain vigilant in these times of political crisis in our Movement. The
IGAD Council of Ministers passed a resolution on 09/08/2021 in which they, “Called upon all factions in the dispute within SPLM/A-IO to immediately and unconditionally cease armed confrontation and refrain from any offensive, provocative or retaliatory utterances, behaviours and other actions that will
escalate tensions and hostilities and urged the parties to pursue peaceful avenues of resolution of internal differences and disagreements through dialogue, trust and confidence building and demonstrate greater political will and commitment”.
We the SPLM/SPLA-IO (Founding Members) acknowledge the split in the Movement. We are fully committed to a peaceful resolution to the internal political contradictions in our Movement and are ready to make revolutionary corrections. We are also committed to the resolutions of the IGAD
COMMUNIQUÉ OF THE 73rd EXTRA-ORDINARY SESSION OF THE IGAD COUNCIL OF MINISTERS – quoted above. After the military takeover, we are awaiting directives from the new Commander in Chief to give us directives to reorganize the movement politically and start the genuine search for peace.
You will hear from us!
Signed
Cpt. Mabior Garang
Chairperson for Defunct National Committee for Information and Public
Relations
SPLM/SPLA (IO)
