Arok Thon Arok (died 12 February 1998) was a politician from Southern Sudan. He was one of five senior commanders of the Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA), before defecting.
He was a major in the SPAF, working as an intelligence officer in the 13th Brigade in Upper Nile.[2]
He and others founded Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA) in 1983. He was one of five senior commanders on the Permanent Political Military Office of the SPLA: John Garang, Kerubino Kuanyin Bol, William Nyuon Bany, and Salva Kiir being the others. He was senior in rank to all of the others apart from Garang, and served for four years as a member of the Political-Military High Command and as Deputy Chief of Staff for Administration and Logistics. In 1984 he was part of a delegation visiting Libya to buy arms.[2]
He was in Kongor in 1984 to 1985 as the regional commander for Mading Bor. He almost died of thirst between Juba and Mading Bor when he and his troops travelled in an area where there was no water. He was succeeded by Commander Kuol Manyang Juuk as the leader in Mading Bor.[citation needed]
Arok's wife died in 1987, and in 1988 he visited England to place his children in school there, where it was reported that he undertook secret negotiations with SPAF General Burma Nasir. When word got back to Garang, he expelled Arok from the SPLA and briefly imprisoned, along with Kerubino. Arok went to Uganda, where he was placed under house arrest by Museveni before being released in February 1993.[2] They were eventually given status as refugees, and went to Kenya, where they joined an SPLA breakaway faction formed in 1991 headed by former SPLA Commander Riek Machar, a movement later called the South Sudan Independence Movement/Army.[1]
By March 1993 there were four factions opposing Garang. Initially they comprised a "Unity" group, but this fell apart. The factions were led by the following men:[2]
In the 1990s Arok returned to Khartoum, and in April 1996, Machar, Kerubino and Arok signed a "Political Charter" with the Sudanese Government in Khartoum.[2][3]
^ abc"Famine in Audan, 1998". Human Rights Watch. 21 April 1997. Retrieved 26 September 2022.
^ abcdef. simonrgd.com. 15 September 2005. Archived from the original on 31 January 2009. Retrieved 26 September 2022. (reliability unknown)
^ ab. CBC News. 13 November 1998. Archived from the original on 25 October 2012. Retrieved 26 September 2022.
^"Sudan buries plane crash victims". BBC News. 13 February 1998. Retrieved 30 August 2013.
August 30, 2023
arok, thon, arok, died, february, 1998, politician, from, southern, sudan, five, senior, commanders, sudan, people, liberation, army, spla, before, defecting, contents, early, life, career, death, referencesearly, life, editarok, dinka, from, twic, community, . Arok Thon Arok died 12 February 1998 was a politician from Southern Sudan He was one of five senior commanders of the Sudan People s Liberation Army SPLA before defecting Contents 1 Early life 2 Career 3 Death 4 ReferencesEarly life EditArok was a Dinka 1 Bor from the Twic community of Kongor citation needed He was said to be related to John Garang 2 Career EditArok attended military school in Khartoum 1 He was a major in the SPAF working as an intelligence officer in the 13th Brigade in Upper Nile 2 He and others founded Sudan People s Liberation Army SPLA in 1983 He was one of five senior commanders on the Permanent Political Military Office of the SPLA John Garang Kerubino Kuanyin Bol William Nyuon Bany and Salva Kiir being the others He was senior in rank to all of the others apart from Garang and served for four years as a member of the Political Military High Command and as Deputy Chief of Staff for Administration and Logistics In 1984 he was part of a delegation visiting Libya to buy arms 2 He was in Kongor in 1984 to 1985 as the regional commander for Mading Bor He almost died of thirst between Juba and Mading Bor when he and his troops travelled in an area where there was no water He was succeeded by Commander Kuol Manyang Juuk as the leader in Mading Bor citation needed Arok s wife died in 1987 and in 1988 he visited England to place his children in school there where it was reported that he undertook secret negotiations with SPAF General Burma Nasir When word got back to Garang he expelled Arok from the SPLA and briefly imprisoned along with Kerubino Arok went to Uganda where he was placed under house arrest by Museveni before being released in February 1993 2 They were eventually given status as refugees and went to Kenya where they joined an SPLA breakaway faction formed in 1991 headed by former SPLA Commander Riek Machar a movement later called the South Sudan Independence Movement Army 1 By March 1993 there were four factions opposing Garang Initially they comprised a Unity group but this fell apart The factions were led by the following men 2 Bany and Joseph Oduhu Riek Machar and Lam Akol Nasir Group Kerubino and others Bahr el Ghazal Group Arok Bor Citizens Group In the 1990s Arok returned to Khartoum and in April 1996 Machar Kerubino and Arok signed a Political Charter with the Sudanese Government in Khartoum 2 3 Death EditArok died in the 1998 Sudan Air Force crash at Nasir Others killed included the Vice President of Sudan Major General Zubair Mohamed Salih and several other political and military leaders 4 3 References Edit a b c Famine in Audan 1998 Human Rights Watch 21 April 1997 Retrieved 26 September 2022 a b c d e f SPLM A Leaders Bio data Profile and Personalities simonrgd com 15 September 2005 Archived from the original on 31 January 2009 Retrieved 26 September 2022 reliability unknown a b Vice President of Sudan dies in plane crash CBC News 13 November 1998 Archived from the original on 25 October 2012 Retrieved 26 September 2022 Sudan buries plane crash victims BBC News 13 February 1998 Retrieved 30 August 2013 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Arok Thon Arok amp oldid 1159830643, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
