Press Statement of GOSS on the Malakal Incident on 23rd February 2009

Ministry of Information and Broadcasting

Previously, Tangginyang started a fight against the SPLA in Malakal on 26th November 2006 which fitted SPLA against SAF and that caused loss of so many lives and property and he absconded to Khartoum where he continued to work for SAF as a Maj. General. Hitherto, SAF is not willing to hand over Tangginyang to face justice as repeatedly demanded by GOSS.

Tangginyang arrived in Malakal by a plane in the morning of 23rd February. He is understood to have been received in Malakal by SAF Military Intelligence. Subsequently, the Upper Nile State Security Committee convened an emergency meeting and resolved to arrest him if he does not leave Malakal voluntarily. This decision was endorsed by the Governor of Upper Nile State, who is currently in Khartoum.

Maximum efforts were exerted to persuade Tangginyang to leave Malakal since yesterday but were all in vain. This morning the Security Committee decided to arrest him. However, he decided to disobey the authorities and resisted the attempt to arrest him. His forces opened fire against the SPLA and our forces had to return fire and a fight inevitably broke out. Unfortunately, so many civilians were subsequently displaced and some innocent lives were lost, as was the case in 2006. We do not have any information about the exact number of civilian casualties at present. We believe that Tangginyang is being used by SAF as a catalyst to start another civil war in Southern Sudan. Tangginyang shall be held responsible for lost of so many innocent lives and properties.

GOSS also notes with concern that the so-called Petroleum Police clashed with the civilian population in Faloj today, hours after the incident in Malakal. We would like to seize this opportunity to condemn this barbaric act and appeal to our forces to maintain calm and practise self-restraint but to discharge their duty to protect our civilian population; maintain the rule of law; defend the CPA and to pursue the criminals.

We believe such incidents are intended to divert our attention from the real issues facing the Sudan and divide the people of the Sudan at the time we need to unite our efforts to address these thorny issues. GOSS urges SAF to hand over Tangginyang to the authorities of Upper Nile State to face justice. We must stress that any attempt to evacuate or protect Tangginyang and his accomplices will constitute a crime of harbouring and aiding criminals. We appeal to the international community to provide humanitarian assistance to the displaced civilian population in Malakal. Last but not least, we would like to assure the international community that GOSS is strongly committed to protecting the CPA at any cost.

We would like to assure our people in Malakal and Upper Nile State, the people of Southern Sudan and the Sudan at large that the Government of Southern Sudan shall take all the necessary measures to bring the current situation in Malakal to normalcy. GOSS is monitoring the situation closely with the State authorities and the UN and will take further appropriate measures to get the situation completely under control. We will update the public as soon as further information becomes available.

Thank you.
Gabriel Changson Chang
Minister of Information and Broadcasting