JUBA — The embattled Chief Whip of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-Former Detainees (SPLM-FD) in the Transitional National Legislative Assembly, Isaiah Hakim Garang, on Thursday labelled senior party figures, Madut Biar Yel and Dr. Majak D’Agoot, as “dark forces” working against the state and the party.
Garang made the remarks amid an escalating leadership dispute within the SPLM-FD, following his recent removal from the position by the party leadership.
His comments came after three senior figures within the Former Detainees—General Gier Chuang Aluong, Madut Biar Yel, and Dr. Majak D’Agoot—revoked his party membership with immediate effect.
They accused him of making public statements on behalf of the group without authorization and said his conduct violated its code of conduct and internal rules.
The internal dispute has deepened in recent days, with rival figures exchanging accusations over leadership, party discipline, and statements made without authorization.
Addressing the media at a press conference on Thursday in Juba, Garang, SPLM-FDs’ Chief Whip reportedly accused Biar and Majak of working against the interests of the state, referring to them as “dark forces” in the ongoing political dispute.
“So I want to tell the media houses and all the South Sudanese that these are dark forces working against our state and our party,” Garang told media on Thursday.
Garang rejected the decision to be expelled from Former Detainees, saying those who issued the order do not represent the group and describing the document as “not authentic.”
“In their letter they are claiming that they disown me and they dismiss me from the group of former political detainees. First of all, I want to make clarification on that. This document is not an authentic document,” Garang said.
He accused Majak D’Agoot, a former deputy minister of defense and senior party figure, of being behind his dismissal from the party.
“Number one, comrade Madut Biar, who is a member of the parliament, is not in Juba. Madut Biar is in Aweil. Gier Chuang Aluong is not in Juba either; he is in Nairobi. Someone who is in Juba is Majak De’Agoot. He is the one who did this document. And the reason is very simple.”
Garang urged Madut Biar Yel and Dr. Majak D’Agoot to form their own political party rather than dragging the Former Detainees into their internal dispute.
“They don’t want to join SPLM, and they want to drive the former political detainees after they learn Honorable Deng Alor is sick in Nairobi,” he said.
“These are opportunists in our hierarchy. In the executive, Deng Alor is the chair of the group, which is a member of the political bureau. Automatically, in the parliament, I am the chief whip.”
He accused the two leaders of attempting to blackmail the party leadership and using the Former Detainees for their personal gain.
“According to our seniority in the government, I am the senior member of the former political detainees according to our arsis in the government. So I want to tell our leadership in the party,” he said.
“We are not going to allow these people to blackmail our leadership. And they want to use the former political detainees for their personal interests and to allow people to go against our government.”
