South Sudan's Minister of Defense Kuol Manyang says that he directed the SPLA Chief of Staff Gen. Paul Malong to summon SPLA Maj-Gen. Johnson Olony in connection with an investigation into mass recruitment of child soldiers. The major-general never showed up in Juba.

Asked about the allegations against Maj-Gen. Olony, the defense minister said, “I directed the SPLA Chief of Staff General Paul Malong to summon that officer and that the alleged abducted children are returned back to school along with teachers so that they go back to educate the children.”

Kuol was speaking during an interview with Radio Tamazuj yesterday. He added, “You have now contacted me so I will confirm from General Malong whether the officer was summoned or not and the children are back in school or not.”

Several other government officials have also claimed that Johnson Olony was summoned for questioning, but they have not explained why he either could not or would not obey the order, if in fact any summons was given.

Previously, two sources said that President Salva Kiir himself had ordered that Olony come to Juba – but that was nearly a month ago. Neither source knew of any written order and one official close to Kiir said he was “not sure” whether the president himself had contacted Olony.

Later, SPLA Spokesman Col. Philip Aguer said that SPLA Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations Lt-Gen. Ajongo Mawut had given the summons but noted that Gen. Johnson Olony was busy and would only come “when he gets time.”

SPLA launched an offensive north of Wau Shilluk where the boys were recruited shortly after the recruitment drive. Clashes have been confirmed in Manyo County for more than a week. Allegedly at least 89 boys from Wau Shilluk were forcibly recruited, according to UNICEF.

The defense minister said he did not know the total number of forcibly recruited children but only read about it from the UNICEF report, which was released on 21 February, almost a week after the abductions took place.

“I don’t know, we have just heard a report from UNICEF, and as soon as we got the report, I ordered the summons of the officer involved and the release of the children,” he said, noting that the army has not finished investigating the matter. “I don’t know whether the UNICEF report is true or not,” he said.

Kuol Manyang noted that SPLA laws criminalize recruitment of children less than 18 years old.  

File photo

Related: 

SPLA commander 'summoned' over child abductions never shows up in Juba (9 March) 

Johnson Olony abducted 'hundreds' of boys to send to frontlines, UNICEF says (28 Feb.)