SPLM/SPLA-IO Military Spokesman Breaks Away And Declares Cease Fire With Salva Kiir Government:
Feb 18, 2015(Nyamilepedia) — The military spokesman of SPLM/SPLA (in Opposition), Brig Gen. Lul Ruai Koang, has defected from the rebel movement today in Nairobi, Kenya and declares neutrality of Greater Akobo in the conflict.
Following his defection, the young Brigadier General has declared himself as the Chairman and the Command in Chief of South Sudan Resistance Movement (SSRM/A).
“We have decided to form our movement which shall be called South Sudan Resistance Movement/Army (SSRM/A)” Brig. Lul said.
The former spokesman opts to retain “Resistance Movement”, a name that was proposed by Dr. Riek Machar for the SPLM/SPLA in opposition in early 2014 but was rarely used in preference to the former.
According to his declaration, Lul calls on the people of Greater Lou-Nuer, their politicians and military generals to join him and demand a federal state for Greater Lou-Nuer, as proposed by SPLM-IO in their 21-state federal system.
“The interim leadership of SSRM/A calls upon the sons and daughters of Greater Akobo, their neighbors to support their quest and noble demand to have their own state.” Lul said.
To demand the quest for an independent state, Brig. Lul declares a unilateral cease fire with the “genocidal” forces of “dictator” Salva Kiir Mayardit.
“That the COH has never been respected by both belligerent parties to the conflict: SSRM/A hereby declares Unilateral Ceasefire with the forces of the Government of the Republic of South Sudan and their allies. SSRM/A forces are hereby ordered to cease hostilities against Government troops but only fight in self-defense when attacked”. Lul claims.
Lul will continue direct talks with Salva Kiir government in the near future in an attempt to demand a separate state for Greater Akobo.
“The SSRM/A leadership declares its intention, willingness and readiness to hold direct and separate Dialogue/Talks with the Government of the Republic of South Sudan anytime and anywhere with a view of demanding a state to be established for the People of Greater Akobo (Greater Lou-Nuer)”
Reasons For the Defection of Brigadier Lul
The former spokesman of SPLM/SPLA in Opposition, Mr. Lul Ruai Koang, has bored frustrations, stress and isolation within the ranks of SPLM/SPLA-IO following a media confrontation with Mabior Garang de Mabior, the son of SPLM/SPLA founder, who currently chairs the National Committee for Information and Public Relations.
The confrontation transpired in mid July 2014 after Capt. Mabior discovered that a Website, hosted in Calgary, Canada was publishing news in the name of SPLM/SPLA [IO] without official approval from the SPLM/SPLA leadership.
Read: THE SPLM/SPLA WEBSITE HAS NOT YET BEEN LAUNCHED
Mabior, after a brief consultation in the Opposition, submitted a denunciation report to Nyamilepedia Press for publication, urging the public to ignore the websites until further notice.
“The public is advised to ignore any website that claims to officially speak on behalf of the SPLM/SPLA. The Movement shall inform the general public through its official communications when the official site is ready for public viewing.” Capt. Mabior said
Mabior promised that the Opposition will set up a domain and an app to broadcast for the IO. This call, however, did not settle well with the young General, Brig Lul, who has been in one way or another in contact with, Mr. Charles Piones, the webmaster of the domain that is still under construction.
“The SPLM/SPLA Office of Information and Public Relations would like to inform the people of the Republic of South Sudan, the region and the world that we are currently working on a website and smart phone app for the SPLM/SPLA. ” Mabior’s statement continued.
Lul prompted by Capt. Mabior, submitted a long report to media to circulate his version, which was long enough to entail generalizations that go beyond the addressed issue.
Among the accusations, Lul claims that gone are the days when a man would come with nothing but his family to claim what others have initiated and sacrificed for.
“The days when one man, his wife and two young sons would come, kill, hijack, own, deny disregard, work tirelessly to distort or try to burry part of history made by fighters before him are long gone and consigned to history books” Lul claimed
The emotional and unprofessional attack was not tolerated by many officials and supporters of SPLM/SPLA-IO, including the chairman, Dr. Riek Machar Teny.
“This is beyond the closure of the site which was counterproductive to our objectives. This is an attack on Dr. John Garang, not just me. I have talked to the Chairman about it and it is being handled at that level.” Mabior told Nyamilepedia.
Machar promptly urged the bitter counterparts to cease all confrontations, avoid media confrontations and settle down to resolve their differences. Dr. Machar ordered an immediate closure of the website:
Read: Machar Ordered Immediate Closure Of A Controversial Website.
Dr. Machar urged the young general to apologize for unproved attack on Mabior’s family. To resolve the matter, Dr. Machar approved the website and appointed a committee to mediate Mabior and Lul.
Following the learning incident, Lul remained in Nairobi to this day, although he promised a couple of times to meet and apologize to Mabior.
Last week, Brig Lul promised their Chief mediator to meet and apologize to Mabior on 15 February, 2015 (three days ago) but failed to show up.
He later that day promised to meet and apologize today (18 February 2015) at 2pm (Kenyan time), however, he only shown up to submit his defection declaration.
Military Training, and Why Quick Cease Fire!
Although his name could not be found anywhere in the system, not even in the “damn records” at Bilpham headquarters, Lul has grabbed rare chances that cannot be easily verified.
Read: Outspoken ‘general’ never led men in battle
The controversial Brigadier General, who has never served in the battle fields, according to his own testimonies, spent much of his life in Kakuma Refugees camp, and finished his high school at Ruiru High School in 1999 in Nairobi, Kenya.
Lul, according to testimonies filed by Radio Tamazuj website, joined SPLA in 2008 and went for training at Malou Training Camp. Six months later upon his graduation, Lul became an officer and was assigned to work at administrative posts at Magri and other departments in Western Equatoria.
Before he went for further training in Ethiopia, Lul did administrative work in division 2, 8 and 9. At this times, Lul was a junior military officer.
“For the four years before I went for courses [in Ethiopia], I was an administrator in the army, I did military administration.” Lul said.
Following these assignments things began to work miraculously for the young man, who is known today as a Brigadier General.
According to an SPLA source, Lul was sent to military college in Ethiopia at the rank of colonel, for which he is believed to have not completed before defecting to SPLM/SPLA-IO.
Before the rebel movement was established Lul grabbed what he could find, ending up as the Military Spokesman, the Directorate of Information & Moral Orientation, and a Brigadier General for the Opposition.
Later, Lul was confirmed by Dr. Riek Machar as the Military Spokesman, and a Brig. General, a position that he served until his defection.
Double Standards: Lul Met Gen. Paul Awan;
After falling out with his colleagues in the Opposition, Brig. Lul became an easy prey for Salva Kiir regime.
According to reliable sources within the SPLM/SPLA [IO], Brig. Lul met the SPLA-Juba Chief of Staff, Gen. Paul Malong Awang in Kampala Uganda in mid Novemeber, 2014. This was not verified until recently when he met Dr. Machar in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
The sources confirm that this chance presented itself after Malong collapsed in Juba and was rushed to Nairobi for further treatment. After the treatment, Lul and Malong met in the neighboring Uganda, believed to have been on 12 Nov, 2014.
Although the whole details of the meeting were not revealed at the time, Lul is believed to have accepted an offer of $250,000 US Dollar to defect and denounce the movement under Dr. Riek Machar.
With his declaration, Lul was promised to corporate and work with both the SPLM-Juba and the International community, in helping to restore the distorted image of Salva Kiir government.
According to an eye witness, who is very close to Brig. Lul, the young general did not receive the Cheque until last weekend in Nairobi, Kenya where he announced his defection this afternoon at 2pm.
The source claims that Lul plans to invest some of his money in buying a property of 3 to 4 bedrooms house in Nairobi, after which he will travel to South Sudan if further arrangements are made.
The insider revealed that, although Lul has been downplayed by nearly all Lou-Nuer, he will join the faction and possibly integrated at the rank of Brigadier General, if all promises are maintained.
In a meeting with SPLM/SPLA – IO chairman, Dr. Riek Machar, before he travels to Nairobi , Lul admitted that he has met with Paul Malong Awan. The purpose of their meeting, as he told Dr. Machar, was a request by Gen. Malong for SPLA [IO] not to go to Lou-Nuer land.
The source revealed that Machar question why he would do that and what he would give the SPLA forces if they don’t deploy intensively to defend Lou-Nuer areas.
“Lul, instead raised many personal issues, ranging from his isolation and other grudges with colleagues in the movement.” reads the statement, submitted to Nyamilepedia.
In latest declaration, Lul has proven the claims to be legitimate given that he calls on the Greater Lou-Nuer youth, white armies and SPLM/SPLA-IO forces in Greater Lou-Nuer to put down their guns and observe an unsigned cease fire with the government forces as requested by Gen. Malong Awan.
Lul is expected to meet with a government delegation very soon to finalize what would be a cease fire agreement and his integration into SPLM-Juba forces.
Related Reports:
1. Machar Ordered Immediate Closure Of A Controversial Website!
7 comments
Its all about the money, recognition and not being thrown under the bus. if Lul and Mabior’s disagreement was not managed well then it the weakness of the leadership. Mabior’s office was probably more funded than lull’s office but have the same end goal as public relation departments in mass filtering their information to the mass media. Both offices are important as such. I personally think Lul been thrown under the bus due to internal conflict he had with Mabior, and to make matters worst instate of transferring one of these gentlemen namely Mabior or Lul to a department where they would not butt heads, the leadership brought in a foreigner to micro-manage Lul as his boss to say the least. That’s insulting to the young general so let the opposition suffer the damage control bs.
who is a foreigner in this case ? it is more than stupid to comment like that because your nature is not the whole nation but your own tribe
If you the foreigner my comment might have affected, excuse me but no offense intended.
All these are after Lul defection!! Nyamilepadia had been sugarcoating him when he was the spokeman for SPLM/A- IO as a good commander and fighter! The opposite now…. With military rank all Nuer generals are unconfirmed not Lul alone. Am waiting your ill writing on another defecter whom you are keeping quiet about now. Whoever with you is good and will be bad when he you. What is journalism in Nyamilepadia!!!! Visit paanluelwel websit and see how they balance the news with no favourism… I swear Nyamilepadia has never posted an ill opinion on Riek Machar but in paanluelwel any opinion is posted be it against Reik or Salva kiir as long as it’s someone interest. People misslead themselves with wrong information which tilt to one always….. Doesn’t you ask yourself
Mayom Atung,
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All these stories are so nonsense and illustrate like South Sudanese do not know what they are after or how much they care for South Sudan.I don’t like this part of the article that Lul Raui Kaong was offered $ 250,000 to defect and be able to buy 3 to 4 bedrooms in Nairobi,why can’t you build good houses in South Sudan so that your people will get benefit from rather than buying houses in foreign countries.Please you need to stop wasting resources in foolish way.
one thing has to be clarify though,Mabior was complained about young General’s comments, but Riek fails to intervened between the matter that mean incompetent leadership or he was being bias as against the guy watch a lot chaos will follows just like 1992 when too many were return back to John Garang’s faction then movement was totally collapsed to nothing.