Addis Ababa, August 16 (SSNA) — A South Sudanese news editor has harshly criticized the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-In Opposition (SPLM-IO) over what he described as “flawed” peace deal, saying the armed opposition lacks the means to bring about the much-needed reforms to the country.
Duop Chak Wuol, the editor-in-chief of the South Sudan News Agency (SSNA), says the Khartoum’s power-sharing deal is good only if it would end the ongoing war and restore togetherness among South Sudanese. In his recent article, “SPLM-IO’s flawed peace strategy,” which was widely published by nearly all South Sudanese media outlets from August 10-11, Duop lashed out at the armed opposition leadership, accusing the SPLM-IO of betraying the wills of the people.
“It is baffling to see the leadership of the SPLM-IO abandoning demands of the people by accepting a deal which embraces Salva Kiir’s ruthlessness. If this peace ends the conflict, it will be good for the country. But the irony is that it will still maintain Kiir’s tyranny because the SPLM-IO parliamentarians will have no means to limit his grip on power,” Duop wrote.
“So, the notion that reforms will be done after the SPLM-IO rejoined the government is a pure fantasy,” he added.
Known for his critical and prolific writings, Duop recently became “too critical against the SPLM-IO” as some SPLM-IO’s high-ranking described.
“Duop is one of the top writers the SPLM-IO would never want to lose. We understand what he recently told us even though other issues involved in this peace process are too complex,” Mary Ademga, who refused to elaborate further told the South Sudan News Agency in Ethiopia’s capital, Addis Ababa, on Friday morning.
One of Duop’s former high school’s leaders echoes the same view.
“Let me tell you something. I was one of Duop teachers in high school in Ethiopia. I can tell you that Duop was an exceptionally intelligence young man. He was too quiet, collaborated with all his colleagues, teachers, and never disappointed anyone,” Simon Duop, one of the Evangelists with a Church Duop once attended in Duop’s hometown, Pagak.
The South Sudan News Agency understands that Duop Chak Wuol and Simon Duop hailed from the same, town, Pagak.
The SSNA also understands that those who have a huge influence on Duop’s educational background are Alula Getachew, Younes Kang, Tom, Simon Gatbel, Ato Yien, Bichiok Guandong, Beniam Gebrikiros, Budhayou Lemma, Addissu Zen, Kebede Lula, Gerald, Ninip Puok, Simon Deng, among others.
This South Sudan News Agency also knows that Duop sat in a grade eight examination as a Sudanese refugee in Ethiopia and was given a scholarship to study in a high school in Keffa region in Ethiopia after he scored a high Grade Point Average.