Yakani urges gov’t to cajole feuding SPLA-IO splinter groups to ‘handshake’

The Community Empowerment Progress Organization (CEPO called on the national government not to turn a deaf year to the fighting in Upper Nile State.

 CEPO Executive Director, Edmund Yakani, urged the government to join efforts with regional and international actors to stop the conflict between Kitgwang generals, Simon Gatwech and Johnson Olony.

Yakani said the ongoing armed conflict between SPLA-IO splinters in some parts of Upper Nile State has escalated and something needs to be done to prevent further loss of lives.

He told the City Review in an audio clip that the fighting between Simon Gatwech and Johnson Olony forces is extremely lethal, with civilians being targeted.

“Silence on the ongoing violence between Simon Gatwech’s forces and Johnson Olony’s forces will be completely a national discrimination to the citizens who are under threat or attack due to the clashes between Gatwech and Olony,” he said.

Yakani has urged the Intergovernmental Authority for Development to intervene immediately to stop the outbreak of violence.

“At the very least, the IGAD leadership should intervene in this particular situation if there is reluctance coming from Juba because there is a need to mention the names of the sponsors behind the forces of Gatwech and Olony because they cannot continue regular military confrontation if they do not have internal sponsors,” he claimed.

Gatwech and Olony have had strained relations since August 2022 leading to military combat.