Dr Riek Machar:"The incident of 15 Dec surprised me"

For a first time on SBS Radio or any Australian Media; we managed to interview South Sudanese former Vice President and the leader of the SPLM/A in opposition Dr Riek Machar Teny who is currently fighting the Government of South Sudan. Dr Riek was the Vice President of South Sudan since 2005 until July 23 of 2013 when he was relieved by President Kiir Mayardit as his deputy in the Government but remains as the deputy in the party leadership. Both leaders did disagreed on the way the country was being run and that also affected the party and led to the war civil war and Dr Riek had this on the 15/De/2013. The incident of 15 Dec surprised me; because I t was Sunday and I want to the church in the morning and came back in the afternoon. And it is my normal work meeting people who come to visit me on Sunday and this went on up to 10:30pm. There I left my place; but at around 11 some of my bodyguard told to about the fighting at presidential guards headquarter. Dr Riek said he never left Juba until the morning of the Dec 17 only to be forced out by the news that he was wanted by the Government on the charges of treasons and attempted coup and that why he decided to run for his life and he had this to say.

Dr Riek Machar in the at his forces site

On the morning of the 16/12/2013; I was at the Kamilu area where I use to cultivate there and there was a broadcast that stated that I was arrested and the number of people who got arrested were counted. Now on the early 17/3/2013; I have to make up my mind to surrender myself, to face the charge of coup or to run away.

On the case of people killed in the villages of Bor which was Dr Riek path to his safe location; he believes villages were evacuated even if you UN reports or media reports will disagree with him on number of the people killed between 18/12/2014-24; he insisted that he was not aware of the killing during that time or didnt witness what he termed as made up numbers. While escaping from town Juba town Bor and at his arrival to Pane Pandiar a village at the South of Bor town which was the centre of the first battle between the Government forces and the former military commander Peter Gadet Yak; he said.

Let me tell you what I saw because there is no reason to say a lie. From the first villages which I was told to be Dinka villages; I didnt see citizens. They were all evacuated and event when I came to Bor the citizens I saw were the one at UNMISS (United Nation Mission in South Sudan) camp.