Lt. Gen. Gabriel Duop Lam, SPLA-IO acting chief of staff - Credit: Awan Moses/Eye Radio | April 08, 2022

The acting Chief of Staff of the SPLA-IO has cautioned organized forces against loyalty to political parties as the unification of forces nears.

Lieutenant General, Gabriel Duop Lam believes this will pave the way for professionalizing the army and other organized forces.

More than 50,000 forces are expected to graduate from various training and cantonment sites across the country.

According to the revitalized peace agreement, forces shall be trained together to ensure coherence and harmony.

On the completion of training the unified forces shall be redeployed at different levels and sizes, units, formations and commands.

The agreement also stipulates that building of the national army, police, national security service and other organized forces shall be completed before the end of the transitional period.

By the end of the transitional period, the national army and other organized forces shall be redeployed throughout the country, pursuant to the plan laid down by the strategic defense and security review board.

The peace accord further states that heads of opposition armed groups shall continue as Commanders-in-Chief of their forces until the end of the unification process.

It obligates the unity government to transform and professionalize the army.

Transforming the former SPLA, now SSPDF, into a professional army has been a promise made by several former Chiefs of Defense Forces.

But experts said the task has not been easy – considering the rampant corruption by top military leaders, and the level of illiteracy among the soldiers.

They reported that the army is still loyal to individual politicians and community leaders.

In April 2019, South Sudanese called for the need to professionalize the national army.

Several past reports carried out by UN agencies and humanitarian groups accuse the army of misconduct.

Some top government officials, including President Salva Kiir and the then defense minister Kuol Manyang Juuk, publicly stated that some of those who have been committing crimes are members of the national security, police and the SPLA now called SSPDF.

Besides, the new peace accord demands the leaders to train soldiers so that they will be able to conduct themselves properly as they execute their duties.

One of the mechanisms tasked with this role is the Strategic Defense and Security Review Board.

The body is responsible for providing a road map for the unification of the army, and security forces, disarmament, demobilization and reintegration and the security sector reform process.

Lieutenant general, Gabriel Duop Lam is the SPLA-IO acting chief of staff.

He is encouraging soldiers against paying allegiance to any party, adding that the army should serve the interest of all citizens, regardless of their political colors.

Duop was speaking to senior military leaders of the SSPDF, SPLA-IO and SSOA at the military headquarters in Juba on Friday.

“We are not going to come together as police, national security and as an army to be a party army, No. But it is a way and a modality to harmonize, because you need to bring people together,” Lt. Gen Duop said.

“The nature of the agreement is unification of the forces. That’s why you need to put people together so that you move the country forward.

“It is not even a privilege for those who will go into that command, but it is a right to move the country forward.”

General Duop went on to say that the leadership of the peace forces will soon form committees to restore calm in some parts of the country experiencing insecurity.

“The JDB will work on the plan, that plan will analyze the hotspot areas to deploy some forces in, whether it is a national threat, internal or communal violence,” Lt. Gen Duop said.

“Those areas will be assessed by the military, the national security by the police and other organized forces. We will do our part as technical people and there is no worry, I think the country is going to come together.”

Last week, the chairperson of the national transitional committee, Tut Gatluak said the unified command structure will be announced by the president.