Juba, November 24, 2015 (SSNA) — Former Western Equatoria State’s information minister, Charles Barnaba Kisanga, on Tuesday announced his armed rebellion against South Sudan’s government. Kisanga said that Salva kiir’s government has been systematically killings innocent people in an attempt to build a “tribal kingdom.”
The Former Minister who is well respected in his home state disclosed that the ‘Arrow Boys,” a well-known group of armed young boys mainly from Western Equatoria led by Major General Alfred Futiyo Karaba and that they have asked him to lead their new rebel movement, the South Sudan People’s Patriotic Front (SSPPF). Arrow Boys say they have been fighting against Kiir’s oppressive government. Kisanga also says South Sudanese government has killed too many citizens of Western Equatoria State and accuses Kiir of pursuing a “tribal agenda.”
“The Arrow Boys who have been fighting and resisting tyranny and oppression in Western Equatoria (under the command of Major General Alfred Futiyo Karaba) would like to declare solemnly this day that they have selected Eng. Charles Barnaba Kisanga, as chairman, to lead them to victory in their struggle against the oppressive tribal regime in Juba,” the statement reads in part.
“The armed struggle and leadership of the Arrow Boys had existed for a long time even before December 2013, but due to the arbitrarily killings by the tribal regime which is trying to destroy leadership from all other tribes in order to build a tribal kingdom minus other tribes, we had to be extra cautious to protect our leaders and build the movement silently until it was a power to reckon with like now,” the document further asserted.
A few hours after Kisanga posted his rebellion on his Facebook’s wall on Tuesday, the South Sudan News Agency (SSNA) sent him a message, requesting for an interview. The former WES information minister simply responded by saying “Am working on getting one soon.”
In the document, the Western Equatoria State-based rebel group proclaims that it has forged an alliance with South Sudanese rebels under the leadership of Dr. Riek Machar and that they will work to depose Kiir’s regime.
The newly elected SSPPF Chairman further warned that “cost of long term dictatorship and tribal regime will be much higher than the cost of freeing the people of south Sudan from tribal dictatorship once for all.”
The SSPPF (Arrow Boys) added it is going to join its forces with the armed forces of the SPLM/A-IO to remove ‘clique regime of Salva Kiir’ and bring real freedom and democracy to violence-ravaged young nation.
The new armed faction also stated that it is concerned about the way the IGAD-Plus and other international players have been handling the peace process. The SSPPF accuses the international community of trying to keep a “dictator” in power.
In May, Kisanga warned of an uprising against the government if Kiir’s government failed to stop bad elements of the SPLA’s soldiers who keep harassing, torturing, detaining, and killing innocent civilians in the Greater Equatoria region.
Kisanga, who is also an Engineer by profession and former Secretary General of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-Democratic Change (SPLM-DC), says he is committed to find a peaceful and lasting solution to the raging civil war and declared Kiir as a tyrant who must be oust militarily.