Political and military differences have led to a major split within the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement/Army in Opposition (SPLM/A-IO), prompting the group’s leader Riek Machar to relieve two of his top commanders.
The two relieved commanders are Peter Gatdet, formerly the movement’s top commander in Unity State, and Gathoth Gatkuoth, who was the ‘military governor’ of Upper Nile State before holding a command position within the rebels’ Pagak military headquarters.
Radio Tamazuj is not able to immediately confirm their present whereabouts. It is also unclear at this stage whether significant numbers of rebel troops will follow them, creating a split within SPLA-IO forces on the ground.
According to a decree signed by Machar and dated 21 July, Major General Peter Gatdet is relieved as Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations. In a separate decree, Major General James Koang is appointed in his place. Maj-Gen Gathoth Gatkuoth is removed from the position of deputy chief of general staff for logistics.
Gathoth previously has objected to the “Arusha process” to reunify the ruling party SPLM – an initiative supported by Machar. At the rebels’ Pagak conference last year he called the ruling party “a bloody party that has massacred its own people, lost popularity, vision, direction, and as such will never reunite its members and the entire nation of South Sudan.”
SPLM-IO spokesman Mabior Garang commented on the defection of the two generals saying it “should not be a source of trepidation to members of the Movement…this is a normal occurrence in any revolution.”
He added, “Members should remain vigilant and focus on the upcoming IGAD Plus Mediation which is the best way to transform the current situation in the country and achieve a sustainable peace.”
“Peace is imminent right now and this is where we are putting our focus on… at the end of the day we will all be in Juba,” said Mabior, speaking to Voice of America.
Lul Ruai, Machar’s former military spokesman who defected to the government several months ago, said there was “chaos” within Machar’s camp, predicting disintegration of the movement.
“Riek’s camp has begun in earnest to crumble from within. I saw it coming and made the right move. Riek has proved it once again that he does not have what it takes to lead a rebel movement. SPLM/SPLA IO is a sinking ship,” said Lul.
Casie Copeland, analyst for International Crisis Group, said that the dismissal of the generals stemmed from disagreements over the movement’s objectives besides the “increasing move towards SPLM affiliation.”
She pointed out that several of the discontent generals served during the previous war with the SSDF faction and not the SPLM/A. Machar has signed on to an initiative known as the “Arusha” process for reunifying with Kiir’s SPLM.
“As IGAD-PLUS is finalising the details of a peace deal in Addis, the question is, if the former SSDF components of the IO will follow Machar,” she said.
Another observer, a member of SPLM-IO, said that Gathoth Gatkuoth and Peter Gatdet were planning to form their own movement, calling it the “Nuer Independence Movement.”
“The aim of the defection is their response to the anticipated peace deal which is spearheaded by the IGAD. They are not happy with the deal and instead they want to continue fighting,” he said.
He commented that SPLM-IO “is not a Nuer movement, it is for all South Sudanese and any decision to separate the nation will not be tolerated.”
Machar and his negotiators are scheduled to participate in peace talks in Addis Ababa this month. The East African regional bloc IGAD has proposed a deal between Riek Machar and Salva Kiir in order to bring peace to South Sudan.
Photo: Peter Gatdet Yaak