In August 2021, the then SPLA-IO Chief of Staff, Gen Simon Gatwech Dual, and Gen. Johnson Olony declared a coup against their erstwhile leader and First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar.
The two renegade SPLA/IO commanders formed the SPLM/A-IO Kitgwang Faction and declared war against the transitional government but ended up fighting each other and splitting ranks with Olony now ensconced in Juba.
In an exclusive interview with Radio Tamazuj on Monday, Gen. Gatwech says he is in the bush and is willing to take part in the ongoing Nairobi Peace Talks being mediated by the Government of Kenya. He also says President Salva Kiuir must quit for South Sudan to have peace.
Below are edited excerpts:
Question: Have you received an invitation to attend the ongoing Nairobi Peace Talks?
Answer: Not at all. No one has invited us up to this moment.
Q: What is your take on the ongoing peace talks in Nairobi?
A: We have not been invited to take part in the talks yet the government knows where I am. If they do not want to engage in the peace process, I do not have a problem. All of us need peace and I know all about what is going on.
Q: If an invitation is extended to you, will you be ready to go?
A: Yes! If I receive an invitation today, I will immediately go there.
Q: Did you get any notification from the Kenyan mediation team?
A: No. I did not get any letter from them
Q: Do you think the ongoing peace negotiation in Nairobi will bring peace to South Sudan?
A: I do not know if it can bring peace or not but what I know is that the root causes of the problems in South Sudan are clear and I am aware of them. I know all the root causes and I am the strongest opposition wing at the moment.
Q: How has the ongoing war in the neighboring Sudan affected you and your forces?
A: We have not been affected and we are with none of the two warring parties, the Sudan Armed Forces (RSF) or the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). I am in the bush and my case is different.
Q: There are allegations that your forces are fighting alongside the Sudanese army. Are you defending this?
A: This is a big lie and a cowardly statement. I am now living in Sudan because we belong here as well. Even some Sudanese are now living in Juba. I am living here as a South Sudanese citizen.
Q: We recently heard some unconfirmed reports that some of your generals defected and are engaged in a peace negotiation with the government. Is this true?
A: If you mean Garkuoth Biel, he was one of my best supporters but I do not know why he is in Juba.
Q: He was believed to have been handed over to South Sudanese authorities in Renk County by the Sudanese security and was sent to Juba and yet you have not stated this development. Why is that?
A: I talked to those who arrested him and informed them that he is my guy and works with me in my office here in the bush and we need him back but he denied me for reasons known to him. I hope he succeeds.
Q: How is your rebellion progressing now that you say you are in the bush?
A: I am doing well and my movement is going well. From 2021 up to now, my movement remains the same with the same objectives.
Q: How have you been supplying your forces in terms of food and other logistics since the war broke out in Sudan?
A: Whoever has an objective does not care about food or any hardship situations. We tolerate everything to achieve our goals.
Q: Some of your commanders in the field say they have lost communication with you. What is happening?
A: I believe the Juba government is saying this because I have not launched any attack against any of their bases. The day I will do it, they will know who I am.
Q: What are your plans as a rebel group active on the ground?
A: I am in charge of a rebel group and I can attack at any time. I think if the peace negotiations ongoing in Kenya fail, all other rebel factions will regroup again and we will be strong again.
Q: Have you been in contact with General Thomas Cirillo of the National Salvation Front (NAS) recently?
A: I do not have any problem with Cirillo. He is in his position and I am in my position.
Q: Have you talked to him?
A: No! But Cirillo believes that the ongoing negotiations in Kenya will not bear any fruit. This is cheating.
Q: The country is preparing for elections in December and other opposition leaders such as Pagan Amum and Paul Malong are now engaging in peace talks with the government and yet you remain in the bush. Do you think this election will take place?
A: I do not have a problem with Pagan or my brother Paul Malong going to Juba. This is their choice and they might not know the root causes of the problem in South Sudan. They only know the root cause of hunger.
Q: May you share with us some of these root causes?
A: You should know the root causes very well since 1991, 2013, 2016, and 2018.
Q: What are your objectives, what do you want to achieve at the end of the day?
A: I want to achieve the basic human rights for all South Sudanese so that our country can have a stable future.
Q: Do you have an intention of becoming the president of South Sudan one day?
A: Yes, I am capable.
Q: What difference will you bring to South Sudan?
A: No one can rule by force, it comes from God and it comes with peace. I am not like Salva (Kiir) or (Riek) Machar. But Salva knows very well how my brain is because I was once his military officer.
Salva has a right to rule South Sudan because he has endured a lot of hardships from John Garang, Karbino Kwanyin, and William Nyoun. But at the moment, he has changed completely and become like a chameleon. People are killing themselves and looting cattle in Bahr el Ghazal and Upper Nile and many people are dying.
Soldiers are not paid and left with no option than to go and cut wood to make charcoal yet there is a lot of money that leaders are putting in their pockets.
Q: If President Kiir called you today and invited you to take part in the ongoing Nairobi peace talks, would you go?
A: If he called me I would have to negotiate with him on the root causes of the problems in South Sudan. What has been achieved so that I can go to Juba?
He appointed me the other day as his advisor. This is a big position but that is not my issue. Where are the rights of South Sudanese that would allow them to live in a stable situation?
Q: You might have been following the economic situation in the country and since you intend to become the president, why don’t you come back home and join the ongoing electoral process so you can have a chance to fix the economy?
A: This election will not happen as long as there are many South Sudanese still in camps in Ethiopia, Uganda, in Europe and scattered everywhere. South Sudanese are still killing themselves and they are still experiencing hunger. Millions of them are now being fed by aid organizations and yet we have plenty of money in our country.
Q: Are you optimistic that the ongoing talks in Nairobi would bring peace to South Sudan?
A: I do not know and I cannot speak on behalf of Pagan, Malong, or others unless I join them and then we will have one opinion.
Q: Do you follow the ongoing talks in Nairobi?
A: Yes, I am following what is being discussed.
Q: What is your last message to South Sudanese?
A: The only solution to our situation is for Salva Kiir to step down and someone has to replace him. South Sudanese have suffered at the hands of Kiir and thousands have been killed and some are dying of hunger. People are tired of Kiir and South Sudan is full of bullets and yet we lack nothing in South Sudan.