

South Sudan: Sudan People’s Liberation Movement – In Opposition (SPLM-IO) – Lakes State-Rubek – SPLM-IO in Lakes State Condemns Bombardment of Civilians, Unlawful Detentions and Ugandan Intervention (23.03.2025)














“Even if you are a Dinka and you follow the same path, I will call you a terrorist” – Vice President Dr. Benjamin Bol Mel (18.03.2025).
It’s like some people never learns and never considers the implications of their words or actions for that matter. The newly minted Vice President Dr. Benjim Bol Mel. The planned successor of President Salva Kiir Mayardit is speaking out of pocket. His implying and stating his opinions at the burial of the assassinated General Majur Dak Thel. As was there to mourn and celebrate the life lived. However, his speech was a war-cry and a sign of what to come.
This man will hold no prisoners. The VP will use force and willing wage war. That from a government running on shaky-ground and speed running the end of the R-ARCSS. As the modalities and the structure of R-ARCSS is altered in a way, which the different stakeholders are losing ground to SPLM-IG. The IO is stripped of power and having high ranking leaders detained. Therefore, this recent speech at the burial isn’t making things better either. The ones celebrating this… is dancing on the graves and the possibility of more war.
One funeral that can become plenty more. This one here is a tragedy and possible start of prolonged agony. As the VP is direct and doesn’t save anyone.
Just read these quotes…
“Riek Machar should give the orders to IO forces to move if we need peace. Riek Machar should denounce the White Army, stating that they are not part of his IO. I also asked the international community to tell Riek Machar to remove that title, Commander in Chief of the IO. There should be only one Commander in Chief of the armed forces”(VP Bol Mel, 18.03.2025).
“The government of South Sudan is fighting terrorists under the leadership of Dr. Riek Machar Teny unless he denounces the White Army. The international community should help us fight terrorism. I know U.S president Donald J Trump will listen to us” (VP Bol Mel, 18.03.2025).
This here isn’t a sign of mediation, listening to grievances or any sort of consideration of why the Nuer Youth took to arms and didn’t think the Transitional Government would listen to them. We are seeing why they knew this government wouldn’t listen or care about it. That signs are there and now it is complete. Yes, the Naath White Army escalated things and took it a bit to far. However, the Transitional Government could have tried to reign it in and had a third-party to intervene on its behalf for a peaceful mediation. Instead it has decided to hire the UPDF as its mercenaries and burn villages to the ground to prove a point. Let Nasir County and others go into ashes and call it a night. That’s what the VP Bol Mel and others support, as they are speaking of civilians and citizens as terrorists, instead of considering their cause and the reason why they took up arms.
This is what J1 and the VP is missing. They are blaming IO and have no credible evidence of coordinated efforts between IO and the Naath White Army. Neither is there any good news coming from the battlefield. As the UPDF and SSPDF are fine with usage of chemical weapons on civilians and the area itself. That is the sort of measure the state and their allies are seeing fit. They don’t mind burning people to death. Just to settle a score and harm a county and state for decades to come. This sort of affair will be part of the history and tales for decades to come. As everyone will talk and discuss the ones behind it all. They will be known for their orders and why they issued it. As the death, the ones mourning and everyone else will remember these culprits and the ones had no trouble causing this massive amount of death.
There should have been talks and been negotiations. There should have been village elders and others who could have had sit-downs with the youth. J1 and the Transitional Government should have picked other measures and means. Even tried to understand the sentiment and reasons for why they took to arms. That’s what a reasonable government does…
Nevertheless, the VP Bol Mel and J1 are more concerned about their entitlement and pride, than the lives who is taken in Nasir County. That is evident. The smoke, the fire and destruction is done on their watch. This is their war. Peace.



“After a thorough assessment of the credibility and composition of the Mechanisms, Political and Security environment of the Peace Implementation Mechanisms, and after wide consultation, all the participation of the members of the said Security and Political mechanisms is hereby frozen with immediate effect until all the SPLM/SPLA-IO Political Detainees are unconditionally released. The Members of the said Mechanism shall only attend RJMEC Plenary Sessions to affirm the unconditional release of their colleagues. We hold the SPLM-IG their security apparatus responsible for the safety and life of all detainees.” (Oyet Nathaniel Pierino, 17.03.2025).
It is now clear that J1 are soon very lonely in the Transitional Government, as the state has targeted the SPLM-IO. The SPLM-IG has decided this and blamed the SPLM-IO for the Naath White Army. Alas, now the acts of the authorities, the army and the President backfires. As the tension between Dr. Riek Machar and President Salva Kiir Mayardit is in the air.
The SPLM-IO is becoming an outside entity until the Transitional Government meets the needs of the IO. The IO is now addressing the state of affairs and willingly to cease operating within the various mechanisms and state organizations it’s a part of. This is endangering the R-ARCSS and the whole process of the transitional agreement. The lacking implementation and slow work on it, just shows how IO and IG have personalized the state. The Presidential Decrees and appointments haven’t built the state either. That’s why we are here in 2025.
Just read this…
“We also state clearly that the failure by the government of South Sudan to provide protection to life and property to all citizens of South Sudan has resulted in proliferation and establishment of community vigilantes including Tit-bai, Gel-weng, Agwelek, Abushok, White army, monyamiji, Arrow Boys, etc. Profiling the White army and declaring war by mobilizing state political, military and diplomatic machinery is tantamount to further a “state policy of targeting members of a group”. We call upon the African Union, United Nations, Troika, European Union and IGAD Partners Forum and the C5 Countries to protect civilians in South Sudan and reject the call by the government spokesperson to profile an ethnic group, and we also call upon you to visit the African Union Commission Report on South Sudan (The Obasanjo Report) and hold the government and individual committing atrocities and Human Rights Violations in South Sudan to account” (Oyet Nathaniel Pierino, 17.03.2025).
The SPLM-IO withdrawal and pulling out of the mechanisms are bad enough in itself. The last time there was need for mediation and a new security agreement between the IO and IG. Something similar will most likely happen again. Unless Kiir thinks UPDF can cover for him and be his guardian. We are seeing his willing to use these forces to defend the nation for him. The IG is attacking civilians and using the UPDF as their mercenaries. That isn’t making the uprising and the rise of the Naath White Army stopped. The state must address this in another way, but we only see more guns and advanced weaponry.
The IG should be concerned and worried about the state of affairs. As it now in dire straits, the IO leaving the R-ARCSS and mechanisms isn’t just stalling the peace process… but questioning the reasoning and acts of the IG. That is the reality… and J1 needs to reflect on his ways and why things are going in this direction. Therefore, the leadership in Juba needs to change and also listen to people, the warfare and the usage of force won’t settle things. It will only cause more conflict and harm, which is what we see in regard to Naath White Army. Peace.



The assassination of General David Majur Dak has consequences, the assassination of him on the 7th March 2025 has now severe retaliation. The Naath White Army killing the General and showing fierce force is now answered. That was a signal of war and not single skirmishes.
This let the J1 get the word of the affair and handled things differently. That’s when President Salva Kiir Mayardit went to allies and friends in Kampala for help. Juba getting the Uganda People’s Defence Force (UPDF) to step into the battlefield and answer on behalf of the South Sudan People’s Defence Force (SSPDF). As there was army commanders of the SSPDF and others who didn’t want to get deployed to the Upper Nile State and retaliate against it.
Now we see the reasons for it, as the Nasir County is burning. The chemical weaponry and the usage of inflammable bombs that burns the villages and people. There is estimation of 20 people dying because of the bombs. The Antonovs are flying in the sky and dropping these lethal weapons on them. As the Naath White Army doesn’t have a counter-attack or any ability to fight against on land. The advanced and aerial superiority is giving the forces in support of J1 all the benefits, but it isn’t able to target specific ones or even directly at the ones who could be culprits of assassination. No, this is making everyone a target and making sure the whoever resides there suffer.
Today the Warlords of the Republic is giddy. The grievances and lack of process or due diligence doesn’t matters. The bombs and mercenaries on behalf of the government are answering the pleas of the President. The J1 is willing to bomb his own citizens and do so to settle the score. This is revenging and letting anyone know that his willing to kill them all. If they step out of line and tries to challenge it. That is what is happening here.
The SPLM and the Transitional Government could have responded in different manner. It could have tried to mediate and even get foreign envoys to interfere. To see if there was any way the Naath White Army could speak and listen to their rebellion. Now the whole rebellion and the whole areas is hit as a fact. That is just signalling to the citizens and the ones whose fighting in the Naath White Army that the central government, the government that represents them has abounded them and is willing to kill them all.
The UPDF is just following orders and are doing their mission. They are the “silent guardians” who are bombing and intends to do the bidding of Kiir. That’s because the President and his government cannot handle this alone. They need foreign proxies to partake and do the merciless acts of killing own civilians. Just to ensure the demise and total annihilation of the Naath White Army. That’s why Nasir County is burning.
J1 doesn’t want to listen or wondered why the rebellion started at all. No, he rather go to war and issue more conflict. That is the works of a Warlord and not an elderly statesman. It just shows who Kiir is and who his aligned with. He rather have the call of Kampala, than trying to negotiate or talk to the ones that took to arms. Because the Youth of Upper Nile State knows there is no other channels to get the message across to Kiir. Kiir only listens to bullets and violence. If it isn’t that. He will just eat and enjoy the spoils of office.
We are now seeing Nasir County burning… this fire is only starting. There is more lives at stake, but we know the J1 won’t mourn them. No, the J1 will only be resolute when the Naath White Army is demilitarized and is leaving their weapons behind. However, if they do so… then they will suffer again and this time there will only be ashes. As we see today.
As the Antonov planes are hovering in the sky and dropping their lethal loads on unarmed civilians. That’s where the Republic is and this is how the liberators pays the citizens back. Peace.

