Agwelek Forces in Collo Kingdom Press Release no.1

The Republic of South Sudan Press Release no.1

On behalf of Gen Johnson Olony and Agwelek forces in Collo Kingdom, Upper Nile State Malakal. Today on 15 May 2015 at 4:30PM, Agwelek forces came under heavy attack by SPLA forces together with Dinka Padang militants in two locations which are Malakal and Dolieb, south of Malakal town. Agwelek forces defeated SPLA forces with pro government Dinka Padang militants under supervision of Hon. Stephen Dheau Minister for petroleum.

Agwelek forces are now in full control of Malakal town at 8:00pm and Dolieb at 5:40PM. This fighting came as a result of deadline given by President Salva Kiir Mayardiit after the Malakal crisis of April 2015 that Gen Johnson Olony report to Juba within four(4) days and AgweleK forces must get out of Malakal town to the west of river Nile or face serious military campaign if the deadline ended without implementing the required action.

The deadline ended while Gen J.Olony was still busy moving around briefing his forces on Juba mission requested by the President Kiir through the Military headquarters in Bilpam. Consequently, Agwelek forces came under heavy gun fire attacked by SPLA forces re-enforced by Dinka Padang white army (Dinka upper Nile Militants) declaring Agwelek forces rebels. Agwelek forces under command of Gen J.Olony and other senior officers will operate as independent forces in Upper Nile State but we will be ready to work together with other opposition forces fighting tribal government of Salva Kiir for change for a better South Sudan free of tribal hatred, ethnic cleansing like the one COLLO KINGDOM is facing now since 2005 from inspection of CPA planned by Dinka Padang using President Salva Kiir. For more clarification, the current fighting in Malakal was fueled by President Salva Kiir with his government for the following reasons:

1. Attack on Brig Gen Abdullah Kur Papiti in February 2014 by Dinka Padang militants in area of Ogod behind Malakal northern part where he sustained bullet injury in his leg and the government did nothing about this incident till today.

2. Attack on Agwelek forces in the boat along the river Nile coming from renk loaded with Diesel and petrol in July 2014 committed by the same Dinka Padang militants so called white army (oil protection force). Agwelek reported the incident to the government authority and President Kiir with is tribal government did nothing to solve this problem.

3. In August 2014 in Malakal southern part was assigned to Agwelek forces, Agwelek soldier guard on patrol had been shot dead by SPLA soldier from Dinka in mechanize unit based in Dolieb and the killer run away to his station in which at last he could not be pursued for identification because of rainy season. The government of Salva Kiir did not do anything about it to bring the culprit to book.

4. In September 2014, an Agwelek soldier in the area of Asusa within Malakal town had been shot dead by SPLA soldier from Dinka suspected to be one of the body guards of Col. Mading according to sources but due to lack of evidence Gen J.Olony closed this case.

5. Attack on Brig Gen Nyagwal Ajak Deng in Renk town in Gen J.Olony military vehicle at 7:50pm on an official duty. Eighteen (18) bullets damaged the vehicle and this act was committed by Dinka Padang militants in which nothing was done by the government about it after reporting. Commissioner of Renk County in the meeting with late Gen James Bwogo said responsibility of Padang is under national security that armed them through President Salva Kiir and Hon. Stephen Dhieu although the same force is commanded by SPLA officers selected from their respective villages under Col.John Tor.

6. Attack on Major Gen James Bwogo in April 2015 around 2:30Pm with fourteen (14) other officers accompanying him in one vehicle in which eleven (11) officers killed including Maj. Gen James Bwogo and other four (4) officers who escaped with bullets wounds that are still undergoing treatment till now. In fact, they were stopped at gun point and Gen James Bwogo told his soldiers not to fight, instead he opted to talk to them as a general in good faith. They were ordered to come out from vehicle, disarmed and finally executed in cold blood. I saw the bodies with bullets on their heads making it difficult to recognize them and the committee sent from Malakal found the bodies in one place which is clear indication of execution.

Also, the same day Agwelek forces stationed at Lul Bridge Pashoda County east of the Nile came under attack in the morning hours, two Agawelek officers were killed and four others (4) wounded who are still undergoing treatment now. We received the bodies of our late officers including Gen James Bwogo, the deputy of Gen Johnson Olony and the Upper Nile governor Kun Poc said remains of our soldiers should not be brought to malakal because he did not sent them there on any mission. At the same time his information Minister Peter Hoth went on air forecas saying that fighting is between Collo Youth and Dinka Youth in area of Akoka County which is not true, the incident was in Fashoda County many miles from Akoka County.

We went ahead to bury the remains of twelve (12) officers in Wa Jwok village west across the Nile the same night and we left Gen James Bwogo remain in Malakal under responsibility of Maj. Gen Arkangelo Abango for military parade possibly the following day when senior officers from Military headquarters arrive from Juba for burial which did not happen including major Gen Arkangelo Abango who did not see the remains of his senior comrade , and even worse, did not attend the funeral to mention the least.

In these two cases nothing was done by the government despite the committee of five (5) officers which were sent from Bilpam Military Headquarters under Gen Patrick Zamoi on 5th April 2015 , although they visited the funeral place and talked to us on 7th April 2015 regarding incident.

Here, what is more disturbing is that, the government did not issue official statement regarding killing of Gen James Bwogo with other twelve (12) SPLA officers from Agwelek till today simply because they are Collo killed by Dinka militants armed by government for the same purpose.

I want to mention something for the records, in April 2015 1st Lt. Akol Akok officer from presidential guards was killed in Juba in unknown circumstances and the same government went to the press issuing statement regarding that incident simply because he is Dinka not like Gen James Bwogo who is Collo with his 12 officers.The late Gen James Bwogo went after committee sent from Malakal to the place of incident as a way of seeking peaceful solution regarding the attack on Agwelek forces in Lul Bridge by Dinka Padang Militants.

7. April 2015 incident in Malakal involving Kun Poc governor of Upper Nile State bodyguards and bodyguards of Gen Johnson Olony:

Governor bodyguards came passing by road opposite Gen J.Olony house at 9:00pm and soldiers on patrol attempted to stop them to ask who they are but the Governor's bodyguards did not stop instead they fired bullets at the patrol soldiers wounding two from Gen J.Olony side but then two were killed from the Governor side. The information about the incident reached the state security committee and they said to both parties to stay in their respective places till morning so that verification committee will go to visit the site where the incident took place.

The car of the Governor's bodyguards remained on the road passing by Gen Johnson Olony house with indicators light still on including the dead bodies where one was on the ground and the other in the car. Governor bodyguards returned at 5:00am to the incident place in defiance to the orders given by the security committee re-enforced by Lt.Gen Johnson Gony, Upper Nile State sector bodyguards, who were nuers like the Governor ones. Their intention was to remove the car and destroy the evident before the committee come for verification in the morning but Gen J.Olony bodyguards pushed them back three times exchanging intensive fire.

Lastly, around 7am, governor Kun Poc contacted Gen Arkangelo Abango for help. Gen Arkangelo did not hesitate and he went ahead instructing Dinka Padang Militants like Abochok force, Mutholom force. Some Mathiang Anyor joined the bodyguards of the two nuers leaders controlling upper Nile state with four military tanks and attacked Gen Johnson Olony bodyguards who were armed with only Ak47 plus one PKM. They were also few in numbers.

They killed most of Gen Olony's bodyguards because of military tanks and those who ran to the northern part, where SPLA Jamus force were stationed, had been killed by that force including civilians from Collo community escaping the fighting. The worst is that, they repeated the same thing the following day involving all militants from Padang in addition to first groups mobilized for war against Collo community now treated as a strategic enemy of Salva Kiir government.

In view of this situation Agwelek Leadership was left with no option except self defense. We brought two hundred soldiers across the Nile and serious fighting started in defense of our innocent soldiers being killed for the last two days and we went on each other with those soldiers.

The Dinka padang militants including decorated young Gen Arkangelo Abango madut commander of special operation in upper Nile state shortly found themselves out of town on the run leaving everything behind. Some dropped their guns and found themselves in UNMISS seeking international community protection after killing our people for the last two days. Maj. gen Arkangelo Abango decided to support the governor side instead of separating the two sides which included the bodyguards of the Sector commander Lt.Gen Johnson Gony because they were all SPLA government soldiers.Finally, Military Headquarters in Juba took side due to misleading information including the president who decided to support Gen Arkangelo Abango, Governor Kun Poc, Lt.Gen Johnson Gony and Dinka padang militants who killed Gen James Bwogo deputy of Gen Johnson Olony less than a month ago in which his case was still pending in president Kiir's office till today.

What happened then? A Military campaign by president Salva Kiir instructing that Gen Johnson Olony must report to him in Juba in four days and all Agwelek forces must get out of Malakal town and cross to the  west side of the Nile despite Gen Olony having liberated the same very town from SPLM-IO after he had been wounded at his neck in Malakal Battle in February 2014 on the government's side.

This problem dragged on for weeks without solution except the threat for a military campaign against Gen Johnson Olony with his forces that had defended the government seat in Malakal since January 2014. The government did not stop there and instead they went on mobilizing all militants from Dinka Padang , who killed Gen James Bwogo, SPLA forces all over the country, military tanks, Fighters jets and gunships being tested for weeks in Uganda even cluster bombs requested from neighboring Country for use against Agwelek forces including Collo community as part of ethnic cleansing visible to international community since January 2014 although nobody yet sees it as serious crimes amounting to crimes against humanity exercised openly in broad day light by president Kiir.

As a result of the campaign Agwelek forces were attacked by the government with their Dinka pro government militants of Padang. Agwelek forces had been pushed to a tight corner since if not for the tolerance of Gen Johnson Olony, Agwelek would have been out of the government long time back and the world must know that there is limit of what you can accept from anybody. Let the blame go to the tribal leadership who did not see us as strategic friends as soon as they felt safe. This may not be true now from the look of things in this case.

8. We have two drivers from Collo community Deng and Oleny working for UNWFP killed on the first of May 2015 between Akoka County and Pashoda County by Dinka Padang militants. We have many Collo members including SPLA soldiers killed in areas of Dinka Padang unaccounted for up to date including fishermen who cannot go for fishing for the same reason since all Dinka Padang , including underaged, got armed by President Salva Kiir in December 2013 till today .

Best regards,

By: Brig Gen Nyagwal Ajak Deng
Spokeperson for Agwelek Forces Upper Nile State, Malakal
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