April 18, 2020 (Nyamilepedia) — A senior member of South Sudan’s main armed opposition group, SPLM-IO, led by First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar has downplayed the defection – this week – of senior members saying the move in favour of President Salva Kiir’s side will never affect the group because “millions” remains in the group compared to the “ten” people who defected.
This comes after a group of senior members of the SPLM-IO led by former Petroleum Minister Dak Duop Bichiok said they were defecting to Kiir because Machar has turned the group into a “family dynasty.”
In a brief Facebook statement on Saturday, Duer Tut Duer, a senior member of the Machar-led movement said the defection will not affect the movement arguing that SPLM-IO still have its members.
“The turbulent nature of the current situation and the divorces happening in the SPLM-IO of Juba Camp will never weaken nor jeopardize the survival of the SPLM-IO,” Duet said referring to the defection.
According to Duer, this is “because the whole membership is available and capable of facing the challenges of this new situation.”
He further vowed that the main armed opposition group was “going to achieve all its objectives. It is a question of time. ”
“They are ten, we are millions.”
