Governor Warns Army Recruits Against Tribalism

This article was last updated on May 26, 2022

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Hon. Joseph Zackaria Garang instead urged the recruits to identify themselves as the national army – not any particular tribe.

“The republic of South Sudan is more in need of you to inject in a new fresh blood into the national army at your current age to defend your constitution,” Garang told over 500 new recruits’ in Basilia Payam.

The deputy Governor made the appeal while on a visit to the new recruits’ training ground in Basilia payam in Wau County over the weekend. He was accompanied by other members of the State Mobilization Committee formed by the state government following the eruption of armed internal conflict in the country.

They included Angelo Taban, Wau County Commissioner, Lilian Valentino Rizik, State Finance Minister, Livio Bohara State Advisor on Economy and Charles Anthony Gbarende, a member of the SPLM State Secretariat who is also Wau’s town deputy mayor.

“The importance of the army is to defend the Country’s constitution which guards the nation from anybody who wants to change the constitution through military actions,” the deputy governor appealed.

“The constitution is what allows us to elect or change the leadership of the country but not by force and that is why the army is very imperative for the nation.

“We need you to defend this current constitution of the republic of South Sudan under the leadership of Salva Kiir Mayardit,” Garang appealed as he also urged women to join the army in large number.

On his part, Wau County Commissioner Biajo urged the new recruits to remain united. “You have to see your colleague whom you are together with him like your own brother because your job is to protect the whole nation of South Sudan,” he said.

 “The reason for mobilizing you (from different tribes) is simply to transform you into a national army of South Sudan that does not differentiate its people on ethic identities.”

Basilia SPLA Base commander Brig. Gen. Stens Kamilo Mboro on his part said:  “We are not for money but we are firmly standing behind our government and to make sure that all commands from our high authorities are implemented accordingly.”

He added: “We had been fighting for more than 21 years without money aiming to liberate this nation from the Sudan, therefore, if there is a new liberation again that aims to flash out the SPLA government, this is not going to take place. We will not allow any change on SPLA government.”

Ms. Fatner Rashil, one of the new recruits said she join the national army to defend the country from any internal or external aggression. 

She said her children do not enjoy peace and miss going to school due to insecurity in the country she said killed her husband. “I have committed myself to join the army to protect my nation,” she said.

The current 539 new SPLA recruits in Basilia Payam of Wau County are part of 15,000 that Western Bahr el Ghazal state promised to mobilize.