Gordon Kong Chuol
Encyclopedia
Gordon Kong Chuol is a former militia commander in South Sudan
, who fought for the Sudan People's Liberation Army
(SPLA) and later for the forces led by Riek Machar
during the Second Sudanese Civil War
.
section of the Nuer people and comes from Nasir in the east of Upper Nile
state.
He became a militia leader of Thourjikany Forces, and a Major-General in Anya Nya II in 1988.
As a leader of the separatist Anyanya II movement he fought against the SPLA from 1983 to 1988.
In 1988 he led the reconciliation of most members of Anyanya II with the SPLA.
He then became a commander and a member of the political and military high command of the SPLM/A.
In August 1991 Riek Machar, Lam Akol
and Gordon Kong announced that John Garang had been ejected from the SPLM.
The breakaway faction, based in Nasir until 1995 and then in Waat
and Ayod
, was called the SPLM/A-Nasir faction from 1991 to 1993.
In the first part of 1994, Gordon Kong became involved in a quarrel between Lou Nuer from Waat and Jikany Nuer in Nasir over fishing rights in the Sobat River
.
As commander of Waat and Nasir, Gordon Kong was ordered by Riek Machar to defend Nasir.
Instead Gordon Kong left Nasir and launched an attack on Lou civilians.
In response, the Lou called in Gordon Kong Banypiny for help, and he led a force of Lou men to Nasir, which they burned. Riek Machar arrested the commanders who had become involved in this fighting between SSIA sections and put them up for trial. Some were sentenced to imprisonment and others to death. Later they were pardoned.
with the government in 1997, and was appointed a commander with the South Sudan Defence Forces
(SSDF) under Riek Machar.
Gordon Kong received separate funding from the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) and in 1999 defected from Machar's command and became a direct client of the Government of Sudan.
His forces reportedly helped push Machar's SSDF forces out of Ler in 1998.
On 27 April 2001 the provisional military council of the SSDF was announced, with Major General Paulino Matiep as Commander and Gordon Kong Chuol as Deputy Commander and Commander for Operations.
The civil war ended in January 2005, and the Juba Declaration of 8 January 2006
laid out the basis for unifying rival military forces in South Sudan
.
Gordon Kong resisted the merger. His core faction, the "Nasir Peace Force" was based in the village of Ketbek, just north of Nasir, with 75-80 fighters as of August 2006 and perhaps 300 reserve forces in the area.
His position on the border with Sudan to the north and near to the functioning Adar Yale oilfield was sensitive.
Paulino Matiep accepted the agreement, but Gordon Kong proclaimed himself the new SSDF Commander-in-Chief, saying that his forces still supported the Sudan Government. A newspaper report speculated that while Matiep was looking at political opportunities in the Government of South Sudan, Gordon Kong was looking at potential gains from control of the oil-rich Bentiu
area.
South Sudan
South Sudan , officially the Republic of South Sudan, is a landlocked country located in the Sahel region of northeastern Africa. It is also part of the North Africa UN sub-region. Its current capital is Juba, which is also its largest city; the capital city is planned to be moved to the more...
, who fought for the Sudan People's Liberation Army
Sudan People's Liberation Army
The Sudan People's Liberation Movement is a political party in South Sudan. It was initially founded as a rebel political movement with a military wing known as the Sudan People's Liberation Army estimated at 180,000 soldiers. The SPLM fought in the Second Sudanese Civil War against the Sudanese...
(SPLA) and later for the forces led by Riek Machar
Riek Machar
Riek Machar Teny Dhurgon , is the first vice-president of the independent Republic of South Sudan.Riek Machar obtained a PhD in mechanical engineering in 1984 and then joined the rebel Sudan People's Liberation Movement/Army during the Second Sudanese Civil War...
during the Second Sudanese Civil War
Second Sudanese Civil War
The Second Sudanese Civil War started in 1983, although it was largely a continuation of the First Sudanese Civil War of 1955 to 1972. Although it originated in southern Sudan, the civil war spread to the Nuba mountains and Blue Nile by the end of the 1980s....
.
Independence fighter
Gordon Kong Chuol belongs to the JikanyJikany Nuer
The Jikany Nuer are a section of the Nuer people who mainly live in the eastern part of Upper Nile state in South Sudan, particularly around Nasir in Nasir County.-Civil war:...
section of the Nuer people and comes from Nasir in the east of Upper Nile
Upper Nile
Upper Nile is one of the 10 states of South Sudan. The current governor of Upper Nile, and its first governor in the independence era of South Sudan, is Simon Kun Puoch. The White Nile flows through the state, giving it its name. The state also shares a similar name with the region of Greater Upper...
state.
He became a militia leader of Thourjikany Forces, and a Major-General in Anya Nya II in 1988.
As a leader of the separatist Anyanya II movement he fought against the SPLA from 1983 to 1988.
In 1988 he led the reconciliation of most members of Anyanya II with the SPLA.
He then became a commander and a member of the political and military high command of the SPLM/A.
In August 1991 Riek Machar, Lam Akol
Lam Akol
Dr. Lam Akol Ajawin is a South Sudanese politician of Kenyan descent. He is the current leader of SPLM for Democratic Change , which he founded 6 June 2009...
and Gordon Kong announced that John Garang had been ejected from the SPLM.
The breakaway faction, based in Nasir until 1995 and then in Waat
Waat
Waat is a village in South Sudan. It is located in Akobo County, Jonglei State, in the northeastern part of South Sudan. It is connected by road to Faddoi just to the southeast...
and Ayod
Ayod
Ayod is a community in Jonglei state, South Sudan, headquarters of Ayod County.The Nuer people are the main inhabitants.Riek Machar, first vice-president of South Sudan, is the 26th son of the chief of both Ayod and Leer....
, was called the SPLM/A-Nasir faction from 1991 to 1993.
In the first part of 1994, Gordon Kong became involved in a quarrel between Lou Nuer from Waat and Jikany Nuer in Nasir over fishing rights in the Sobat River
Sobat River
The Sobat River is a river in South Sudan, Africa. The most southerly of the great eastern tributaries of the Nile, the Sobat enters the White Nile at Doleib Hill, near the city of Malakal in the Upper Nile state of South Sudan...
.
As commander of Waat and Nasir, Gordon Kong was ordered by Riek Machar to defend Nasir.
Instead Gordon Kong left Nasir and launched an attack on Lou civilians.
In response, the Lou called in Gordon Kong Banypiny for help, and he led a force of Lou men to Nasir, which they burned. Riek Machar arrested the commanders who had become involved in this fighting between SSIA sections and put them up for trial. Some were sentenced to imprisonment and others to death. Later they were pardoned.
Government of Sudan militia leader
Gordon Kong signed the Khartoum peace agreementKhartoum Peace Agreement of 1997
The Khartoum Peace Agreement of 1997 was an agreement made on 21 April 1997 between the Khartoum-based government of Sudan and various militia leaders from South Sudan during the Second Sudanese Civil War ....
with the government in 1997, and was appointed a commander with the South Sudan Defence Forces
South Sudan Defence Forces
The South Sudan Defence Forces was a militia in South Sudan during the Second Sudanese Civil War in uneasy alliance with the Government of Sudan....
(SSDF) under Riek Machar.
Gordon Kong received separate funding from the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) and in 1999 defected from Machar's command and became a direct client of the Government of Sudan.
His forces reportedly helped push Machar's SSDF forces out of Ler in 1998.
On 27 April 2001 the provisional military council of the SSDF was announced, with Major General Paulino Matiep as Commander and Gordon Kong Chuol as Deputy Commander and Commander for Operations.
The civil war ended in January 2005, and the Juba Declaration of 8 January 2006
Juba Declaration of 8 January 2006
The Juba Declaration of 8 January 2006, formally the Juba Declaration on Unity and Integration between the Sudan People’s Liberation Army And the South Sudan Defence Forces January 8, 2006, laid out the basis for unifying rival military forces in South Sudan following the end of the Second...
laid out the basis for unifying rival military forces in South Sudan
South Sudan
South Sudan , officially the Republic of South Sudan, is a landlocked country located in the Sahel region of northeastern Africa. It is also part of the North Africa UN sub-region. Its current capital is Juba, which is also its largest city; the capital city is planned to be moved to the more...
.
Gordon Kong resisted the merger. His core faction, the "Nasir Peace Force" was based in the village of Ketbek, just north of Nasir, with 75-80 fighters as of August 2006 and perhaps 300 reserve forces in the area.
His position on the border with Sudan to the north and near to the functioning Adar Yale oilfield was sensitive.
Paulino Matiep accepted the agreement, but Gordon Kong proclaimed himself the new SSDF Commander-in-Chief, saying that his forces still supported the Sudan Government. A newspaper report speculated that while Matiep was looking at political opportunities in the Government of South Sudan, Gordon Kong was looking at potential gains from control of the oil-rich Bentiu
Bentiu
-Location:Bentiu is located in Rubkona County, Unity State, in northern South Sudan, near the International border with the Republic of Sudan. This location lies approximately , by road, northwest of Juba, the capital and largest city in the country. Bentiu sits on the southern banks of the Bahr...
area.