Open letter to South Sudan minister of Presidential Affairs

‘- An Open Letter to Dr. Luka Biong Deng, GOSS Minister of Presidential Affairs, Juba, South Sudan

– Subject: Dr. Luka Biong Deng: You owe Citizens of Mading Aweil an Honest Apology

June 23, 2007

Honourable Dr. Luka Biong Deng:

We, the undersigned citizens of Northern Bahr El Ghazal, are hereby sending you this open letter in response to comments made by your Excellency in Melbourne, Australia, on April 20th, 2007 against our community, Mading Aweil, as you were sharing your thoughts about accusations and pending investigation involving former minister of finance and economic planning, Mr. Arthur Akuein Chol.

First and foremost, our decision to delay sending you this document was not that we swept your comments under the carpet, but we have been weighing appropriate course of action either to commensurate your provocative sentiment towards our community or soften the tone for the sake of our unity, peaceful co-existence and cordial friendship which your community and ours have enjoyed since time immemorial. After long and meticulous consultations amongst Aweil citizens both in Sudan and Diaspora, we have chosen the latter: addressing you and you alone as your unwarranted attack against our community and her esteem son was not sanctioned by anyone.

Honourable Dr. Luka Biong,

When corruption allegations surfaced within the ministry of finance and economic planning that led, respectively, to the dismissal and suspension of undersecretaries and minister, we, citizens of Northern Bahr El Ghazal, threw our full weight behind President Salva Kiir Mayardit and the investigation team. Our decision was based on two principal reasons. Firstly, as a community, we do not condone corruption nor do we stand by corrupt officials just because they hail from Aweil; we, however, believe in the notion that the accused is innocent until proven guilty and Mr. Arthur Akuein Chol is not an exceptional. Secondly, we thought that Mr. Arthur Akuein Chol would be given an opportunity to present his case in court of law to clear his reputable name. In short, we wanted law and order to take its natural course without undue interference from anyone. Since then we have stood by these basic principles. And we expected others, including GOSS officials of whom you are a member, to follow suit. It would not be out of norm to wait for the final decision of the court over the case in question before rushing to unfounded conclusion.

Unfortunately, we were surprised by your unwarranted, unjustified, and premature attack and condemnation – direct or otherwise – on our community and Mr. Arthur Akuein Chol. We as a community are disheartened to see your failure in distinguishing between Mr. Arthur Akuein Chol as an individual, or a political appointee for that matter, and the community he hails from. We are bothered by your remarks because they showed a deliberate intention to label an entire community for what it is not.

Honourable Dr. Biong,

Some of the signatories of this letter and friends of Mading Aweil who were part of your audience were disappointed and shocked: Your language and tone were more disdainful and sarcastic than any of them could possibly have imagined. Perhaps, it would be worth informing you that it was hard for your audience to believe what was unfolding in front of them – seeing honorable minister of the Government of South Sudan going as low as vilifying the entire group of people for what they knew nothing about. Sir, your belittling gesture and attitude was evident for all to see when you remarked:

“This minister of finance hails from a very big community and he thought no body would temper with him in terms of the respect, in terms of integrity, in terms of allegiance and in terms of mobilization and in terms of everything. He felt by all these he would be able to do things the way he wants. Now this minister decided to dismiss his senior staff the undersecretaries without consent and authorization from the council of the ministers so that he concealed some of his deeds.”

As if the language, tone, and attitude you adopted during your presentation weren’t degrading enough to our community and elder, Arthur Akuein Chol, you ventured and misinformed your audience by stating that:

“This minister of finance tried to use his community to intimidate the president and a lot of anger was on the internet, some would say it was not supposed that the immunity of the minister be lifted. Others said it was a marginalization of Bahr El Ghazal while others also said this is a gradual power snatching from Bahr El Ghazal .”

On alleged mobilization by Arthur Akuein, we would like to inform you that there were only two documents released on this subject and none was exclusively written by citizens of Mading Aweil. These two documents included a letter written by a group calling itself “Elders of Greater Bahr El Ghazal” and another written by “Concerned intellectuals of Bahr El Ghazal.” To the best of our knowledge, none of these letters called for undue vindication of the minister in question. Quite frankly, the two documents were independently written and neither of them was influenced, in any way, by Arthur Akuein Chol as you implicitly asserted during your lecture. If these documents were written by Arthur Akuein Chol’s community, it would have been known by many people including your audience in Australia who were shocked by your unprovoked attack and unsubstantiated accusations! Otherwise, we challenge you to publish any document written by Aweil Community or names of those whom you think were pressured by Arthur Akuein Chol to “intimidate the President” to do what was unlawful: exonerate Mr. Arthur Akuein Chol of his alleged crime.

Toward the end of your unfortunate lecture on Arthur Akuein Chol and by extension, Aweil community, you had this to say: “Although the minister of finance try [sic] to distance himself from all these, the events clearly indicate that he is a party to all these and we will work to prove our government right.”

Honourable Dr. Luka Biong Deng,

The key word in the statement above is “WILL.” The question that poses itself here is, if Mr. Arthur Akuein is not yet proven guilty in the court of law, why did you attack him in public? Why didn’t you wait for the findings of the investigation committee before making such hasty and premature conclusion on the case? What is the point of conducting the investigation if you, Dr. Luka Biong, have all the evidence needed to convict Mr. Arthur Akuein Chol?

Admittedly, we can not quite comprehend whether you were really addressing corruption allegation or were just settling some personal score against Aweil Community at large and Mr. Arthur in particular. However, judging from your contradictory statements, we find no reason to belief that you were addressing the corruption allegation, otherwise you should have waited for a final verdict on the subject. Your unnecessary attack on Mr. Arthur Akuein, in our opinion, will jeopardize the on-going investigation since people who hold sentiments similar to yours will almost certainly interfere with the investigation process in order to prove your “government right.” We, the signatories of this letter, find this possibility quite troubling.

Let it be known to you that, we, the signatories of this letter are “soldiers” of “zero tolerance” campaign against corruption. Our prime concern on this matter is your slanderous remarks against Aweil community as a whole and your premature condemnation and conviction of Mr. Arthur who is yet to appear in the court of law. In our collective opinion, treating Mr. Akuein innocent until proven otherwise in the court is, in a sense, the only civilized way of addressing allegations of this kind.

However, since you chose to deviate from legal and acceptable procedures accorded to matters similar to the present case, we cannot help but condemn, quite strongly, your recent speech in Melbourne, Australia, delivered on April 20th, 2007. And forthwith demand an honest apology from you which should be two-fold: firstly, to Mr. Arthur Akuein Chol who is legally innocent until proven otherwise pending court’s decision; secondly, to Aweil Community which has nothing to do with this case. It is our hope that you will not underestimate the anger and disappointment of the citizens of Mading Aweil.

Finally, we want to make it known, in unambiguous terms that citizens of Aweil community cannot and will not tolerate any unwarranted and generalized defamation against their community and people as was the norm in the past. We will never continue to be victims of public smear and defamation, gone are the days when people with questionable intentions would smear, belittle and slander this community at will and with impunity.

We look forward to receiving your honest response via: [email protected].

Thank you.

CC: (1) 1st Lt.Gen. Salva Kiir Mayardit, First Vice President of the Republic of Sudan, President of GOSS, Chairman and C-in-C (SPLM/A)

(2) Dr. Justin Yaac Arop, GOSS Cabinet Minister

(3) Mr. Arthur Akuein Chol, GOSS former Minister of Finance and Economic Planning

(4) Citizens of Mading Aweil in Sudan and Diaspora

Signed:

1. Ustaz Sabrino Majok Majok, Canada

2. Mr. Garang Kuot Kuot, Canada

3. Mr. Deng Deng Guruk, Canada

4. Dr. Mawien Mawien Akot, Canada

5. Mr. Ngong Akook Mading, Northern Sudan

6. Mr. Ayaga Garang Deng, Southern Sudan

7. Ms. Lily Akol Akol, USA

8. Mr. Dhor Aher Arol, USA

9. Mr. Malong Lual Diing, Southern Sudan

10. Mr. Mayuen Mou, Kenya

11. Mr. Peter Deng Mayen, Southern Sudan

12. Mr. Molana Dhan Luach, Canada

13. Mr. Santino Bol Ajith, USA

14. Mr. Deng Yel Akook, Canada

15. Mr. Aguer Deng Ajook, Australia

16. Mr. Angelo Wol Mawien, Canada

17. Mr. Peter Kuot Jel, Southern Sudan

18. Mr. Kuol Akech Dut, USA

19. Mr. Peter Dut Angon, USA

20. Mr. Majok Wek Lual, Southern Sudan

21. Mr. Ruay Deng Dut, Southern Sudan

22. Mr. Dut Mayen Machar, Australia

23. Mr. Baak Kuot

24. Mr. Yai Deng Garang

25. Mr. Garang Lual Atem, Canada

26. Mr. William Dor Athian, Southern Sudan

27. Mr. Longar Longar Jel, Southern Sudan

28. Mr. Yai Lual Nuair, Canada

29. Mr. Kiir Yor, Aweil, Sudan

30. Mr. Santino Atak Lual, Juba, Sudan

31. Mr. Ngor Arol Garang, Juba, Sudan

32. Mr. Barjok Maduok Akohn, Juba, Sudan

33. Mr. Ngong Kiir Ngong, USA

34. Mr. Andrew Kout Garang, USA

35. Mr. Mou Mou Ayol, Australia

36. Mr. Peter Garang Deng, Canada

37. Mr. Francis Deng Lual, Australia

38. Mr. Lino Ajang Ajang, Kenya

39. Mr. Lual Mathok Diing Wol, Canada

40. Mr. Angelo majok Angok, Canada

41. Mr. Mawien Bol Awendit, Canada

42. Mr. Wol malek Dut, U.S.A

43. Mr. Giir Wol Aken, Australia

44. Mr. Samuel Yai Deng, Southern Sudan

45. Mr. Lino Lual Machar, Southern Sudan

46. Mr. Arkangelo Gaudensio Wol, USA

47. Mr. Gai Magiet Ngong Ngor, UK

48. Mr. Garang Dhieu, USA

49. Mr. Ngor Ngor Kuany, Southern Sudan

50. Mr. Diing Wol Mabior, Canada

51. Mr. Mareng Chuor Deng, Kenya

52. Mr. Mel Garang Yuot, Canada

53. Mr. Garang Yel Yel Mawien, UK

54. Ms. Abuk Donato Deng Makuec, UK

55. Mr. James Garang Tong Akol, UK

56. Ms. Syeda Abed Mansour, UK

57. Mr. Atak Garang Diing Akol, UK

58. Ms. Ang’er Deng Maker, Canada

59. Mr. Tong Albino Akol Akol, Canada

60. Mr. Barnaba Aguer Deng, Kenya

61. Mr. Ruay Dut Akol Ruay, Kenya

62. Mr. Samuel Mayuol Akol, Kenya

63. Mr. Mathon Wek, UK

64. Mr. Garang Garang Diing, UK

65. Dr. Ngor Aleu Kuac, UK

66. Mr. Santino Ngor Akok, Netherlands

67. Ms. Ayak Ajou Deng, Netherlands

68. Mr. Wieu Diany Kon, Netherlands

69. Mr. James Anei Athain, Netherlands

70. Ms. Ayak Garang Kuac, Netherlands

71. Ms. Akec Deng Akot Geng, Netherlands

72. Mr. Micheal Kuan Mathiet, Netherlands

73. Mr. Deng Chan Wek, Netherlands

74. Mr. Akol Garang Diing, UK

75. Ms. Amok Mawien Diing, UK

76. Mr. Garang Akol Akol, Netherlands

77. Mr. Akec Kur Kur, UK

78. Mr. James Arol Mou Anyar, Aweil, Sudan

79. Mr. Mou Aluk Deng, Aweil, Sudan

80. Mr. John Chan Akol, Wau, Sudan

81. Mr. Mou Kuan Adim, Wau, Sudan

82. Mr. Martha Akot Sunday, Juba, Sudan

83. Mr. Hon. Garang Dau, Aweil, Sudan

84. Mr. Deng Garang Deng, Khartoum, Sudan

85. Mr. James Mawien Deng Arol, Aweil, Sudan

86. Mr. Nyanut Akol Bak, Juba, Sudan

87. Mr. Garang kuan Ngor, Juba, Sudan

88. Hon. Bol Akok Mayual, Juba, Sudan

89. Mr. Angok Achual Berjok, Juba, Sudan

90. Mr. John Garang Yak, Juba, Sudan

91. Mr. James Kuol Garang, Juba, Sudan

92. Mr. Garang Mayout, Juba, Sudan

93. Mr. Garang Deng, Juba, Sudan

94. Mr. William Madhan Akok, Khartoum, Sudan

95. Mr. Akol Madhan, Gezeria, Sudan

96. Mr. Akol Dut Dut, Dongola, Sudan

97. Mr. Aguer Kuel Kuel, USA

98. Mr. Bol Gai, U.SA

99. Mr. Awach Anei Wal, U.SA

100. Mr. Isaac Mabior Nyang, USA

101. Mr. Marror Marror Kur, Australia

102. Mr. Mawien Mou Mawien, USA

103. Molana Ashuein Alor, Canada

104. Ms. Nyanut Akol Akol Tong, Canada

105. Mr. Luka Malong Malok, Canada