Mass Defection From Rebel Camp To Government

This article was last updated on April 16, 2022

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Mass defection of rebels forces allied to the former vice President Riek Machar Teny was announced today announced today in Juba by defectors when they returned from Addis Ababa.

Upper Nile State Information Minister Hon. Peter Hoth Tuach said, “On behalf of the government of Upper Nile State, I would like to inform the public and the mass media that the return of Upper Nile State’s citizens to their beloved country is not a threat to peace”.

Hoth said the Upper Nile State is happy to welcome him and his group back from the rebels.

“This is the most significant development yet towards achieving a durable peace and nation building which has been on the lips of our leaders, citizens, friends of South Sudan, the international community as well as peace lovers around the globe” Hoth said.

“Yiey Pouch Lur was a former Upper Nile State Minster of Cabinet Affairs and a Member of Parliament (MP) representing Maiwut County in the state” said Minister Hoth.

Hoth told the journalists that Mr. Yiey came with eight team members. He applauded their courage and wise decision to return to the government as a means to peace.

“I came today with high intellectual delegates from the Eastern Jikany Counties,” said Yiey Puoch Lur.

“First of all I want to thank the government of South Sudan and especially to our elected president Gen. Salva Kiir Mayardit for his honest drive for peace in the country. He [Kiir] wants dialogue; people can talk and discuss issues and differences” Lur explained.

He said it is necessary for the people of South Sudan to end this crisis by dialogue not by war.

Lur also applauded the government of Upper Nile State, especially the governor Simon Kun Puoch and his delegation which welcomeed him from Addis Ababa.

Ex-Minister Lur also extended his appreciation to the four commissioners of the Jikany Counties for the efforts they are making in bridging the dialogue amongst the communities for achievement of a peaceful resolution.

Lur prioritize peace saying that as people of South Sudan, we need peace, arguing that it is the only way to the development of the new born Nation. “Peace can be achieved through dialogue and reconciliation,” he said.

He accused the group of G11 or G10 and the SPLM in Opposition led by Dr. Riek Machar, saying they don’t have vision for the country. “They don’t have vision and programme for our country and that is why I came back to work for peace,” he said.

The ex-Minister vowed to work for peace to allow development for the nation.

The former Cabinet Minister, Lur, said he left Riek Machar and his group because they don’t have a good programme for challenging the President. “If I see them not having programme then why do I stay with people who have no programme,” he said.

Lur said, “I have come back here as a citizen of South Sudan. I don’t need any power.” He said that it is only the dialogue that can lead to the peaceful resolution not violence and use of the gun. 

The Ex-Minister claimed that he joined the rebellion of Riek Machar during the crisis because he was running for his life. “During the crisis people were running for their lives because one did not know who could be the enemy to kill. So people were running for their safety,” said Lur.

He said now that after realizing it, he decided to come back to the government.

Gurtong understands that this is the second time former members of Upper Nile State have defected back from the rebels to the government after the  earlier re-defection of the former minister of Education James Khan Joak.

 James Khan Jok told reporters at Juba International Airport that they are coming back home to work for peace. “We have to promote peace in our Country as politicians because the definition of a politician is somebody who defends the right of citizens”.