The South Sudan Liberation Movement (SSLM) is an armed group that operates in the
Upper Nile Region of
South Sudan
South Sudan (; din, Paguot Thudän), officially the Republic of South Sudan ( din, Paankɔc Cuëny Thudän), is a landlocked country in East Africa. It is bordered by Ethiopia, Sudan, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of the C ...
. The group's creation was announced in November 1999 by people of the
Nuer Nuer may refer to:
* Nuer people
* Nuer language
The Nuer language (Thok Naath) ("people's language") is a Nilotic language of the Western Nilotic group. It is spoken by the Nuer people of South Sudan and in western Ethiopia (region of Gamb ...
ethnicity who were in both the rebel
Sudan People's Liberation Army
The South Sudan People's Defence Forces (SSPDF), formerly the Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA), is the army of the South Sudan, Republic of South Sudan. The SPLA was founded as a guerrilla movement against the government of Sudan in 198 ...
(SPLA) and the government-allied
South Sudan Defence Forces
The South Sudan People's Defence Forces (SSPDF), formerly the Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA), is the army of the Republic of South Sudan. The SPLA was founded as a guerrilla movement against the government of Sudan in 1983 and was a ...
(SSDF) gathered in
Waat
Waat is a village in the northeastern part of South Sudan. It is located in Nyirol County, Jonglei State
Jonglei State is a state of South Sudan with Bor as its centre of government and the biggest city. Jonglei state comprises nine counties ...
. The SSLM was declared to be unaligned in the
Second Sudanese Civil War
The Second Sudanese Civil War was a conflict from 1983 to 2005 between the central Sudanese government and the Sudan People's Liberation Army. It was largely a continuation of the First Sudanese Civil War of 1955 to 1972. Although it originate ...
, then entering its sixteenth year. The name "South Sudan Liberation Movement" was decided upon the next year,
borrowing from the earlier Southern Sudan Liberation Movement, which existed in the 1980s.
Background
The SSLM was formed in the context of widespread factional fighting among the Western Nuer ethnic group of
Unity, South Sudan
Unity State, also known as Western Upper Nile, is a state in South Sudan. Unity state is in the Greater Upper Nile region. Unity is inhabited predominantly by two ethnic groups: the Nuer majority, and the Dinka minority.
In 2015, a presidentia ...
, who had signed a peace treaty with the government on 21 April 1997. The pro-government SSDF militia, comprising a large number of Nuer, had divided into warring factions led by
Riek Machar
Dr. Riek Machar Teny Dhurgon (born 26 November 1952) is a South Sudanese politician who serves as the First Vice President of South Sudan.
Political life
In February 2020, Machar was re-sworn in as first vice president following a revitalised ...
and
Paulino Matip. As Riek was being defeated, opposing government-aligned militias attacked civilians around the oilfields in
South Sudan
South Sudan (; din, Paguot Thudän), officially the Republic of South Sudan ( din, Paankɔc Cuëny Thudän), is a landlocked country in East Africa. It is bordered by Ethiopia, Sudan, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of the C ...
, causing a stream of Nuer refugees to flee towards SPLA-controlled
Bahr al-Ghazal for protection. At least two previously pro-government Nuer militias aligned themselves with the SPLA, while the few Nuer loyal to the politically weakened Riek began to abandon the government's cause. The fact that Nuer refugees were being protected by the
Dinka
The Dinka people ( din, Jiɛ̈ɛ̈ŋ) are a Nilotes, Nilotic ethnic group native to South Sudan with a sizable diaspora population abroad. The Dinka mostly live along the Nile, from Jonglei to Renk, South Sudan, Renk, in the region of Bahr el Gh ...
-dominated SPLA led to an unusual conference in
Wunlit, sponsored by the
New Sudan Council of Churches
New is an adjective referring to something recently made, discovered, or created.
New or NEW may refer to:
Music
* New, singer of K-pop group The Boyz (South Korean band), The Boyz
Albums and EPs
* New (album), ''New'' (album), by Paul McCartn ...
and the safety of which was guaranteed by the SPLA. Groups of Western Nuer and Dinka from
Tonj
Tonj is a city in South Sudan.
Location
The city is located in ''Tonj South County'', Warrap State, in northwest South Sudan. Its location lies approximately , by road, northwest of Juba, the capital and largest city in the country.
It lies on ...
,
Rumbek
Rumbek ( ar, رمبك) is the capital of Lakes State, central South Sudan, and the former capital of the country.
Location
Rumbek is approximately by road northwest of Juba, the capital and largest city in the country. Its coordinates are a ...
and
Yirol
Yirol is a city in South Sudan.
Location
It is located in ''Yirol West County'', Lakes (state), Lakes State, in central South Sudan. Its location lies approximately , by road, northwest of Juba, South Sudan, Juba, the largest city in South Suda ...
took part, leading to a peace agreement in March 1999 to end the ethnic fighting. The creation of the SSLM was accompanied by the announcement that most of the Nuer had formally broken away from the government.
Between November 1999 and January 2000, the group was known as the Upper Nile Provisional Military Command Council (UMCC).
[
]
Political stance
The SSLM claimed that it followed "two avenues to assert the rights of the people of South Sudan to freedom and self-determination". The group stated that it was in favor of negotiation with the government of Sudan until an acceptable peace-accord is signed and the government stops its raids in southern Sudan, but the Comprehensive Peace Agreement
The Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA, ar, اتفاقية السلام الشامل, Ittifāqiyyah al-salām al-šāmil), also known as the Naivasha Agreement, was an accord signed on January 9, 2005, by the Sudan People's Liberation Moveme ...
of 9 January 2005, was seen by the SSLM as promising nothing new differing from past treaties only in its observance by the international community.
2011 resurgence
On 11 April 2011 the SSLM published a document that it called the Mayom Declaration Mayom may refer to:
* Mayom, South Sudan, a town in Unity State, South Sudan
* Mayom County, an administrative region in Unity State, South Sudan
* Máyom, the Thai language name for Phyllanthus acidus
''Phyllanthus acidus'', known as the Otahei ...
, calling for a more inclusive government in South Sudan. Violence began with an assault SPLA in Unity State
Unity State, also known as Western Upper Nile, is a state in South Sudan. Unity state is in the Greater Upper Nile region. Unity is inhabited predominantly by two ethnic groups: the Nuer majority, and the Dinka minority.
In 2015, a presidentia ...
, leaving at least 45 people dead. According to the military, 20 of the victims were southern army soldiers. SSLA's spokesperson has said that the movement has declared a ceasefire with the government.
2013 amnesty and activity
On 26 April 2013 the South Sudanese government announced that it had granted an amnesty to SSLA fighters and that 3,000 men, comprising the entire force, had taken up the offer, crossed the border from Sudan and brought around 100 vehicles with them (including 37 technicals
Technicals may refer to:
* Technical (vehicle), an improvised fighting vehicle often used in civil conflict
* TECHNICALS, a clothing brand owned by Blacks Leisure Group
See also
* Technical (disambiguation)
* Cambridge Technicals
Cambridge Tech ...
armed with machine guns and AA guns).[ President ]Salva Kiir
Salva (Latin for "Save") may refer to:
People
*Francisco Salva Campillo (1751-1828), Spanish scientist
* Ramon d'Salva (born 1921), Filipino actor
* Héctor Salva (1939-2015), Uruguayan football midfielder
*Salva Kiir Mayardit (born 1951), South ...
pardoned all SSLA members who had surrendered their weapons to security forces. The former SSLA members are to be integrated into the South Sudanese army. Two other militia groups also took up the amnesty offer. An SSLA spokesperson said "Our forces have joined the peace process with the South Sudan army" and that "because South Sudan needs development, peace and forgiveness, we have decided to end rebellion in South Sudan". The surrender took place in Mayom County, Unity State
Unity State, also known as Western Upper Nile, is a state in South Sudan. Unity state is in the Greater Upper Nile region. Unity is inhabited predominantly by two ethnic groups: the Nuer majority, and the Dinka minority.
In 2015, a presidentia ...
and were led by the SSLA's commander, Brigadier General Bapiny Monytuel. SSLA commanders will meet President Kiir in Juba
Juba () is the capital and largest city of South Sudan. The city is situated on the White Nile and also serves as the capital of the Central Equatoria State. It is the world's newest capital city to be elevated as such, and had a populatio ...
within a week to formalise the surrender arrangements.
South Sudanese Civil War (2013-2020)
During the South Sudanese Civil War
The South Sudanese Civil War was a multi-sided civil war in South Sudan between forces of the government and opposition forces. In December 2013, President Kiir accused his former deputy Riek Machar and ten others of attempting a coup d'état. ...
, former SSLA troops who had been assimilated into the SPLA moved to expel rebel factions loyal to Riek Machar
Dr. Riek Machar Teny Dhurgon (born 26 November 1952) is a South Sudanese politician who serves as the First Vice President of South Sudan.
Political life
In February 2020, Machar was re-sworn in as first vice president following a revitalised ...
from Bentiu
Bentiu, also spelled Bantiu, is a city in South Sudan and capital of the state of Unity State.
Location
Bentiu is located in Rubkona County, Unity State, in northern South Sudan, near the international border with the Republic of the Sudan. It li ...
.
References
{{Authority control
Factions of the South Sudanese Civil War
Military of Sudan
Military of South Sudan
Rebel groups in Sudan
Rebel groups in South Sudan
History of South Sudan
Politics of South Sudan
Political organisations based in South Sudan