Five senior officials from the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-In Opposition (SPLM-IO), led by First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar, have defected to President Salva Kiir’s ruling SPLM party in Northern Bahr el Ghazal state.
The defections come amid heightened tensions following the detention of Machar and some of his allies in the capital, Juba. The two factions are part of a fragile 2018 peace deal that established a power-sharing government at national and local levels.
The defectors include:
- Garang Chan Atak, state minister of agriculture
- Michael Akot Akot, former SPLM-IO spokesperson in Northern Bahr el Ghazal
- Gabriel Bol Dut Tong, chairperson of the SPLM-IO State Liberation Council
- John Ngor Thiep Ngor, deputy chairperson of the SPLM-IO Liberation Council
- Madhan Akok Anei, SPLM-IO secretary of political affairs and mobilization
Speaking at a reception ceremony Thursday in Aweil, Garang Chan Atak, the group’s leader, said they resigned from the SPLM-IO to “protect the unity of the people of Northern Bahr el Ghazal state.”
“We resigned from SPLM-IO for the interest of peace and unity among our people,” Chan said. “Our president made it clear that peace must prevail.”
Chan accused the SPLM-IO of failing to protect its members and associating with the White Army, a Nuer militia group he called a “terrorist organization.”
“The leadership failed to rescue the lives of late Lt. Gen. Majur Dak and stranded soldiers after promising to evacuate them to Juba,” he said. “The White Army murdered them without mercy.”
Gabriel Bol Dut Tong, another defector, claimed the SPLM-IO had “become the enemy of peace,” targeting civilians in South Sudan.
Michael Akot Akot, the former SPLM-IO spokesperson, cited poor leadership, lack of transparency and nepotism as reasons for defecting from Machar and join Kiir.
Angelo Akech Akeen, deputy chairperson of the SPLM in Northern Bahr el Ghazal State, said 404 former SPLM-IO members had defected to the ruling party in the state.
SPLM-IO Spokesperson Pal Mai Deng could not immediately be reached for comment.