Dr. Majak Agoot Atem, the Deputy defence minister, may not accept position
5 min readAugust 31, 2011 (BOR) – The newly appointed deputy minister of defence and veteran affairs, Majak Agot Atem, has declined to say whether he will take up his position in South Sudan’s first independent government.
Atem told Sudan Tribune on Wednesday that he did not want to comment publicly on issue.
A source in Juba told Sudan Tribune that Atem had declined the position because he is overqualified to be a deputy minister. The Southern figure has a doctorate, holds the rank of Lieutenant General, actively participated in the civil war as well as the negotiating of the peace deal that led to South Sudan’s independence in July.
Sudan Tribune has been informed that Atem was called by elders and members of greater Bor community in Juba to try to persuade him to take up the offer. Atem, reportedly told them that he would consult his family before he declares his final position.
New ministers and deputies are expected to take their oaths of office on Thursday.
Atem is a member of Dinka Bor community, which has been mixed over whether or not they endorse the new cabinet.
The youth leader of Twic East County, Kuir Ajak said he supports Atem in his assertions saying if the government was formed based on qualifications, “why did they leave Dr. Lual Achuek and Philip Thon Leek?”
Philip Thon Leek, the former governor of Jonglei state from 2005-2007 was elected as an MP to the national assembly in Juba in the 2010 April general elections. Dr. Lual Achuek, was the former oil minister in Government of National Unity before South Sudan declared its independence and is now the MP in Juba assembly.
“I am not supporting Dr. Majak to leave the government for good. He has to complain but if nothing is accepted, then he has to take up his position as the deputy”, Ajak continued.
DINKA BOR SATISFACTION WITH CABINET
Members of the Dinka Bor community in Jonglei state said Wednesday that the composition of South Sudan’s new cabinet is fair, despite criticism from some of the tribes youth.
Dinka Bor returnees from Khartoum dancing at Malek High School in Bor in a ceremony organised to aid full reintergration back into their communities. February 26, 2011 (ST/John Actually)
A Juba-based Dinka Bor youth group called on Tuesday for those appointed to refuse to take their seats in the cabinet due to the overall under-representation of their community in the Juba executive. Since a 2005 peace deal South Sudan has been governed by the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM), the former rebel group which now controls the parliament of the independent republic.
The chairperson of the Greater Bor Community, Micheal Makuei Lueth told Sudan Tribune on Wednesday that his community is happy with the formation of the new cabinet and said the appointees from the area are committed to work with the government.
Makuei, who is also the new minister of Parliamentary Affairs, said he doesn’t understand why some members of Bor’s youth decided to stand against the SPLM-led government which they fought for during the 22 year civil war.
“I don’t know who they are. Dinka fought to liberate this country with other communities in the South. If we are given one ministerial post and three deputies, one advisor and one Chief whip, then it is ok”, said Makuei.
Makuei pointed out that Rebecca Nyandeng, the wife of the SPLM’s former leader John Garang, was appointed as an advisor to the president. The new chief whip, Atem Garang, the former deputy speaker of the National Assembly in Khartoum, is also from the area.
Like other politicians from South Sudan Atem Garang lost his position in the power sharing Khartoum government after the South seceded. As part of the 2005 deal between the SPLM and the National Congress Party, South Sudan was granted the right to self determination in a referendum, which saw a 98% vote for independence.
The announcement of the new cabinet by South Sudan’s president last week, received a mixed reaction across the country, as people hoped their region would be well represented.
According to Minister Makuei, the members of Dinka Bor community have accepted the appointment adding “that we are going in tomorrow [September 1] to take an oath”.
However, a Dinka Bor Youth group in Juba led by Juma Arok criticised the new cabinet, saying their community lacks representation in the new government and called upon the minister and three deputy ministers to refuse their appointment.
Another Bor youth group, under the interim chairmanship of Simon Thon Ayuen, unanimously and strongly dismissed the assertions made by the Juba-based Dinka Bor Youth as an unfair representation of Dinka Bor opinion.
“We call upon the president of the republic of South Sudan, the citizens of South Sudan and the people of Bor community in particular to disregard the claims” of the Juba-based youth group. A statement from the group said the allegation that Dinka Bor were being marginalised was baseless and “deserved no support of the Youth of Bor County”, a statement from the group said.
“In fact, the formation of the cabinet is fairly represented as all the regions, states and ethnicities in South Sudan have been recognised”, said one of the groups members.
The state minister of agriculture in Jonglei, Mayen Ngor cast-off the claims of youth in Juba and expressed his affirmation that the make-up of the government was fair. He said the youth had clearly not read South Sudan’s transitional constitution.
Mayen said the president has the prerogative to appoint the government and becomes legal after it is approved by the parliament, which happened on Wednesday.
The state minister said greater Bor has one ministerial position today but pointed out that Jonglei state had other appointees. Panjak and Akobo both have two ministerial positions from their communities.
He said the time will come when greater Bor will have two or three minister, while others have none.
“If you see the ministers who have been appointed regionally, there is no state that has brought more than five ministers except Jonglei. And if you go down, you will see that greater Akobo has two, greater Panjak has two and Bor has one but greater Pibor has nil”, said Minister Ngor.
“Time will come when Bor will have two… There are no criteria that Bor is the one to have two or three”, he continued.
He said that youth who had complained should familiarise themselves with South Sudan’s constitution before criticising the president or parliament.
(ST)
http://www.sudantribune.com/South-Sudan-Deputy-defence,40010
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