Breaking News-SPLA/M Army Convoy destroyed on Mundri-Yeri road and their operation Officer 1st Lt. Michael Zapi was killed during the operation.

By Lt. General Wesley Welebe Samson,

Deputy Chief of Staff for Training.

July 189, 2017(Nyamilepedia) —— On July 16/2017, the Governor of Amadi State Hon. Joseph Ngere, ordered the SPLA/M Army stationed in Mundri, to take the Commissioners of Yeri, Mvolo and Bah-el-Girindi to their duty stations and fight SPLA/M IO forces in Yeri and Mvolo. However, the SPLA/ IO division 6 forces   under the command of Major General Emmanuel Yangu attacked this government convoy between Mundri and Yeri.

The convoy was totally destroyed, 17   government soldiers were wounded, 10 were killed and one 14.5 gun captured and their operation officer 1st Lt. Michael Zapi a Zande from Yambio was killed. The remaining government forces have been scattered in the bush and trying to run on foot back to Mundri garrison.

I extend my congratulations to the gallant SPLA/M IO Division 6 commander and all his forces for a job well done. We in SPLA/M IO forces will continue to fight in self-defense whenever our locations are attacked.

I advise the Governor of Amadi State and his President Salva Kiir to pursue peaceful means of resolving the current conflict as they will never defeat SPLA/M IO forces militarily.

I also advise Governor Ngere not to use food as a weapon by denying relief food distribution to SPLA/M IO controlled areas in Amadi State as this is against International Humanitarian Law and the law of armed conflicts. As I speak now, the whole population of Amadi State/Mundri, Maridi, Yei, Kajokeji, Lanya, Nimule, Juba and Terakeka are now starving to death  without food  or without money to buy food. They are also in urgent need of medicine, shelter, seeds and tools. I therefore appeal to UN to provide urgent relief food and medicine to the suffering population in these affected areas.

In light of the current crises, I would like to make the following recommendations as the way forward:-

1. SPLA/M IG must recommit itself to immediate  permanent ceasefire, agree to revive the peace agreement with full participation and inclusion of all warring and political parties and  start a new genuine implementation of the signed Peace Agreement, beginning with the following points:-
2. Total demilitarization of Juba
3. Immediate deployment of Joint Integrated police to Juba town as per the signed peace agreement.
4. Stop operationalization of the thirty two States with immediate effect and form a committee to look into this matter as per the previous IGAD Communiqué
5. Immediate establishment of cantonment sites for all IO forces in Equatoria and other towns of South Sudan and provision of all needed logistics for them.
6. Reconstitute the parliament and allow the Equatorians to choose a Speaker of their choice without any further manipulation and intimidation as stipulated in the signed peace agreement.
7. Reconstitute/establish all institutions of governance as stipulated in the signed Peace Agreement
8. Start reform process of all institutions of governance as stipulated in the signed Peace Agreement, beginning with Security Sector Reform.
9. Recall all ambassadors, South Sudan Representatives to the United Nations and appoint new ones jointly with other parties as stipulated in the signed Peace Agreement, taking into account tribal, geographical and regional balancing.
10. Allow immediate deployment of a regional, neutral protection force to Juba and other disputed towns in South Sudan, so as to facilitate quick return of the First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar back to Juba to assume his responsibilities and continue with the implementation of the signed Peace Agreement. Remember that, there will be no peace in South Sudan without full involvement and participation of Dr. Riek Machar and SPLA/M IO Forces under his command, since we control most parts of South Sudan.
11. Remove military from all roadblocks and check points in the Country and replace them with new trained police, so as to allow free movement of goods and people in and out of the country.
12. Lift the state of emergency and allow people leaving the country to go without unnecessary security investigation and clearance.
13. Release all individuals who are arrested because of having connections with SPLA/M IO and order the security forces not to arrest, torture or kill any civilians or loot their properties.
14. All those who have lost their properties be compensated so that they can rebuild themselves and start a new life.
15. Let the military be withdrawn from the SPLA/M IO base at Jebel, so that this base can be rehabilitated before the return of the First Vice President and his forces.
16. Dismiss the current so called First Vice President Mr. Taban Deng Gai as he is the real obstacle to any peace agreement and has no control over SPLA/M IO Forces.
17. Increase and pay regular salaries of all government employees, who have now stayed six months without pay and are suffering with their families, instead wasting South Sudanese money to finance the war.
18. In case all the above-mentioned points do not work, we will continue to fight for urgent regime change and formation of an all-inclusive interim or caretaker Government, which will lead the country to democratic elections, to allow all South Sudanese to choose a new leadership of their choice and save the country from total collapse. In conclusion, I call upon all opposition political parties and warring groups, civil society organizations and the entire public to unite and join hands with us, so that we can together push President Salva Kiir out of leadership and end the suffering of our people in South Sudan and refugee camps.
19. Lastly, I call upon President Salva Kiir to immediately resign and go home, as he has failed to lead the country.

Lt. General Wesley Welebe Samson

Deputy Chief of Staff for Training

SPLA/M IO/Pagak/South Sudan/July 18, 2017

Email: welebesamson11@yahoo.com