By William Madouk Garang
Kitgwang Declaration under Gen. Simon Gatwech yesterday met with a high delegation from South Sudan People’s Movement/Army (SSPM/A) allied to Stephen Buay Rolnyang in a bid to forge a military alliance.
Four days ago, SPLA-IO Kitgwang also met with the National Salvation Front (NAS) delegation led by Gen. Faiz Ismail in the Sudanese capital Khartoum but formal plan for military cooperation is yet to materialize.
The spokesman of Gatwech, Brig. Gen. Alfred Gach Thot said they have not officially made an alliance, asserting that the meeting was to find common objective among holdout groups.
“We have not yet come to the conclusion of forming an alliance, we just want to find out if all oppositions have common objectives which will help bring amicable solution to attain durable peace,” Thot said.
In a statement posted on his Facebook page, Thot said Buay’s delegation was a response to the position paper issued by Gen. Gatwech which he called on holdout opposition groups to remove President Salva Kiir Mayardit from power.
“Our chairman and commander in chief of the SPLM/A-IO KD received a delegation from SSPM/A under 1st Lt. Gen. Stephen Buay Rolnyang. The meeting has mainly focused on the statement which was issued by the Chairman and Commander in Chief of SPLM/A-IO KD,” he said.
According to the statement, top SSPM/A military delegation was led by the deputy chief of staff of SSPM/A Lt. Gen. David Day Minydiit Dau.
It includes Buay’s advisor for Unity State, Maj. Gen. William Machath Nhial Nyak, and deputy chief of staff for administration, Maj. Gen. Thichar Luak.
Call for united front
Two weeks ago, Gen. Gatwech in a statement said there is a need for the various opposition groups in the country to form a united front against the Kiir’s administration in Juba.
“For we all know that national security interest and stability of South Sudan is above individual political bargaining and affiliation, our call for unity of oppositions groups who are resisting the government in Juba is hereby renewed,” Gatwech said in statement.
He called on all opposition groups to join them in a journey of reclaiming back God-given rights and human dignity, adding that the call was for fixing the country within framework of region and continental politics.
“We will be working with our regional authorities in furthering and help in bringing the hold-out opposition groups to a political forum for them to forge an opposition umbrella which will work out a political model that solves the conflict for the mutual interest of every South Sudanese citizens” he noted.