Magenis, Sudan.
September 24,2021—The Former SPLA-IO Chief of General Staff and Commander-In-Chief of the SPLM/A-IO Kitgwang faction, Gen. Simon Gatwech Dual is bitter that he can’t negotiate with the First Vice President, Dr. Riek Machar Teny at this time because, according to him, Machar’s forces have attacked their bases several times within the last 4 weeks.
According to Gen. Gatwech, he can’t dialogue with Machar whose forces have killed his men including a senior general, Maj. Gen. Gatwech Nyagor.
” I don’t want to dialogue and discuss anything with Dr. Riek Machar, he attacked my forces five times and people died as result, so if there is someone I would dialogue with it won’t be Riek”, Gen. Simon Gatwech said in an interview yesterday with Radio Tamazuj.
Despite several accusations from Kitgwang faction that Machar’s forces have attacked their position, the SPLA-IO forces under Machar have never accepted the responsibility of any single attack arguing that they just act in self-defense despite evidence against their claims.
When asked if he would like to return to Juba and work under president Kiir, Gen. Gatwech said he has no problem working with Kiir as long as the security arrangements will be implemented fully in text and spirit.
” There is no any problem for me to work with Kiir because my problem is security arrangements if the security arrangements are completed I will work with President Kiir because now the government is one”, he added.
The senior opposition commander also said he will try to negotiate with government the most critical provisions of the agreement which have not yet been implemented adding that the International Community will be witnessing everything incase the government refused to respect their terms.
Dual declared himself on 4th of August 2021 as the Chairman and Commander-In-Chief of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement/Army-In-Opposition (SPLM/A-IO) claiming that he has ousted Dr. Machar from the SPLM/A-IO leadership; however, Machar holds his grounds that he is still the chairman and command in chief of the armed opposition, SPLM/A-IO.
