South Sudan’s minister for peace, Pagan Amum, has resigned to make way for the new generation
S. Sudan minister resigns to ‘make way’ for new generation
KHARTOUM — South Sudan’s minister for peace, Pagan Amum, has resigned to make way for the new generation but will remain secretary general of the ruling party and chief negotiator with the north, his assistant said Wednesday.
“His resignation as minister of peace and CPA implementation has been accepted by the government. But his resignation as secretary general of the SPLM (Sudan People’s Liberation Movement) has been turned down,” Atif Keer, a senior staffer in the secretary general’s team, told AFP.
“He thought it was the right time to step aside and free the stage for the new generation.
“This is not a sign of weakness or defeat. He chose to do this when we had our moment of victory… One of our weaknesses as individuals (is that) most of the people stay in their positions for a long time,” he added.
The 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement between north and south ended decades of devastating conflict and paved the way for southern independence, which was formally declared on July 9, after southerners voted overwhelmingly to secede in a referendum in January.
Corruption among politicians is one of the main challenges that the fledgling nation faces.
Another major concern is the failure of Khartoum and Juba to implement key aspects of the CPA, such as determining the final status of the disputed Abyei border region, prior to partition, despite concerted international pressure and last-minute negotiations in Addis Ababa.
Amum, who was the SPLM’s chief negotiator on other unresolved post-referendum issues, including on managing the country’s oil sector, demarcating the north-south borders and debt, would continue in this role, Keer said.
“As secretary general of the SPLM he will continue to negotiate our position on the outstanding CPA issues, and on post-referendum issues,” he said, adding it had not yet been decided when the negotiations in Ethiopia would resume.
South Sudan’s SPLM SG resigns from his ministerial position
July 18, 2011 (JUBA) – The Secretary General of the ruling party in South Sudan, the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM), Pagan Amum, is said to have submitted his resignation from his ministerial position of Peace and CPA Implementation, Sudan Tribune has learnt.
- Pagan Amum (Getty)
According to official sources from the SPLM who preferred anonymity because the president has not yet approved the submission by Amum, the SPLM SG as a result did not show up to take oath of office as a caretaker minister with the rest of ministers last Sunday, July 10, despite his reappointment by the president to temporarily remain as caretaker in his ministry until the new cabinet is formed.
Amum was appointed last year as the minister in the newly created portfolio of peace ministry and recently led the SPLM delegation to the talks in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, over the issue of Abyei.
The SPLM official further told Sudan Tribune that Amum’s resignation may further affect his current position as the Secretary General of the party and may as well resign from the party position.
There was no clear explanation given as to why he decided to resign at this moment. Different speculations by officials suggest that Amum has recently differed with his boss, the SPLM chairman, Salva Kiir Mayardit, over issues not specified.
Others say the new government to be formed does not allow party cadres holding positions in the party secretariat, such as Amum, to also work at the same time as constitutional post holders in the government.
Amum recently also exchanged counter-accusations with his junior in the party, the former federal minister of petroleum in Khartoum, Lual Achuek Deng.
The SG accused the former petroleum minister of betraying South Sudan by illegally giving 40% of July share of the oil revenues to North Sudan despite the ending of sharing on July 9, in accordance with the CPA. Deng reacted by counter-accusing his senior, Amum, of embezzling three million dollars and selling VIVACEL telephone company in South Sudan.
He also denied the sole responsibility of selling the oil, saying the process was blessed by the president of South Sudan.
