The South Sudan People’s Defence Forces (SSPDF) has said there will be no big celebration to mark the Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) Day today Monday 16 May.
SPLA Day is a public holiday in South Sudan celebrated annually on May 16 to commemorate the formation of the then rebel group in 1983. On 16 May 1983, a group of mutineers from the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) opened fire in a barracks near Bor and would form the core of SPLA. Colonel John Garang de Mabior was sent to quell the rebellion but instead became its leader.
During an interview with Radio Tamazuj on Sunday, Gen. Lul Ruai Koang, the SSPDF mouthpiece, said there would be no national celebrations to mark the day but that the public can observe it from their respective places.
“We are not going to celebrate, hold public rallies or go to stadia but will celebrate it in our respective places. Everyone has been requested to celebrate 16 May at home or in their respective places,” he said.
Asked why he said there was no direction to celebrate the day.
“We were not directed on what to do by the leadership. By Friday, we had not received any directive from the political leadership on whether it would be celebrated,” Gen. Ruai said. “So, the decision which was made by the Chief of Defence Forces is that all of us will celebrate it in our respective places in whatever way we would like to do in a responsible manner.”
On if the celebrations were canceled due to budgetary constraints, Gen. Ruai insisted that it was simply because there was no direction from the leadership on the matter.
“16 May is indeed a very important and special day but we were simply not told that it will be celebrated,” he said.
Regarding the poor and delayed pay for officers and men of the SSPDF, he said salaries were being paid regularly.
“I beg to disagree with you that we are not being paid salaries. We get paid but it is a little bit small,” Gen. Ruai said. “Some of the problems are as a result of the challenges that we are facing but with the implementation of the peace agreement, we are putting our house in order and shall overcome some of the challenges that we are facing at the moment.”