July 14th, 2018(Nyamilepedia) —— Responding to a “defamatory article” published by the Dawn Newspaper on July 14th 2018, South Sudan’s main armed opposition, the SPLM/SPLA in Opposition, condemns the Juba based Dawn Newspaper for publishing a negative propaganda against its military leadership.
“The SPLA IO is concerned by the negative propaganda labelled on its senior officers by the Down Newspaper on 14/07/2018 Vol.3 Issue.698.” Said Col. Lam Paul Gabriel, the deputy military spokesman of SPLA(IO).
Published on its front page, the Dawn Newspaper claims that the SPLA(IO) Generals are behind the activities of the controversial “Unknown Gunmen” that have been threatening security in the national capital for the last four year.
Although the claim is yet to be verified, the SPLA in Opposition distances itself from the accusations which they believe are “unfounded allegations meant to tarnished the image of the SPLA(IO)”.
“The Down Newspaper published on its front page that the SPLA IO Generals are behind the Unknown gunmen” Col. Lam Paul reiterates.
“This is completely an unfounded allegations meant to tarnish the image of the SPLA IO something that a media outlet is supposed to avoid professionally.” he continued.
The Opposition concludes that the Dawn Newspaper is a pro-government media outlet whose activities are politically motivated.
“It is clear that The Dawn Newspaper is not only politically motivated but also a pro-government media outlet.” Reads part of the Opposition’s statement.
“The audio circulating is a make up of the regime’s MI unit to implicate Governor Oyet, Gen. John Tongun and Okeny George Lam. The voices in that audio don’t belong to any of the aforementioned Senior SPLA IO officials.” Lam said.
The main armed opposition calls on South Sudanese and friends of South Sudan to boycott listening or reading from the Dawn Newspaper saying that the little known media outlet has lost its media ethics, independence and veracity.
WHO SPONSOR THE UNKNOWN GUNMEN?
The controversial organisation call the “Unknown Gunmen”, which others believe is a special branch of South Sudan National Security Service meant to terrorise dissidents and silence critics, became prominent during the last four and half years of civil war.
The cruel activities of the unknown gunmen which includes killing, rapping and torturing have been predominant only in the capital city, Juba.
Despite presence of tight security, army and police apparatus in Juba, the “unknown gunmen” have continued to operate in the national capital leaving doubts if Salva Kiir government is doing enough to crackdown their operation.
Many journalists, human rights activists, politicians and even members of security forces, police and army have succumbed to activities of the unknown gunmen and so far no one has been brought to justice or claim responsibility for such crimes.
