By Baraka John
A senior official from the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement in Opposition (SPLM-IO) in Western Equatoria has expressed concerns about the recent attacks on SPLM-IO assembly areas in the state. The official, John Bariona, who also serves as the state minister for Cabinet Affairs, highlighted that despite ongoing violence, including frequent arson attacks, peace has largely prevailed in the region over the past weeks.
In a statement released to the media on Monday, Bariona praised the collaborative working relationship between the SPLM-IO and the acting state governor, citing that they have been making decisions together in a spirit of cooperation.
However, he raised serious concerns about the recent government forces operations targeting SPLA-IO assembling points in Rin-rangu and Kubir Bou, which he said had been in place for a long time without issue.
Rii-rangu is not a cantonment area but an assembling area, but had been there for long time, but the government had not been thing to attack them, but why only this time. Kubir Bou is the same. Why is it attacked at this time? They have been there for quite a long time. Why at this time? These are questions that come to the minds of people. Bariona questioned during the press briefing.
His remarks followed a statement made by South Sudan’s Minister of Information and Communication, Michael Makuei, on March 27, 2025. Makuei had accused the SPLM-IO leadership of taking over a health facility in Rii-rangu, which had previously been designated for patients suffering from sleeping sickness. The minister claimed that the SPLM-IO’s occupation of the facility was illegal as an assembling area.
“There’s a hospital, a health facility, those of you who are from Western Equatoria, there’s a health facility for sleeping sickness, called Rii- Ranga. Rii- Ranga is a place is a hospital is a medical facility between Yambio and Anzara. Even though there have been orders that the hospital should be vacated, Futuyo decided to use it as his headquarters “. Makuei stated
Bariona also condemned the actions of some security forces in the state, accusing them of arresting SPLM-IO officials for communicating with their colleagues who had fled the state capital. According to Bariona, these officials are in contact with deserters to encourage them to return in the interest of peace. However, he alleged that some members of the security services fail to understand the purpose of these conversations and have been detaining officials for simply maintaining these communications.