December 30th 2018 (Nyamilepedia) – A former military spokesman for the FVP Taban Deng Gai’s forces has defected from the South Sudan government citing what he calls illegal submission to the regime in Juba by senior party leaders including the FVP as well as the dissolution of the SPLM-IO faction without the consent of many party members.
South Sudan’s First Vice President Taban Deng Gai who was the leader of the SPLM-IO (TB) in May decided to dissolve his group and join the ruling SPLM faction led by President Salva Kiir Mayardiit. The dissolution was referred to by many as unconstitutional.
South Sudan President, Salva Kiir Mayardiit, early this month criticized the FVP Taban Deng Gai for not following organizational procedures in dissolving their party and joining the faction under him.
In a statement issued on Sunday, former SPLA-IO (TB) military spokesman, Col. Dickson Gatluak Joak Nyuot, says he is no longer in the same team with FVP Taban Deng Gai saying he is forming a new political party in opposition of the current regime in Juba.
“I, Colonel Dickson Gatluak Jock Nyuot, former Military Spokesman allied to the SPLA- IO Taban, do here by declare and informing the general public that today, 30th December 2018, I have unanimously abandon the government of South Sudan and opted to form a new political party to oppose the current regime,” he said in a statement extended to the Nyamilepedia on Sunday.
Col. Gatluak said he was supporting the First Vice President Taban Deng Gai since his nomination to succeed Machar until he discovered that the FVP submitted himself to President Salva Kiir Mayardiit and that there was no peace deal being implemented in Juba by the duo.
“But all these seemed not to have only failed but got corrupted when we reached Juba. There was no peace agreement being implemented. Taban submitted himself and the group to Juba government illegally without our group consent,” he further said in his statement.
He further revealed that he and many other who felt betrayed by the First Vice President were against the reunification process which had taken place in May 2018.
“I and other comrades were against the illegally and non-procedural reunification process of the SPLM-IO and integration of SPLA-IO forces into the national army. To be honest, I, as well as other officers did not find legal hence felt much more betrayed with such decision especially when announced by Gen. Taban Deng Gai,” he further said.
