A new opposition movement, the Democratic Resistance Movement (DRM,) was today declared by Dr. Lado Jada Kwajok who recently resigned his positions in the National Salvation Front (NAS).
Kwajok who signed off the declaration as Chairman and Commander-in-Chief of the new outfit said, “Today 30th November 2020, marks the birth of your revolutionary movement, the Democratic Resistance Movement (DRM). Our country has been set on a perilous course by none other than those who were regarded previously as liberators but have now turned into oppressors of their people.”
Kwajok accused the ruling Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) party of failing the nation and plunging it into civil war out of a power struggle among its elites. He went on to accuse SPLM of committing heinous crimes against its citizens including war crimes and crimes against humanity.
“Furthermore, its reign brought no development nor meaningful services delivery to the people of South Sudan. Instead, the South Sudanese witnessed rampant corruption which is unprecedented by any measure,” he added.
Kwajok said the dire situation left no available options but inevitably led to uprisings in different forms all over the country.
“The DRM members were at the forefront of different movements that emerged in the aftermath of the Juba massacre of the Nuer civilians committed by the regime of President Salva Kiir on the 15th of December 2013. However, along the way, some of the supposedly revolutionary movements succumbed and sold out to the regime they fought just a few years ago,” according to Kwajok.
He said the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of Conflict in South Sudan (R-ARCSS) contains major flaws, does not address the root causes of the conflict while allowing those who committed war crimes and crimes against humanity to rule the country.
“Under such circumstances, the true revolutionaries rejected surrendering to the SPLM party regime and joined forces by launching your all-embracing and inclusive revolutionary movement; the DRM,” Kwajok declared. "The DRM shall not relent until the regime is removed from power, with the institution of federalism, and full accountability for war crimes and crimes against humanity.”
In a raft of appointments, Kwajok named Lt. Gen. Judge Advocate, Khalid Ono Loki, as the deputy chairman of the DRM and deputy chairman of its political bureau. He also appointed Maj Gen. Murtada Jalal Uldin Baballa as the chief of intelligence and a member of the political bureau.
The other appointees are Engineer Leeri Johnson Marella as the spokesman for the new group and Maj Gen. Lokai Iko as the military governor of Eastern Equatoria State. Both were also appointed members of the political bureau.
Kwajok and his new team resigned from the National Salvation Front (NAS) led by General Thomas Cirillo Swaka in October citing a lack of clear vision and weak leadership.
He held the positions of chairman of the political committee, chairman of the international relations committee, and chairman of the strategic funding group tendered his resignation letter to the movement’s leader on October 23.
Kwajok accused Cirillo and a small group within the movement of having abandoned the movements’ objectives and therefore changing its course.