Link to web article here.

December 1, 2013 (JUBA) - South Sudan appears to be split over the integration of former rebel groups in the young nation’s military, after president Salva Kiir appointed prominent rebel leaders to senior positions last week.

Former rebel leader, Johnson Uliny, talks to the press upon arrival at Juba International Airport 13 June 2013 (Bonifacio Taban/ST)

The country’s military, the SPLA, is also a former rebel group that signed a peace deal with the government of Sudan in 2005 leading to southern independence in 2011.

Following months of negotiations Kiir appointed the leaders of a series of rebel groups from various locations - mainly the Greater Upper Nile region - into the regular army last week.

Kiir made Bapiny Monytuil a lieutenant General and Johnson Uliny, with four other colleagues, Major Generals, while ordering the full integration of them and their forces. In the same order on Monday 25 November Kiir named six other brigadier generals.

Another order was issued on Friday 29 November, integrating Gabriel Tanginye as a Major General and Thomas Mabor Dhol as a Brigadier General. Gatwec Joak was made a Colonel.

The move has drawn widespread opposition from within the army and the general public, with some senior officers questioning the army is serious about security sector reform.

David Yauyau, who is fighting the SPLA from his base in Pibor county, accepted Kiir’s amnesty and signed a deal in June 2011 that saw him promoted to the position of General despite being a civilian before starting his insurgency in 2010 when he failed to win a seat in the Jonglei state legislative assembly.

However, Yauyau rebelled again in April 2012 complaining that despite his title he was not given any real responsibilities. The cycle of rebellions and groups splintering from the SPLA only to be reintegrated and the leaders given senior positions predates the 2005 peace and secession from Sudan in 2011.

Nonetheless many South Sudanese do not approve of such pragmatism, with some arguing that such appointments encourage rebellions.

Sabit Marier, a member of the ruling SPLM - the political wing of the SPLA during the two decade civil war - said on Sunday that the rebels had achieved nothing apart from the "killing their own people".

Rather then being offered senior military posts, he argued, the rebel leaders should "should be held responsible for all the atrocities they committed" and not be rewarded.

"This action of the president will encourage more rebellion", Marier said.

Marier said the recent decision of the president goes against Kiir’s policy of lean government integrating the rebel forces will greatly increase the size of the armed forces.

Many SPLA generals were retired earlier this year as Kiir attempted to trim the size of the military to save money during an oil transit fee dispute with Sudan that was crippling South Sudan’s economy.

Increasing the size of the SPLA, Marier said, will affect the national budget as more will be spent on soldier’s salaries rather than providing institutions with funds to deliver services.

A senior military officer who wished to remain anonymous, said that some soldiers have registered repeated complaints about lack the lack of promotions from within the ranks.

"Sometimes it makes difficult for us in the command to convince junior officers and non-commission officers because, according to the conventional system, junior officers move faster than senior officers. It takes three to four years for officers with the ranks of lieutenants and captains and about six to eight years for major and lieutenant colonels to go to the other ranks but it has taken long time. We have groups of officers and soldiers waiting commissioning and promotions", he said.

Another officer said that although Kiir, as the SPLA’s commander in chief, was acting within his powers and mandate to promote peace and defend the country’s sovereignty and security, he felt that there could have been a better balance of promotions from with the SPLA and from the ranks of the former rebels.

"Current ranks are seen as source of money instead of the value of service to the country. I tell you that most of the current commanders cannot run a company when given [an] assignment. Some of them desert assignments during operations pretending that they are sick", an officer who did not want to be identified told Sudan Tribune on Sunday.

"So why not commission long serving non commission officers and young officers who have demonstrated ability?", he asked.
(ST)