SSDF rebels from Upper Nile State signed a memorandum of understanding with representatives of the Juba government on Tuesday during talks at a military site in Dabah, Manyo County.

The document sets conditions for the progress of negotiations to be continued in the national capital, and stipulates that rebel troops still in Sudan should relocate to a site within Upper Nile State.

Speaking to Radio Tamazuj, the official spokesman of SSDF Fozi Gabriel said that they agreed with the government representatives to continue the talks in Juba, and to move all their forces from Hamra and Megenis to assembly points in Thorgwang.

Two representatives of the rebel group, including Fozi himself, will travel to Juba to show their commitment for peace.

“We have signed the MOU with the Juba delegation and part of the MOU allows us to get our forces to Thorgwang  where we will be stationed and me and another top officer will leave to Juba to start the negotiation,” said Fozi.

Ayuok Ogat, the rebel commander who was granted amnesty by President Salva Kiir earlier this year, will move back to Hamra to bring all of his forces to Thorgwang. Meanwhile, officers will come from Juba to verify that the rebels all report to Thorgwang.

“We moved well to Malakal with the Juba delegation heading to Juba,” said the SSDF spokesman. “Our leader Ayuok Ogat will join us in Juba plus other top officers from our side,” he added.

Talks in northern Upper Nile

This breakthrough follows the arrival to Dabah just two days ago of a government security delegation headed by Akol Kur, NSS director for internal security, who was accompanied by Tijwok Athar Agwet, former presidential advisor for religious affairs, and Lt-Gen. Johnson Gony Bilieu, commander of Malakal sector SPLA forces.

According to a source from the government side, the deal over the memorandum was reached after long talks and was called ‘satisfactory.’

News of the memorandum was received in the county capital Wadokona with joy. A farmer who preferred not to be named said that they are happy for the peace because he could now visit his land in Hamra. “We can now go far as the border – we can now cultivate without fear,” he said

Conflict over ranks

There was some discussion about whether the SSDF fighters should be integrated into SPLA with the ranks that they held before their defection or with their current ranks according to their position within SSDF.

Some rebels who were mere privates without rank before the rebellion have been since promoted within SSDF, causing resentment within the SPLA troops.

“I was a colonel – now somebody who was under me as a soldier runs to the bush and comes back with a higher rank. What is this?” said one officer after meeting SSDF forces in Dabah.

The officer further said that within SPLA it is hard to be promoted into higher ranks. “Those who went to the bush came out with higher ranks and our government accepts them like that! At the end of the day problems may come,” he stated.

Related coverage: SSDF prepared for security talks with Juba (8 October)

Photo: A member of SPLA Division Seven Cobra in Manyo County, Upper Nile State, 7 October 2013 (Radio Tamazuj)