Federal Democratic Party leader Gabriel Changson Chang says he is greatly concerned that a group of party dissidents and defected officers “are using the name of our organization purporting to members, in their press releases and presumably in communicating with third parties.”

His statement reflects concerns over the actions of a splinter group seeking the leadership of the FPD/SSAF, which itself is breakaway group from the larger opposition moveement headed by Riek Machar.

The Federal Democratic Party is led in part by former minister of youth, culture and sports Gabriel Changson Chang. It broke away from Machar's SPLM-IO in August 2015 prior to the signing of the main IGAD peace deal. The group purports to have an armed wing called the South Sudan Armed Forces (SSAF) led by Peter Gatdet Yak, a famous Nuer commander.

Changson, the chairman of the Political Committee of the FDP/SSAF, announced in a press release on Saturday that Gen. Gathoth Gatkuoth was dismissed by the FDP/SSFA on 4 January and “he is no longer a member of our movement.”

He added, “Gen. Gathoth Gatkuoth and his colleagues should be creative enough to create an attractive name for their breakaway faction instead of illegally and fraudulently using the FDP/SSAF name which they broke away from.”

The politicians stressed that other key figures from the FDP/SSAF do not belong to Gathoth's “breakaway group” and he denied that any of these key figures will go to Juba very soon. “None of us is going to Juba,” he said. Changson named as loyal members Gen. Peter Gatdet Yak, Gen. Gatwech Chan (Tang-Ginye), Brig. Gen. Chuol Gakah and himself.

Changson's statements come after several press releases issued in the name of Gathoth Gatkuoth since the beginning of the year. In one statement dated 6 January, Gathoth identified himself as the Deputy Chairman and Commander in Chief of SSAF/FDP and he slammed Changson Chang saying “he has no political power to disown or dismiss any member of the Federal Democratic Party even his office secretary.”

Gathoth also insisted that a delegation of the party was in Juba to talk with President Savla Kiir and he supported a memorandum of understanding signed with the government in Nairobi on Christmas Day last year. In subsequent statements attributed to Gathoth, he also criticized SPLM-IO leader Riek Machar and demanded that FDP/SSAF be given its own share of national power.

Changson copied his statement to Gen. Peter Gatdet Yak, whom he idnetified as 'Chairman of Military Command Council and C-in-C FDP/SSAF.'

Related:

Splinter group leader Changson: We did not sign a full peace deal (30 Dec.)