Armed civilians not part of SPLA-IO, says Col Lam Paul

Armed civilians not part of SPLA-IO, says Col Lam Paul
Col Lam Paul Gabriel, the SPLA-IO spokesperson. [Photo: courtesy]

The Army Spokesperson of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement/Army in Opposition (SPLM/A IO) has appealed to the public not to mistake armed civilians for forces loyal to First Vice Riek Machar.

Col Lam Paul Gabriel was responding to what he termed a “public misconception” that assumes that every armed youth is a member of the SPLM/A IO’.

In an interview with the City Review yesterday, Gabriel clarified that the recent fighting in Pigi was between Agwelek forces and armed youth; not SPLM/A-IO. He said that the youth who engaged pro-Johnson Olony forces were not allies of the opposition movement.

“You know very well that the civilians in Upper Nile are properly armed, and that is why they defend themselves. They cannot be linked to political parties; that is not fair… “Not all armed civilians are SPLM/A IO forces,” Lam said.

“This is what I have been telling people when the white army is defending its territory, the white army is not the SPLM/A-IO,” he added.

According to Col Lam Paul, the White Army fighting Olony’s group are the youth who control and protect their territories.

“The clashes between the Agwelek forces and the youth do not involve the SPLM-IO,” he said.  

He appealed to the citizens not to politicise the matter, saying the youth were defending their territories against any army group.

“The youth defend their territories from any forces, including the SPLM/A-IO, you cannot mess in areas they control because they will harass you and they will respond immediately, whether you are from the SPLA-IO or whether you are from Agwelek; they defend their territory,” he said.  

He said that the SPLA-IO does not have forces fighting the Agwelek in the Upper Nile and the Pigi in Jonglei.

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