Tuesday, 24 March 2026 | Author – Alex Onyango | Nairobi-Kenya |File Photo| GT-News |
The South Sudan People’s Movement (SSPM) has strongly denied allegations that it is recruiting Nuer youths from refugee camps in Ethiopia for military training in neighboring Sudan, describing the reports as “false, misleading, and baseless.”
The accusations, which have circulated in sections of the media, claimed that forces loyal to SSPM leader Lt. Gen. Stephen Buay Rolnyang were actively targeting young refugees in Gambella’s Tharpam, Jewe, and Assosa camps, with reports suggesting that more than 2,500 youths had been transported to training sites in southeastern Sudan.
But SSPM officials have pushed back firmly.
“The trending rumors that you hear that SSPM is recruiting some people in Gambella are lies,” said Dak Buoth Riek, the movement’s National Chairman for Legal and Constitutional Affairs. “We’ve not launched any initiative that targets particular groups.”
Riek emphasized that the movement does not engage in forced or targeted recruitment, insisting that membership is strictly voluntary.
“This is a movement of revolutionaries,” he said. “People join out of their own free will. We don’t offer incentives or ‘goodies’—only those committed to the cause and ideology of the movement come forward.”
The allegations have sparked concern among observers, particularly due to the vulnerability of refugee populations and the potential implications for international humanitarian law. However, SSPM maintains that no such operations are taking place and that its recruitment policies remain transparent and non-discriminatory.
“SSPM has not launched any campaign in a specific location, especially not in Upper Nile,” Riek added. “We welcome members from across South Sudan who believe in our vision, but always within the framework of our rules.”
Instead of military mobilization, the movement says its current priority lies in political engagement and coalition-building. SSPM is actively involved in alliances such as the United People’s Alliance (UPA) and the Allied Coordination for South Sudan, initiatives it says are aimed at achieving peaceful change.
“The movement is for the future—it carries the core values of our sovereignty,” Riek said.
He urged the public to ignore what he described as unfounded reports, warning that misinformation could inflame tensions at a sensitive time.
The controversy highlights growing scrutiny around armed groups in the region and the fragile situation facing South Sudanese refugees, even as SSPM insists its focus remains on voluntary participation and political transformation rather than forced recruitment.
