The Minister of Defense has called for discipline among members of the armed forces as they commemorates the 34th anniversary of the SPLA Day.

Kuol Manyang Juuk, urges the soldiers not to misbehave, but rather provide them security.

“They have to be highly disciplined because we don’t want to disappoint the people as there are some negative elements within the SPLA,” Kuol said.

The SPLA day is celebrated annually on the 16th of May to commemorate the formation of the Sudan People’s Liberation Army.

Mr. Kuol says there are some badly behaved soldiers within the army that tarnishes the image of the defense forces. He asked the soldiers to shun such individuals.

“We need to caution and take measures against such people because we are the guardians of the security of the people of South Sudan,” he added.

The SPLA started as a guerrilla movement after a battalion in Bor disobeyed the government in Khartoum on the 16th of May 1983.

The SPLA was later established under the leadership of the late, Dr. John Garang de Mabior to fight a long war that resulted in the Comprehensive Peace Agreement in 2005.

The agreement provided for self-determination in the then southern Sudan, resulting in the independence of South Sudan in 2011.