Riek’s deputy military spokesperson, Col. Dickson Gatluak, joins Taban in Juba
For immediate release: Declaration of Col. Dickson Gatluak, Juba, South Sudan
April 11, 2017 (SSB) — I, Colonel Dickson Gatluak Jock Nyuot, Deputy Military Spokesperson of the SPLA- IO in the Office of the Commander in Chief do hereby declared allegiance and loyalty to the SPLM/SPLA-IO under the wise and able leadership of His Excellency General Taban Deng Gai, First Vice of the Republic of South Sudan, Chairman and Commander in Chief of the SPLM/ SPLA-IO.
Since day one when the SPLM-IO Top Political Leadership sat in Juba in July 2017 to choose the leader in the absent of the Chairman and the First Vice President as stipulated in the Agreement, I was supportive of the bold, patriotic and revolutionary move by the top leadership of the SPLM/SPLA -IO to nominate a true and committed comrade in the person of His Excellency General Taban Deng Gai to lead the movement and continue in the implementation of the Peace Agreement (ARCISS) in spirit and letter.
This is in line with the policy of the movement in changing old faces with new blood. The old Sudanese leadership style of patronage of dying in power should stop and burry once and for all. Dr. Riek Machar has been in power for the last 30 years (three generations). We have to embrace and appreciate the courage and exceptional leadership skills of His Excellency, General Taban Deng Gai, First Vice of the Republic of South Sudan for taking this bold decision and show leadership.
As professional soldier, I decided to quit Riek Machar’s Faction for the following reasons:
- Lack of clear vision and objectives by Dr. Riek Machar
- Promotion base on ethnic and clan line and not on merit.
- Lack of Training and Orientation
- Lack of logistics
- Lack of clear chain of command in the army.
- Wrongful demotion
- The SPLA-IO become property of Teny Dhurgon family. Riek Machar Teny as Commander in Chief and Angelina Nyajany Teny as Minister of Defense and General Yiey Dak in charge of Internal Intelligent Bureau and General Dhiling Keah as Military Intilligent Chief (all are cousins to Riek). This is the change Riek Machar and his family are talking about.
This is another dynasty characterised by corruption, deception, random promotion to create false hope and optimism, nepotism, tribalism, weak military and political leadership, lack of clear vision and failure of leadership. Riek and his family are using the poor SPLA-IO soldiers and the white army to fight with their bare hands and expect them to win battles. This is totally against the notion of revolutionary warfare. This myopic and destructive business of Riek must be stopped now. If allowed to continue in Upper Nile and in the entire Equatoria and Great Bhar El Ghazal, South Sudan will not see permanent peace and stability.
I choose to stand and fully support His Excellency General Taban Deng Gai, First Vice of the Republic of South Sudan because he is a leader who will invest in building bridges, not walls. Books, not weapons. Stability, not fear and terror. Peace, not chaos. Love, not hate. This is the leader the South Sudanese want in this critical time of history.
I call upon my comrades in uniform to stop following grounded leader. It is time we come to our senses and denounce violent and fully support His Excellency General Taban Deng Gai, First Vice of the Republic of South Sudan’s efforts to bring peace and reconcile the South Sudanese Community torn apart by the two and half years civil war. Without logistics, leadership, organisation and training, these brave and gallant young men and women will be turnt into bandits and highway men robbers. This will have dire consequences as we have seen in the recent kidnappings of oil workers in Mai-wut State.
I call upon all the young people especially those living in their comfort zones and are preaching war and promoting hatred and incitement to desist from doing so because it is only breading violence and deepening hatred and tribal division. Use social media to promote peace, stability, security, reconciliation and healing.
VIVA SPLM-IO VIVA
Viva Gen. Taban Deng Gai Viva
VIVA South Sudan Viva
Col. Dickson Gatluak Nyuot
Deputy Spokesperson
Office of the Commander in Chief
SPLM/SPLA-IO
Tell: +251929484417
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