South Sudan's English Daily Newspaper
"We Dare where others fear"
By Jenifer James
The Governor of Upper Nile State Governor Gen. James Koang Chuol On Tuesday, officially welcomed a group of defectors from the Sudan People’s Liberation Army-In Opposition (SPLA-IO), led by Major General James Kong Wiew.
The defectors announced their decision to join the South Sudan People’s Defence Forces (SSPDF), which leaders described as a significant step toward achieving lasting peace in the region.
Governor James hailed the move as both courageous and timely. “This is a bold and correct decision that you have made today,” Gen. Koang said during his address.
“We welcome you with open arms because peace cannot be achieved without unity. We urge you to reach out to your colleagues who are still hesitant and encourage them to join the SSPDF so that peace can truly prevail in our state.”
He emphasized that, despite the current challenges facing Upper Nile, peace must remain the ultimate goal. “We have suffered long enough. The people of this state deserve peace, stability, and development. Let us move forward in the right direction, regardless of the obstacles we may face,” he added.
Meanwhile, Major General James Majok Chan, the SSPDF commander of Division Two, also commended the defectors for their decision.
“We appreciate this group for their courage and for choosing peace. We have received clear directives from our SSPDF leadership that our doors remain open to all who seek peace and wish to join the national army,” Chan said.
Speaking on behalf of the defecting group, Maj. Gen. James Kong Wiew affirmed that their actions were motivated by a desire to uphold peace rather than reignite conflict in the country.
“The reason we defected is simple,” Kong said. “The SPLA-IO leadership chose the path of war, but we refuse to drag this country back into violence. Our people have suffered enough. We believe in peace and national unity.”
Earlier last month, there were defections from the SPLA-IO in various parts of South Sudan to the SSPDF; this occurred immediately after the commander, who is the first vice president, was placed under house arrest in Juba.
