Gatluak Gai
Encyclopedia
Gatluak Gai 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.
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.
Although Angelina Teny disputed the election results, she disclaimed any connection with Gatluak Gai's rebellion.
In late May 2010, Gatluak Gai's forces attacked an SPLA base at Awarping in Abiemnom County
.
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
.
There were conflicting rumors about the sources of Gatluak Gai's forces and arms.
As of January 2011 talks were in progress with different people who claimed to represent Gatluak Gai, but the situation was extremely obscure.
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.
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.
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) who rebelled and formed a separate militia after the April 2010 elections 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...
. 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
Koch County
Koch County is an administrative division of Unity State, South Sudan, covering an area in the center of the state.The administrative center is the town of Koch.Large villages include Dhor Wang, Thorial, Duar, Wath-Thier and Bieh....
.
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
Taban Deng Gai
Taban Deng Gai is a South Sudanese politician. He has served as governor of Unity State since 30 September 2005.In the April 2010 elections the state electoral body announced that Taban Deng Gai won by 137,662 votes, beating runner-up Angelina Teny who won 63,561 votes.The defeated parties said in...
was appointed governor of Unity state in 2008.
In the April 2010 elections, widely seen as flawed, Taban Deng Gai retained his position.
In these elections, Angelina Teny
Angelina Teny
Angelina Teny is a South Sudan politician who was state minister of Energy and Mining in the Khartoum-based Government of National Unity between 2005 and 2010...
, wife of South Sudan vice president 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...
was beaten by Taban Deng Gai. Gatluak Gai did not accept the election results.
Although Angelina Teny disputed the election results, she disclaimed any connection with Gatluak Gai's rebellion.
In late May 2010, Gatluak Gai's forces attacked an SPLA base at Awarping in Abiemnom County
Abiemnom County
Abiemnom County is an administrative area in the extreme northeast of Unity State, South Sudan. It borders Southern Kordofan in Sudan to the north.The main ethnic group are the Nuer, with a Dinka minority....
.
Between April and November 2010, over 35 people died in Koch County
Koch County
Koch County is an administrative division of Unity State, South Sudan, covering an area in the center of the state.The administrative center is the town of Koch.Large villages include Dhor Wang, Thorial, Duar, Wath-Thier and Bieh....
, 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
Khartoum
Khartoum is the capital and largest city of Sudan and of Khartoum State. It is located at the confluence of the White Nile flowing north from Lake Victoria, and the Blue Nile flowing west from Ethiopia. The location where the two Niles meet is known as "al-Mogran"...
.
There were conflicting rumors about the sources of Gatluak Gai's forces and arms.
As of January 2011 talks were in progress with different people who claimed to represent Gatluak Gai, but the situation was extremely obscure.
At the time of his death, Gatluak Gai was in his 50s.
He had an imposing, physical presence.
Another rebel leader, General Peter Gadet
Peter Gadet
Peter Yak Gadet is a former Sudan People's Liberation Army general who is now the leader of the South Sudan Liberation Army , the largest rebel movement in South Sudan....
, was married to one of his daughters.
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.