SSDM/A NOMINATED LT. GEN. PETER CHOL AWAN AS CHAIRMAN AND C-IN-C
January 6, 2012 (SSNA) — On January, 1st, 2012, the National Liberation Council (NLC) of SSDM/A managed to start the democratic process to nominate the Chairman and C-in-C of the Movement after the assassination of Lt. Gen. George Athor Deng in Uganda on December, 18, 2011. All members of NLC who were in different frontlines managed to gather in Pigi to nominate the successor.
Since the start of the deliberations, three candidates came forward as possible successors. On January, 5, 2012, the NLC democratically elected Lt. Gen. Peter Chol Awan as the Chairman and C-in-C of the Movement. After the conclusion of the process, members of the NLC and the field commanders of the Movement paid tribute to martyr George Athor who was assassinated by Ugandan President Yuweri Kaguta Museveni. The attendees beat their chests that they would punish Museveni in the near future.
Lt. Gen. Peter Kuol is a graduate of Nairobi University in Theology and Social Work. He is a very experienced fighter and a shrewd politician who has been tested in the field. His political experience and military capabilities are seen as assets to liberate the people of South Sudan from corruption lords in Juba. After winning the democratic vote, he addressed the NLC and said that he would not let down the vision of our martyr George Athor. He urged the people of South Sudan to unite behind the South Sudan revolutionary forces who are fighting to liberate the South from small clique of criminals who exploit the masses by stealing the resources of the poor South Sudanese. He vowed that he would fight for liberty, justice and democracy.
The NLC of SSDM/A approved the initiative to form a coalition with SSLM/A, NDF, SSDF and SSPLM/SSPLA to liberate the South by totally destroying the corrupt cabal in Juba that is looting oil money. The solution for the liberation of the South lies in the barrel of a gun. After the assassination of Martyr George Athor, there will be no more peace talks with Salva Kiir and his corruption syndicate. Total liberation of the South, through the use of AK-47, is the only option to free our people from abject poverty imposed from Juba.
We would like to inform the media that the SSDM/A is not negotiating with the Jonglei State government nor Salva Kiir. It came to our attention that the government of Kuol Manyang is spreading lies in the media that it is negotiating with soldiers of our Movement. That information is a blatant lie which has no grain of salt. The Jonglei government may be talking to members of Gawaar white army and called them our forces to deceive the international community and the people of South Sudan.
We are in a position to alert the people of South Sudan not to imbibe lies emanating from Bor town because they were designed for mass deception. SSDM/A will never negotiate with either Kuol Manyang or Salva Kiir. Our objective is a regime change in Juba and it would be realized through the barrel of a gun. We don’t see any other option besides the use of a gun after Museveni cowardly assassinated of Lt. Gen. George Athor.
The SSDM/A calls upon South Sudan civilians to avoid visiting Malakal and Bor towns. Our forces will launch operation revenging the killing of Athor by attacking Salva Kiir’s garrisons in Bor and Malakal. Therefore, all civilians should avoid going near military barracks in Jonglei and Upper Nile States. The war in this year will be very ugly. This will involve surgical operations inside Juba town itself. We therefore advise civilians in Juba to avoid going out after 6 pm in the town. It is very important that the civilians avoid residence of Salva Kiir and all government buildings.
The SSDM/A requests all the diplomats to withdraw their personnel in Juba for their own safety because operation revenging the killing of Athor will also take place in Juba. Any diplomat that wants to be safe should leave Juba before the end of this month.