South Sudan’s ‘Red Army’ of former child soldiers celebrated on Tuesday the second anniversary of the ‘Red Army Foundation’, an organization that in recent years sought to reunite the former SPLA child soldiers and rally them behind President Salva Kiir.

In the early 1990s, the Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) recruited and trained boys as young as seven to fight in its battle for independence from Sudan. The child soldiers were called the Red Army.

The anniversary celebration yesterday came just ahead of the Martyrs’ Day event scheduled for today at the Freedom Square in Juba. Many of those in attendance are current army officers. The SPLA Moral Orientation office and SPLM Political Affairs and Mobilization office were also represented at the event.

Speaking at the commemoration event, Vice President James Wani Igga said there is need for peace and unity in South Sudan particularly at this critical moment as the country is facing a major crisis.

Yet the vice president also blamed opposition leader Riek Machar for fighting and said he does not want peace.

Deng Bol Aruei, the chairman of the Red Army noted that the body was formed with the aim of addressing social problems within South Sudan. He urged for unity among the members, after many army soldiers and government officials defected to the rebel SPLA-IO.

He drew a contrast between the ‘Red Army’ loyal to the SPLA (Juba faction) and the ‘white armies’ of Nuer tribes in the northeast of the country, which are linked to SPLA-IO.

“As we celebrate this historic day, I want to assure you that there is no ‘white army’ in this Red Army –we are one Red Army and I would like to make one point very clear that it is not all the Nuers are ‘white army’.”

“White Army in my own understanding are those ones Dr. Riek always uses to cause violence for his own political interest and therefore it is not all of them,” Deng said.

Antipas Nyok, SPLM Secretary for Political Affairs and Mobilization, urged the ‘Red Army’ not to allow divisions among themselves.

“Now here you are as the former young ones this Country and the SPLM belongs to you and you must make use of this opportunity to surmount the future challenges, persevere and the good things are coming and don’t allow divisions among you because this country was liberated for the generation like you,” Nyok said.

The Red Army Foundation anniversary event was held last year as well, marked by martial war songs and music, soon after the removal of Riek Machar from the vice presidency.

President Salva Kiir addressed the Red Army on the occasion, recalling his own role in establishing camps for the child soldiers during the wars, as well as the trek from Pochalla in 1992 after the fall of the Mengistu regime forced SPLA out of Ethiopia.

Kiir was the senior commander to accompany the boys through Eastern Equatoria into Kenya at that time. He defended the role of the Red Army during the struggle and also dismissed foreign misrepresentations of the movement.

Related:

Kiir addresses 'Red Army' members in Juba (29 July 2013)