SPLA Urges Athor To Reconcile With Regional Army

11 February 2011 - (Juba) – The SPLA says it is ready to reconcile with the renegade General George Athor in order to have peace in southern Sudan.

Speaking to SRS in Juba on Thursday, SPLA spokesperson Colonel Philip Aguer urged General George Athor to reconcile with GOSS and rejoin the SPLA for the sake of peace and development in he region.

[Philip Aquer]: “The SPLA is still committed to peace and reconciliation. The only thing we need as people of southern Sudan is peace and development. We are fed up of these wars and we call again upon our comrades to listen to voices of reconciliation, and we continue with the process of reconciliation that was initiated by our president who issued amnesty to everybody. We are still committed to the ceasefire and let him stop attacking SPLA position and planting mines.”

Before defecting from the SPLA, General George Athor served as the SPLA deputy chief of staff for political and moral orientation.

On January 5th, the SPLA and George Athor’s delegations in Juba signed a ceasefire agreement to pave way for reconciliation and reintegration of his group into the SPLA.

Both the SPLA and Athor’s rebel group accused each other of instigating violence in Fangak area, Jonglei state on Wednesday through Thursday morning that left 16 militants dead and others wounded.