Gatluak Gai

Gatluak Gai (died 23 July 2011) was a member of the Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA) who rebelled and formed a separate militia after the April 2010 elections in South Sudan. He signed a peace agreement with the SPLA on 20 July 2011, and three days later was killed, apparently by his second in command.

Gatluak was of Nuer origin, from Koch County. He was a relatively junior SPLA officer on the payroll of the Unity state prisons department. He was said to have wanted to become the Koch county commissioner, but lost this opportunity when Taban Deng Gai was appointed governor of Unity state in 2008. In the April 2010 elections, widely seen as flawed, Taban Deng Gai retained his position.[1] In these elections, Angelina Teny, wife of South Sudan vice president Riek Machar was beaten by Taban Deng Gai. Gatluak Gai did not accept the election results.[2] Although Angelina Teny disputed the election results, she disclaimed any connection with Gatluak Gai's rebellion.[3]

In late May 2010, Gatluak Gai's forces attacked an SPLA base at Awarping in Abiemnom County.[1] Between April and November 2010, over 35 people died in Koch County, many of them civilians, from insurgent attacks. It was suspected that Gatluak Gai was the leader of the forces responsible for these attacks, directing the forces while himself residing in Khartoum.[4] There were conflicting rumors about the sources of Gatluak Gai's forces and arms.[1] As of January 2011 talks were in progress with different people who claimed to represent Gatluak Gai, but the situation was extremely obscure.[5]

At the time of his death, Gatluak Gai was in his 50s. He had an imposing, physical presence. Another rebel leader, General Peter Gadet, was married to one of his daughters.[6] At first the SPLA was blamed for the death. However, on 24 July, Marko Chuol Ruei, second in command of the rebel "South Sudan Liberation Army" (SSLA), said he had killed Gatluak Gai. He claimed that Gai had told his forces to ignore the peace agreement, to not join the SPLA but instead to join forces from North Sudan. Ruei said the SSLA had been negotiating with Khartoum for supply of munitions, but had been told they would first have to join the rebel militias led by Peter Gadet and Bapiny Monytuel.[2]

References

  1. ^ a b c "Gatluak Gai’s Rebellion, Unity State". Small Arms Survey. July 2011. http://www.smallarmssurveysudan.org/pdfs/facts-figures/armed-groups/southern-sudan/emerging/HSBA-Armed-Groups-Gai.pdf. Retrieved 2011-09-012. 
  2. ^ a b Bonifacio Taban Kuich (25 July 2011). "Militia Deputy Admits Killing of His Leader Gutluak". Sudan Tribune. http://allafrica.com/stories/201107261121.html. Retrieved 2011-09-12. 
  3. ^ "Angelina Teny says she has no any connection with Gatluak Gai rebellion". South Sudan Net. June 10, 2010. http://27948.activeboard.com/t36418718/angelina-teny-says-she-has-nothing-to-do-with-gatluak-gais-r/. Retrieved 2011-09-12. 
  4. ^ Machien J. Luoi (18 November 2010). "Koch County Insurgency Is A National Security Issue". http://www.gurtong.net/ECM/Editorial/tabid/124/ctl/ArticleView/mid/519/articleId/4395/Koch-County-Insurgency-is-a-National-Security-Issue.aspx. Retrieved 2011-09-12. 
  5. ^ Mayank Bubna (06 Jan 2011). "UNITY STATE: SECURITY FEARS AMID REFERENDUM HOPES - PART 2". Relief Web. http://reliefweb.int/node/380090. Retrieved 2011-09-12. 
  6. ^ James Copnall (23 July 2011). "South Sudan rebel Gatluak Gai killed after peace deal". BBC News. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-14261525. Retrieved 2011-09-012.