The South Sudan People’s Defence Forces (SSPDF) in October clashed with the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) along the common border at Pugee town. The two armies have clashed several times at different border points since the year began.
Radio Tamazuj interviewed SSPDF deputy spokesman Brigadier Santo Domic on various issues. Below are excerpts.
Q: We understand that a Sudan People’s Defence Forces (SSPDF) high delegation had a meeting with their counterpart Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) of Uganda recently, what was discussed and resolved?
A: The South Sudan army and Ugandan army officials met on 21 November 2020. Our SSPDF delegation was headed by the Chief of Defence Forces (CDF), we went to the Ugandan city of Gulu and met with the Uganda delegation there. The objective of the meeting was around three points; the first one was about the border conflict between the two countries, secondly, we intended to resolve the dispute over the killing of two SSPDF soldiers by the Ugandan army last month, and thirdly we also discussed some strategic and defense issues between the two countries.
Our delegation was received in Gulu in a very organized manner and the meeting was very transparent and open-minded. The two sides discussed the issue of border security, which is very important for the two countries. The two sides resolved to strengthen cooperation between the two armies to safeguard the border crossings so that negative forces are not allowed to use the border for their criminal activities.
They resolved to share information between the forces that are close to each other at the border points and to promote more coordination for better effectiveness of security along the border between the two countries. They also agreed to have frequent joint meetings to discuss security along the border.
The leadership of the two armies resolved to form a joint committee tasked with investigating the killing of the two South Sudanese soldiers and to disclose the circumstances around their killings.
Q: I believe this is not the first time such a meeting is taking place, so what makes this meeting different, and will the resolutions be implemented?
A: Based on the spirit and the environment in which the meeting was conducted, it gives us hope that the meeting was different and the resolutions taken will be looked at and implemented for better border security between the two countries.
Q: So if the killers of the two South Sudanese soldiers are identified, what is going to happen to them, has the meeting discussed some of these issues?
A: The issue of blood compensation will be the last thing but firstly, the two leaders wanted to know exactly what the reason for their killing was. Based on the preliminary investigation report that we got, it was a misunderstanding between those individuals. It has nothing to do with the border dispute. There was nothing planned or strategically organized. The two countries are not at war nor have they been in a dispute over land or the border.
That is why a joint committee was formed to carry out further investigations about this incident. We wanted to know exactly what happened which would help in avoiding similar incidents from occurring.
Q: But there was a report about the presence of UPDF in South Sudanese territory like in the Parjok area which led to the displacement of communities. Is this also going to be investigated?
A: There is nothing like that. I believe nowadays social media is fabricating a lot of information. But let’s assume that such a thing happens, the South Sudanese government will alert the army.
Any border crossing into another country by a foreign army is not allowed by any army in the world. It is the responsibility of our government to alert our army that there is an invasion into our land. Up to now, we have not got any notification from our government that the UPDF has entered South Sudan’s territories.
So based on the meeting, we found out that there are some misunderstandings between individuals along the border and it has nothing to do with our national border.
Q: There was a dispute along the border with Kenya at the Nadapal crossing and also with the Central African Republic. What are you doing to protect your border with other neighboring countries such as the Democratic Republic of Congo, Sudan, and Ethiopia?
A: One of our mandates as SSPDF is to defend our territory along borders with any neighboring country. In each of these countries, we have embassies and in each embassy, we have an ambassador. And one of their mandates is to report any violation into our border and they are supposed to report to our government immediately. And based on bilateral relations with these countries, they have their ambassadors in our country. So, if there is any dispute they will discuss it at that high level. It is not something simple. So, as far as South Sudan is concerned, we don’t see anything that would amount to any border dispute. Our security situation is good. Even our army is to cooperate with all regional counties and we want to maintain this so that our region is safe and peaceful and people are free to move and trade with each other and develop their countries.
Q: South Sudanese soldiers have been complaining about not being paid their salaries for months. When did they last receive their salaries as Christmas is fast approaching and they also want to celebrate with their families, should they expect any payment before Christmas?
A: This is a special case and our army is not like a normal army that has gone through the normal procedures of recruitment and being put on the payroll to receive a salary. This army has a revolutionary background and they have been in the bush fighting for more than 21 years. And after our independence, we had challenges and if we are facing challenges regarding payment we will go back to the initial gorilla mentality and there is no such problem with this. Indeed, our army has not received salaries for months but it doesn’t affect the defense spirit of our army. If you come to Juba or anywhere you will find out that they are cool and living a normal life.
Q: My initial question was when did they last get their salaries?
A: This question is irrelevant here because these are administrative issues and not important for media consumption.
Q: So, what about those forces in the training centers, when are they going to graduate?
A: These are tactical issues linked to the implementation of the peace agreement. This agreement has a lot of stakeholders and the funding of the peace implementation has many hands with many countries that are guarantors to the peace implementation. So, to say when these forces will be graduated is a tactical issue. It depends on the training, funding, and the guarantee of the peace deal. I cannot tell you when they will graduate but as long as they are at the training centers they will graduate. These forces are in the interest of peace in South Sudan.
Q: Are you facing any challenges with this training so far?
A: I would say there are no tactical nor strategic challenges. The only challenge may be around the administration of the training and types of training that we would like to give to our forces. We want to graduate with a professional army with high efficiency. We want them to join the rest of the army and form a unified army so that they can work together and defend the land and the constitution of South Sudan. We want to see professional training and at the end of the day, we want to see that they can defend their country.
Q: Do you have any final message for the army who are working day and night along borders with neighboring countries to defend this country?
A: I want to tell the army that even though there are tensions along the border, these are not a tactical plan by our army. Our army has no intention or interest in entering into war with any neighboring country. As an independent country, we want peace and friendship with all the neighboring countries around us. My message to our army is that they should maintain high discipline. And if there is the tension they should be squeezed into specific concepts and there should be more cooperation with other armies in the neighboring countries and at the end of the day, there will be total peace in our region.