Profile of the late Major General Santo Ayeng Deng

By: Ateny Wek Ateny

London, United Kingdom.

The late Major General Santo Ayeng Deng Deng Yum was born on January 1^st 1960 at Jorbioc village, Akuak-Ayat area, located at present day Aweil West County in Northern Bhar El Ghazal State-Aweil. He attended Marial-Bai primary School from1970/1971 and proceeded to Aweil Intermediate School 1976/1977, where this author met him and was 2 years ahead. In 1980, the late Santo sat for senior secondary school certificate, and was admitted to Nyamlell senior secondary school where he studied up to second year. However, in late 1982, the late Ayeng quit school and joined the then emerging rebel forces of Anya Nya II which were situated at Malual North. This was in anticipation of a full scale rebellion which took place a year later. Being one of the few secondary school students in the Anya Nya II forces, the late Santo was promoted to the rank of Colonel in Anya Nya II. When the full rebellion finally took place in May 16^th 1983, leading to the founding of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement and the Sudan People’s Liberation Army [SPLM/A], the late Santo Ayeng had already risen to the rank of Brigadier in the Anya Nya II forces.

Aware of the possible merger between the Anya Nya II Movement and the newly formed movement: the SPLM/A, the late Major General Santo Ayeng along with hundreds of his Anya Nya II colleagues mainly from Northern Bhar El Ghazal decided to trek to Ethiopia to join the remainder of the revolutionists who were already there. Their decision to go to Ethiopia was in defiance of the advice of the then Commander-in-Chief of the Anya Nya II Movement, Lt Col. Samuel Gai Tut who had urged them to stay in their assigned areas until further notice. Three months after the founding of the SPLM/A, the late Santo Ayeng and his colleagues arrived at Bilpam, the then General Headquarters (HQs) of the SPLM/A. He was immediately taken for military training, pending his deployment to the war zone in the Tiger-Timsah brigade. The late Santo was trained in anti-aircraft-missiles after which he became a specialist in MT land-to-air missile until his promotion to the rank of captain.

The Re-integration of the Anya Nya II and SPLA forces

          During the integration of the Anya Nya II and SPLA forces, most of late Santo Ayeng’s colleagues, who were senior officers in the Anya Nya II, were all commissioned in the ranks ranging from 1^st Lieutenant to captains. Unfortunately, the late Santo was not one of those re-commissioned as an officer in the SPLA. Despite the apparent humiliation he experienced after being denied a rank while he was a senior officer and especially as the majority of his colleagues were given some ranks, he humbled himself as he had always done. He maintained this humility until his untimely passing. Since it was a policy of the SPLM/A that specialists of heavy artilleries not be allowed a speedy promotion to the ranks of officer – considering that this job required exceptional physical strength, the late Santo’s expertise as an MT Missile operator proved detrimental to his promotion. It was in late 1985, after having fought many battles that the leadership of the SPLM/A then realized the unfairness of confining the late Santo at the rank of Sgt. Major for so long when most of his colleagues had risen to ranks of captain. Thus, it was decided to promote him. Late Ayeng and others were called back from the military operations to come to General HQs where he was promoted to the rank of captain. Soon after his promotion, he was sent back to the war zone where he remained battling the enemy in Eastern Upper Nile region until 1991.

          In the wake of Cdr.Lual Riiny Lual’s death (Lual-Bagom), the late Ayeng took over the command of Northern Bhar El Ghazal Area, as overall Commander of the SPLA forces in Aweil, Gogrial, and Abyei – having been transferred there earlier as deputy to the late Lual Riiny. As commander in an area facing chronic attack from Marahileen militias, the late Santo Ayeng managed to protect our people until the arrival of another brilliant CDR, Pual Malong Awan who continued the simultaneous struggle against Marahileen militia and regular Sudan army. In 1992, the late Ayeng was recalled to report to the General HQs of the SPLA were he remained until 1995.

Upon the re-capturing of Pashalla from the enemy forces, the late Santo was transferred to Command SPLA troops in Pashalla from 1995-1998 after which he returned to the General HQs. In 2002 the late Major General Santo Ayeng was assigned to command the SPLA forces which assaulted and successfully captured Raja town. Soon after the recapturing of the Raja town by the NIF’s forcers supported by the Arab militias, and the local militia under the command of Tom Al Nur, the late Santo was sent back to the SPLA HQs where he stayed until the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement [CPA]. Following the signing of the CPA, he was appointed as one of the advisors to the late Chairman and the C-in-C of the SPLM/A Dr. John Garang, on military affairs. In addition, he was also appointed to head the Demobilisation, Disarmament and Re-integration (DDR), and ad-hoc committee created for such a purpose. Prior to his appointments as advisor to SPLM chairman and head of DDR, late Cdr.Santo Ayeng, along with many other SPLA’s senior officers, was sent to America for Military strategy course in 2004. Until his sudden death, the late Santo was the Director of Inspection at the General HQs of the SPLA.

In sports, the late Santo Ayeng was a prestigious black-belt holder in Karate, and a coach of the Karate at Aweil Intimidate School from 1977-1980. Despite possessing magnificent physical strength, he adopted a life of humility; a life that saw him fights no one despite his immense physical strength. The late Santo was a humble, selfless, and generous man.

The cause of the late Santo Ayeng’s death

On 21^st April, 2006 while in Rumbek, he felt ill, having developed high fever and exhaustion, where he was treated for Malaria to no avail. The fever did not cease and the late Santo’s health started to deteriorate. The decision came to take him to Juba where he would have been issued with travel document in order to leave for Kenya for further medical examination. Alas, the late Santo began to lose consciousness and was not able to identify anybody including his close relatives by the time he arrived in Juba. Doctors at the Juba Teaching Hospital tried, in vain, to save his life, yet he passed away at 9:00 am on Sunday 23^rd April 2006. The cause was not properly established, as it was reported ‘he might have died of chronic malaria and typhoid.’ The late Santo is survived by 7 children from his wife Abuk Alor, with William Deng Santo Ayeng being the elder child who is now 20 years old. The late Ayeng will be missed dearly forever. May almighty Infinite God rest late Ayeng’s life in eternal peace.