Shilluk representatives condemn Machar for endorsing ‘divisive’ removal of Makal county from Malakal

JUBA – A group of community leaders and politicians representing Makal county have condemned yesterday’s decision by First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar Teny to endorse the transfer of Makal county headquarters from Malakal to Wau Shilluk.

On Friday, minister of cabinet affairs Martin Elia Lomoro said in a statement to the state-owned South Sudan Broadcasting Corporation (SSBC) that a meeting chaired by Machar and attended by President Salva Kiir’s security advisor Tut Gatluak and the governor of Upper Nile state has resolved to separate Malakal town as municipality from Makal county headquarters which will now be transferred to Wau Shilluk.

In a statement extended to Sudans Post, a group of representatives of Makal county citizens condemned the decision and said teh announcement by the minister of cabinet affairs contravenes the outcome of a meeting they earlier had with the first vice president.

“We, the representatives of Makal county, met the first vice President Dr. Riek Machar, to register our deep concern about failed announcement of our County Commissioner. The meeting lasted about two hours at the end of which H.E. Dr. Riek expressed his satisfaction and assured us that the mistake involving failed announcement of the County Commissioner would be rectified sooner than later,” the statement reads in part.

“The decision relayed to the public by Dr. Martin Elia Lomoro in a press statement on Friday 12″ March following a meeting between Dr. Riek Machar, Hon. Tut Gatluak, the Presidential Advisor on Security, Dr. Martin Elia Lomoro, Hon. Budhoge Ayang Aney Kur, Governor of Upper Nile State and his Deputy Hon. James Tor Monybuny came to us not only as a surprise, but, indeed contrary to the spirit in which we discussed the matter with the First Vice President; if anything, the information we gave has been spined dishonestly to serve a hidden agenda,” they added.

“The Establishment Order of Makal County contained in a message No. 003/10/2004 dated 16/10/2004 specifically mentions Malakal as its capital. This provision does not contradict the status of Malakal as a Municipality or a City as is the practice in Juba, which houses the capital of the Republic of South Sudan as well as the capital of Central Equatoria State, Juba County, Juba Payam, Juba Boma and the Juba City Council.

“Therefore, reverting back the name of our County to Makal from Ogod is appreciable. We, the people of Makal County, condemn divisions being created by the decision in Lelo Payam through the creation of the so-called Wurjwok Payam and Wau Payam. We also reject, in the strongest possible terms, the attempts to separate Makal County from its capital in Malakal. We also reject the wrong practice of non citizens of a county taking major decisions without consultations with the indigenous people of a county.

“The available State Laws ought to be followed. Malakal town, over the decades, peacefully accommodated our people until the surge of ethnic ideology in the wake of CPA implementation. Since 2005, it has been a thorny road of conflict, hatred, tears and bloodshed. It is our cherished hope that the R-ARCSS ushers a new spirit of peaceful coexistence, social harmony and unity among our people.”