Nov 18, 2020(Nyamilepedia) — A former governor of the defunct Sobat state and a senior member of the SPLM-IO National Liberation Council, Hon. Duer Tut Duer, calls on supporters to boycott the SPLM/A-IO December 4th Conference and also to advocate for the removal of Dr Riek Machar from the SPLM/M-IO leadership.
According to Hon. Duer, all the disgruntled SPLM/A-IO members and sympathizers must boycott the upcoming SPLM/A-IO Conference and instead wait for a “Convention” that he may organize in 2021.
“I only ask all those from various categories who are advocating for removal of Riek Machar from the Chairmanship of the SPLM-IO to boycott this conference and wait for the convention which will take place in 2021, under new leadership,” Duer said.
He argues that Dr. Machar is under house arrest in Juba and therefore he should not hold conferences.
The former governor further claimed that attending the conference will mean that all the SPLM-IO members are “detainees“.
“Going to Juba for this Conference shall mean that SPLM-IO is an Organization of detainees all members are detainees and Riek Machar is chief detainee,” said the leader of opposition within opposition.
“I know there is nothing impossible in the SPLM-IO, but I am wondering, a detainee to Chair a convention of free people.” He added.
Duer further alleged that Machar postponed the conference because he realized his mistakes.
“For sure Riek Machar realized his mistake therefore on the 11th of November he added other categories to the delegates, I believe because the majority of the new categories are in remote areas far from Juba, this obliged Riek Machar to shift the date to the 4th of December such that, he will have enough time to transport those new categories from their current positions to Juba,” he added.
He also claimed that the SPLM-IO has three different versions of the Constitution and they are all operational.
According to Mr. Tut, the first version was drafted by comrade Peter Adwok Nyaba and himself between August and October 2014, and was passed by Pagak 3 Conference; the Second version was the amendment made to the first version by Hon. Nathaniel Oyet, and the third version was the amendments of the first version made by Comrade Henry Odwar.
“These two last versions have never been passed by any SPLM-IO Body up to date, but Dr. Riek Machar uses them all; it depends which one of the three versions fits his interests that day or help him achieve what he wants for that particular need.” Duer claims.
Although the former governor, whose stance has been controversial since August 2016, sees himself as an alternative to Machar, Duer faces many challenges including mobilizing support from his divided subsection of his immediate Nuer tribe.
Since 2015, the Eastern Jikany Nuer has seen major defections from both politicians and military generals that include Amb. Lol Gatkuoth, Hon. Dak Duop Bichiok, Hon. Changson Lew Chang, Gen. Gathoth Gatkuoth, Gen. Ochan Puot, Gen. Koang Chuol Ranleey and many others – all from the SPLM/A-IO alone.
So far these politicians and generals have failed to forge alliances within and outside their immediate community leaving doubts if Hon. Duer has what it takes to unite these groups and to lead the SPLM/A-IO.
In addition, Duer has been in exile since 2016 and that has forced his military presence and political support at the grassroots to shrink drastically.
