South Sudan People’s Movement/Army Chairman Gen. Stephen Buay Rolnyang condemned recent statements by Agwelek militia commander Olony Thabo that called for violence against civilians, including children and the elderly, according to a statement released to The Juba Mirror Newsroom,
In the statement, the SSPM/A said Olony’s remarks were delivered to fighters en route to the Lou Nuer areas and explicitly urged the killing of civilians, the destruction of property and the slaughter of livestock. The movement described the comments as a grave incitement to violence and a clear violation of international humanitarian law.
The SSPM/A said Olony’s statements demonstrate a disregard for the principles of distinction and proportionality that govern lawful military conduct. It described him as an untrained, pro-government militia leader operating without recognized knowledge of the laws of armed conflict.
According to the statement, the rhetoric risks inflaming ethnic tensions and fueling tribal conflict, which the movement said serves the interests of a regime attempting to conceal governance failures by pitting South Sudanese communities against one another.
The SSPM/A emphasized that the Nuer people, like all South Sudanese, have an inherent right to self-defense and a long history of resilience. Any attempt to threaten their existence or force them from their land is unacceptable and will be resisted, the statement said, citing past failed attempts to subjugate the Lou Nuer.
The movement called on opposition forces to remain focused on what it described as the primary objective of national regime change and warned against being drawn into a tribal war. It accused the government of attempting to provoke conflict by using armed civilians from other communities to confront opposition forces.
The SSPM/A also urged armed individuals, particularly from the Dinka and Shilluk communities, to refuse participation in what it described as a manufactured conflict between opposition forces and the regime.
“This is not your war,” the statement said. “Do not allow yourselves to be used as instruments of a divisive and failing government.”
The SSPM/A reaffirmed its commitment to a united South Sudan, the protection of civilians regardless of ethnicity, and the pursuit of a just and sustainable political solution.
