Juba crisis: ‘President’s order to disarm Nuer caused mutiny and chaos’

Not a coup plotted by his opponents, but a presidential order to disarm Nuer soldiers within the presidential guard triggered the mutiny against Salva Kiir that led to the growing chaos in South Sudan, says former Minister of Higher Education Peter Adwok. Adwok provided a detailed account of how the fighting started, leading to the current chaos. In a just published narrative he writes about last Sunday evening, 15 December, after the failed meeting of the National Liberation Council (NLC). Even before the closing of the meeting the president told one of the army commanders to disarm his soldiers of the so-called Tiger Battalion: “The information we received is that President Kiir ordered Major General Marial Ciennoung to disarm his soldiers.” “Marial was at the closing session of the NLC. He left the scene immediately and called for a parade of the Tiger Battalion. He briefed the troops and ordered them to surrender their arms. They obeyed, executed the orders and dispersed.” “Now in a mischief, the officer in charge of the stores opened the stores and rearmed the Dinka soldiers. A Nuer soldier, who happened to be nearby questioned this. A fistfight ensued between the two, attracting the attention of both the commander and his deputy to the scene.” “They could not control the situation as more soldiers came in and broke into the stores. A fight ensued and the Nuer soldiers managed to take control of the headquarters… It was in the morning (Monday) that SPLA reinforcements came in and dislodged the mutineers. This can later be verified and the truth will come out,” Adwok narrated. He explained how the issue became tribal: “Military doctrine dictates that once a contingent of mutinous troops have been dislodged, appeal is made for their surrender and then disarmed. Those who remained loyal (to the president) are also disarmed to prevent bad blood.” “The loyal troops of Tiger, hailing mainly from Warrap and Aweil, were not disarmed. In fact, they are the ones rampaging Juba, looting and shooting to kill any Nuer in the residential neighbourhoods,” Adwok claims. The senior and aged politician heard yesterday that he is also on the list of wanted politicians. “This may be my last contribution, because, as I said, I’m waiting for the police in order to join my colleagues in detention.” As of Wednesday afternoon he seemed to be still at large.File photo: Peter Adwok (Waakhe Simon Wudu/Gurtong)Related: Salva Kiir blaming troops loyal to Machar for fighting Juba (16 December 2013)