Jonglei deputy governor appeals for reinstatement of suspended minister

BOR – The deputy governor of South Sudan’s Jonglei State Atong Kuol Manyang has appealed to Governor Mahjoub Biel Turuk to lift the suspension of Isaac Mamer Ruk, the Minister of Housing, Land and Public Utilities.

Minister Ruk was suspended and placed under house arrest on January 22nd. He was accused of involvement in protests that led to the looting of Sudanese-owned shops following the killing of South Sudanese nationals by Sudanese armed forces in Wad Madani, Sudan.

In a letter to Governor Mahjoub yesterday, copied to the Jonglei State chairperson of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM), Atong stated that the governor suspended the minister without consulting the party.

“The charges you levelled against the Minister were on the bases of South Sudanese mass demonstration aggravated by the Sudan armed forces act of crackdown and slaughtering of South Sudan refugees in Al-Gezira state capital Wad Medani live in videos which disturbed the South Sudanese around the globe and international communities respectively,” Atong wrote.

“I am hereby calling for lifting of the said suspension of Hon. Isaac Mamer Ruk, the Minister of Housing Land and Public Utilities, Jonglei State to resume and exercise his constitutional mandates and duties in the state,” she added.

Atong emphasized that unrest occurred in nearly all parts of the country, arguing that Minister Ruk’s suspension was therefore baseless.

“The looting of Marol market among other security issues you claimed to have been planned by the Minister had happened almost in every state’s capital and Juba city, which were not initiated by the named Minister,” Atong wrote.

“The suspension falls under category of politically motivated and such as reaction towards individual constitutional post-holders can even jeopardized the spirit of peace agreement’s implementation and smooth running of the government operations,” she added.

Atong further accused Governor Mahjoub of planning to suspend SPLM ministers in the state government.

“Furthermore, you have been planning to suspend almost all the SPLM Ministers in the state government, terming their different opinions and loyalty to their own party as a crime,” Atong wrote.

“Therefore, I am also advising your Excellency, to discontinue such a plan if you have it on process because it can interrupt and devastate the state government operations while we are need of absolute peace,” she added.

Sudans Post attempts to reach the governor’s office for comment were unsuccessful as phone calls wrang unattended to.