S. Sudan holdout group says decision to move away Makal county from Malakal ‘unacceptable’

JUBA – A South Sudan holdout opposition group has expressed rejection of the decision by the First Vice President and main armed opposition leader Dr. Riek Machar Teny to endorse the removal of Makal county from Upper Nile state’s capital Malakal.

On Friday, South Sudan’s minister of cabinet affairs Martin Elia Lomoro said Machar in a meeting he chaired and attended by him, the governor of Upper Nile state and his deputy as well as President Salva Kiir’s security advisor Tut Gatluak endorsed the removal of Makal county from Malakal and for the later to be constituted as a municipality.

In a statement, the United Democratic Revolutionary Movement/Army (UDRM/A) said it rejected the decision and termed it as unacceptable and further expressed shock over the decision which it condemned as being spearheaded by the Jieng Council of Elders.

“Cabinet Affairs Minister, Dr. Martin Elia Lomoro’s issued executive order curbing what it created as Makal County out of existing Malakal County in connivance with President Salva Kiir Mayardit and First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar Teny-Dhurgon is a devastating travesty of justice,” the statement signed by the group’s secretary-general Deng Vanang said.

“The order issued on Friday, 12th of March, 2021 is chocking to South Sudanese people previously and falsely made to believe the internal border disputes have been a thing of the past. In response to such unfortunate historical reversal, UDRM/A would like to join all the concerned political forces in condemning JCE’s continuous annexation policy in the country,” the statement added.

“By creating a fake county called Makal{ comprised of Warjowk Payam, Lilo Payam, Ogodo Payam and Wau Shilluk Payam as its Headquarters } outside Malakal town, which also doubles as capital city of Upper Nile State, is a serious mischief meant to drive out and rob Colo Kingdom of its known ancestral land.

“A callous move to cement Dinka Apadang’s unlawful claim over Malakal township, now a municipality under their own appointed Mayor. The executive order moreover rubbishes R-ARCISS that upholds the return of the country’s internal borders to Ist January, 1956 that subsequently enabled the annulment of 32 States and re-instatement of 10 States.

“This selective implementation of R-ARCISS, if moral conscience is not allowed to reign, will certainly role back currently experienced relative calm and  return the country to the darkest days of ful scale civil war. And let this be made known to everyone that selective and renegotiation of any peace agreement means non-implementation in its entirety.”