FULL TEXT: Exclusive Interview with Hon. Duer Tut Duer

Juba, South Sudan,

June 26,2021 – On June 25th, 2021, Nyamilepedia editorial team reached out to Hon. Duer Tut Duer by virtue of being a senior politician in South Sudan political arena but also a hardliner on many political issues affecting the country. Hon. Duer doubles as a member of SPLM/A-IO and also as an opposition within the opposition. He had the following to sad:

Hon. Duer Tut Duer welcome to Nyamilepedia.

Ans: Thanks

Q1. Hon. Duer Tut you have been a critic of Dr. Machar for a very long time and you always criticize him publicly especially on issues to do with politics in SPLM_IO, why and what is the reason? 

Ans: Well as concerned senior members of the SPLM-IO, who wants the movement to achieve its objectives, we started criticizing Machar since 2020 when he accepted to go to Juba before the implementation of the security arrangements, and you know according to the agreement, it is stipulated that the formation of the Revitalized Transitional Government of National Unity should have been done after the implementation of the security arrangements but Dr. Machar decided to go to Juba and his forces are still outside.  That’s the point of our disagreement with him.

Q2. Two hours ago you announced on your Facebook account that Dr. Riek Machar has been dismissed from his position as Commander-in-Chief of the SPLA_IO and as Chairman of the SPLM_IO, who removed Machar, are you the one?

Ans: One person cannot remove the Chairman of the movement but one man can initiate the removal, so I initiated the removal of Dr. Machar and now he is no longer a leader of the SPLM_IO anymore.

Q3. If Machar is no longer a leader of the SPLM_IO now as you claim then who is the leader now in charge of the SPLM_IO, both political and military wing, are you the successor that commands the forces? 

Ans. I think I have been answering this question to many journalists, let me tell you that our objective is not who should lead or who should be the Chairman of the SPLM_IO because we’re not running after positions but our aim is to depose Dr. Riek Machar from the SPLM_IO chairmanship and turn the movement into the right path. I am not the Chairman but we will sit as soon as possible with different organs of the movement which are still functioning respectively and elect the interim leader of the SPLM_IO. And by the way, no one is commanding the forces of the SPLM/SPLA_IO now and then even before Machar went to Juba.

Q4. Now you say you are electing an interim chairman as soon as possible, whom have you prepared to replace Machar? 

Ans :Those who can lead the movement are many but I will not point to a particular person now because we did not publish our official statement yet that will be seen by the public which highlights all reasons for Machar’s removal but very soon we will do it. 

Q5. Now you have announced to the public that Machar has been dismissed from chairmanship of the SPLM-IO. In such a situation, how many SPLM/SPLA-IO members support your decision? 

Ans: Frankly, approximately 80% are not with Dr. Riek Machar Teny since he decided to go to Juba before security arrangements and as we speak now, I would say 90% of the SPLM/SPLA-IO members are supporting my idea including those in Juba but they are silent just because they are  being maintained by their positions not because of their loyalty to Machar.

Dr. Machar tried many times to instigate a tension between the SPLA-IO forces to fight among themselves in order to divert our attentions from removing him but we are making it political and we have calmed the situation down and  now many SPLM/SPLA-IO members and generals understood what is going on. 

Q6. I read also on your Facebook statement, assuring the public that Gen. Gatwech Dual, who was allegedly sacked from his position by the virtue of a new assignment, should continue as SPLA-IO Chief of General; will he continue as SPLA-IO Chief of General Staff loyal to you or to Dr. Riek Machar Teny? 

Ans: Logically if Dr. Riek Machar Teny nominated Gen. Simon Gatwech to be appointed as Presidential Advisor for Peace and Gen Simon Gatwech denounced the appointment publicly, why would you think he could remain loyal to Machar again. I think if he is still loyal to Machar he would have accepted the new assignment but he is not.

Interviewer :Hon. Duer Tut Duer, Thank you for speaking to Nyamilepedia.

Ans. Welcome!