Former rebel army members set to join SPLA.

Over four thousand soldiers from one of South Sudan’s former rebel armies – the South Sudan Liberation Movement – will be incorporated into the SPLA, and other security organizations an official of the armed group has said.

Gordon Buay, who used to be identified as the spokesperson for SSLM told Eye Radio that it is important to integrate into the SPLA.

“A force that we have, the total is four thousand five hundred that in Unity State that came with Lieutenant Baping Montwil and his deputy Johnson Ulony. The integration is important because it will be the end of the other armed groups. And in any Country you cannot have two armies.”

Mr. Buay said that negotiations with the government will start within a week.

“We are ready to sit down with the committee of the president to work out the integration process of the former rebel of the SSLM/A. So in three days we will start working in the issues of political integration and the issues of military rank for those who will be absorbed to SPLA and those that will go to police and other security organ,” he said.

Former leaders of the SSLM are also in talks with insurgent leader David Yau Yau in Jonglei state, Mister Buay said.  They are urging him to respond to the President’s offer of amnesty.

“We are in contact with his political wing and they are in Khartoum, I am also in contact with them I will be meeting them in Nairobi.” He said.  “They give us their condition and from there the Government will listen to them and then they will join the peace process.”

In April, the SSLM and other rebel groups unconditionally accepted the amnesty that was issued by President Salva Kiir, pardoning all those who took up arms against the government.

The rebellion was mainly centered around Unity and Upper Nile states.