By Baraka John
More than 1,000 soldiers from the Sudan People’s Liberation Army-In Opposition (SPLA-IO) have defected to the South Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF) in Western Equatoria State.
Led by Major General Edward Resiz Joseph Marona, the former SPLA-IO Sector Commander for Division Six, a total of 1,280 troops publicly declared their allegiance to the SSPDF during a ceremony held Thursday morning at the Western Equatoria state secretariat in Yambio.
Maj Gen. Marona said the decision to abandon the SPLA-IO under Dr. Riek Machar’s leadership is motivated by a desire to support national peace efforts.
“These are the present ones in Yambio or at the state headquarters, and this is just the beginning, as you can see. We are working with the government to gather the rest in other locations in one place,” Said Edward.
Western Equatoria’s Acting Governor Daniel Badagbu Rimbasa welcomed the defectors and appealed to the public to avoid politicizing the move.
“The issue of finger pointing must not be there, welcome your brother back home with a whole heart, welcome them, don’t point fingers. When one of them wronged you, forgive them from today. Their declaration today is an amnesty to them because whatever thing that could have happened in the bush must stop”. Badagbu asserted
State Minister of Local Government and Law Enforcement, James Severino Morris, clarified that only a portion of the defectors were physically present at Thursday’s event. Noting that, the rest are still in other parts of the state where the government is organizing logistical arrangements to bring them to the state’s headquarters.
Soldiers parade at the State Secretariat
On April 2 this year, more than 600 soldiers from the Sudan People’s Liberation Army-In Opposition (SPLA-IO) defected to the South Sudan People’s Defence Forces (SSPDF), one of the defectors has said.
The group led by Brigadier General Gabriel Bol Anuer switched allegiance in several locations, including Panyier, Lologo, and Rejaf training centres, as well as Gutmakur.
Brig Gen Anuer told reporters that dissatisfaction with the SPLA-IO’s leadership was the main reason for the defection.