Six Rebel Factions Names Athor President of Coalition Council

29 April 2011

Wau — A coalition of six rebel factions on Friday named renegade General George Athor as president of the newly formed council, saying the body would serve as an entity for strategic planning and organisation of the unified operations.

The council also selected Abdel Bagi Ayii Akol as vice chairman and named Peter Gadet secretary of defence. Other members of the council include Gatluak Gai as chief of general staff and deputy secretary for operations and Bol Gatkuoth Kol as secretary of foreign affairs and official spokesman of the council.

Speaking in an interview with Sudan Tribune from undisclosed location inside Sudan on Friday, Abiel Riing Mijak, a senior member of the rebel movement, confirmed the formation of what he said was transitional council and that George Athor was unanimously selected to the chair unopposed, the same to his deputy, Abdel Bagi Ayii.

‘Yes, it is true. The council has been formed. It was formed on Wednesday 27 April, 2011″, said Abiel, adding that there were suggestions and discussion over the last three months to form a coordination command council.

“There have been suggestions and discussions for the last one month to form a body which would control central command and strategic planning and develop clear and unified policies to guide operation of various movements. This has now been formed. The chairman and the vice have been unanimously appointed. General George Athor and General Abdel Bagi Ayii Akol were selected to lead the transitional period of the coalition of movement”, said Abiel.

The senior member of the rebel movement said they are ready and open for talks with the Government of South Sudan should the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) respond to the call for peaceful settlement of the post-election differences. “We have never rejected any proposal to settle our differences. We have always shown willingness to talk with the Government of South Sudan. We have never rejected any proposal to end the conflict in the area”, said Abiel

However, Atem Biar, a senior member of the South Sudan’s governing party, the SPLM, in a separate interview with Sudan Tribune, from Juba, said that Athor was not being direct.

“There is no time to waste with Athor and his like now. They do not need peace. What they say in the media is not what they do.They do the opposite”, said Atem, explaining that Athor used the amnesty offered by the South Sudan president, Salva Kiir Mayardit, last year, to recruit and attack.

“They are criminals who have killed innocent people because of power. They used amnesty offered by the president to recruit and kill innocent people. They used amnesty as weakness of the government to raise unnecessary demands thinking that they had power”, explained Atem, rejecting proposals to negotiate with the rebels.

AllAfrica – All the Time