The Sudan’s People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) is seeking to raise thousands of recruits from western states unaffected by fighting elsewhere in the country. In spite of a ceasefire, efforts to mobilize more troops and supplies are ongoing.
Officials backing the recruitment drive are struggling to combat a perception that the ongoing violence is tribal and to ensure that recruits from all tribes join the national effort to combat opposition forces.
Two western states, Warrap and Northern Bahr al Ghazal, have seen high levels of successful recruitment, but the other two Western Bahr al Ghazal and Western Equatoria are still calling for more troops.
“This a great chance to you the people of Western Bahr el Ghazal state to join SPLA as most of you were complaining of not being recruited to represent the national army in the country,” said Governor Rizik Zackaria at a rally in Wau town on Tuesday.
Rizik has given his county commissioners two weeks to mobilize 6,000 recruits for the army, 1,500 per county.
As quoted by Gurtong news, the governor warned those who would sabotage the ongoing SPLA recruitment: “We are aware of your activities that you are playing against these mobilizations and we know what we can do to you, you will face the consequences if you are here in this state supporting the rebels.”
Last month the National Crisis Management committee visited Wau to kick off the recruitment. The Head of the Committee Kom Kom Gengdit said their visit was to sensitize the young people to join the army to defend the nation.
Gengdid “clarified that a wrong signal was built into the minds of citizens that the ongoing violence was tribal. MP Gengdit said his committee was also to correct the misleading information injected into the minds of citizens,” a local Catholic radio station reported.
200 recruits in Western Equatoria
Western Equatoria was the scene of several mass defections in early January when garrisons were ordered to leave for the Bor front. The state was subsequently visited by Vice President James Wani, as head of the national crisis management committee, who called for volunteers to join the fight.
On Monday it was reported that Tombura County in Western Equatoria registered 200 new recruits willing to join the national army.
County spokesman Dunguyo John told the local Anisa Radio that recruits were registered within Tombura Payam. He said recruits’ names from Yubu and Mupoi Payams are yet to be delivered.
The official added that the registration would be followed by training in the three payams. He said the commissioner Babiro Charles Gbamisi “urged young people to hurry up and register their names to defend their own country.”
Last month when the vice president visited the state capital Yambio to call for more recruitment the paramount chief of area called on the national government to first promote Western Equatorian commanders.
It was reported on 17 January that Chief Wilson Peni Rikito told the vice president, “Western Equatoria was ready to back up the mobilization of youths to join the army if their sons and daughters in the army would be promoted.”
“The paramount chief lamented that there was no single Major General or Brigadiers from Western Equatoria,” stated Anisa Radio.
Vice President Wani Igga while visiting the area called for 5,000 recruits and told Yambio residents that the war was not tribal but political. He also called on Nuer and Dinka soldiers to stop revenge killings.
Photo by Gurtong Media: Governor Rizik Zacharia (left) during a visit by President Kiir in late 2011