Dec 10, 2020(Nyamilepedia) — Reacting to the appointment of Lt. Gen. Johnson Olony Thabo, which has been put on hold by president Salva Kiir, the SPLM-IO military wing has presented its strategic position should Olony be appointed as the Governor of the Upper Nile State.
According to the military spokesman of the SPLA-IO, Brig. Gen. William Gatjiath Deng, the IO military wing condemns the delayed appointment of General Olony saying that it is a violation of the peace agreement.
“We expect Lieutenant General Olony to be appointed and we are fully alert of the delayed tactics in Juba” Brig. Gen. William Gatjiath Deng said.
The SPLA-IO spokesman said the reason they did not oppose the appointment of Gen. Joseph Nguen Manytuil and other generals on Kiir’s side, who have committed war crimes and are even sanctioned by the United Nations, is due to their respect for the Revitalized Peace Agreement but President Salva Kiir seems to be implementing his own peace deal.
“What about Nguen Manytuel? He instructed his militias and government troops to kill many civilians, burned children and elderly civilians in hurts, raped thousands of women and even castrated small boys in Unity State but when Salva Kiir appointed him as his governor, we all tolerated him. What about Gen. Olony who did not do any of that?” Brig. Gen. Gatjiath said.
“Because the peace agreement did not distinguish who should be appointed and who should not be appointed, Kiir needs to appoint him otherwise that is a personal problem not anything to do with the people of Upper Nile State. Kiir is violating the peace agreement.” Gatjiath added.
Asked of when will Gen. Olony go to Juba and why hasn’t he gone to Juba yet, he responded saying Olony should be appointed first.
“He needs to be appointed first and after that he will go to take the oath. We are asking for Olony to be appointed first before he goes to Juba” He said.
“Once he is appointed, he will go and the world will know that he is a governor going to be sworn in” Gatjiath added.
The SPLA-IO military spokesman cites the example of Dr. John Garang’s appointment in 2005 that he was first endorsed and appointed before traveling to Khartoum and when he went to Khartoum he had his military preparation in place.
The SPLA-IO said Olony may go to Juba to be sworn-in without his troops; however, once he is appointed and moves to Malakal, he will not be guarded by Kiir’s forces but by the SPLA-IO.
“Our military will go to Malakal to guard the governor, what is happening in Bhar el Ghazal and Western Equatoria will not happen in Malakal” Gatjiath said.
“Even John Garang had his bodyguards in Khartoum, so Olony should be fully guarded by his own soldiers” He added.
