The leader of the opposition rebel movement of the United Democratic Revolutionary Army (UDRM/A) of South Sudan, Thomas Tut Doap Jick, announced on Sunday his intention to join the faction of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM-IG). under the Presidency of Salva Kiir.
In a statement collected by the Sudan’s Post portal, Doap resigns from both his group and the South Sudan Opposition Movements Alliance (SSOMA) and the Non-Signatory South Sudan Opposition Groups (NSSSOG) in a new episode of existing internal dissensions within the fragmented armed opposition movements in the country.
South Sudan has a unity government that began after the materialization of the peace agreement signed in 2018 by the president, Salva Kiir, and the rebel leader Riek Machar, who was reappointed to the position he held before the war civil. Among the main pending issues is the unification of the security forces, scheduled for November.
Negotiations for the unification of the security forces have been plagued by persistent disputes between the parties over the allocation of representation ratios and resources. In addition, the parties to the agreement have also failed to meet the deadlines set for fundamental reforms and the establishment of transitional bodies.
The South Sudanese authorities signed a new political ‘road map’ in early August that extends the transition period by two years, which means that the African country will not hold elections in February 2023, as planned, given which are postponed until December 2024.
“In an exercise of the powers vested in me by Almighty God, the Creator of Heaven and Earth, I, Thomas Tut Doap Jick, President and Commander-in-Chief of the UDRM/A, hereby declare my withdrawal from all policy of opposition, effective from the date of signing this letter,” according to the note.
Tut Doap wished his former colleagues success in finding permanent solutions to their grievances with the government and “all the best in finding friendly solutions to the current political turmoil in our country.”
Reacting to the defection of the rebel leader, Colonel Philip Deng Kuol, military spokesman for the South Sudan United Front/Army (SSUF/A) led by General Paul Malong Awan Anei and a member of the NSSOG, has assured that the defection of Doap will not affect the opposing alliance.
“Tut Doap’s departure affects and never will affect the NSSSOG. Politics sometimes reacts to individual decisions and reading of events. If Tut chooses to return to the SPLM, whose only known achievement is the failure of its leadership, let him go.” .
“The SSOMA and the NSSSOG will continue to look to the future to achieve the projected objectives of South Sudan,” according to the response statement collected by the same medium.
