Sudan Unity State deny any attempt on the life of Machar’s wife
January 3, 2009 (KHARTOUM) – The Unity State today firmly denied that a government official in South Sudan escaped an assassination attempt while visiting the region.
Mayak said that the state minister of energy Angelina Mang was in town to celebrate Christmas in Alair area on December 23rd without notifying the authorities.
The Unity state official accused Mang of conducting political meetings and inviting individuals who are “troublemakers” on December 26.
He further said that dispute broke out between Mang’s bodyguards and one of the meeting attendees who had a gun.
This week the daily Al-Sharq Al-Awsat newspaper published in London reported that Mang, Mang, who is the spouse of South Sudan Vice president Riek Machar, escaped unharmed after an unidentified gunman pulled a gun at her but did not fire.
The newspaper said that the assassin was taken into custody before he could fire any shots at the Sudanese official.
Mang told the newspaper that the motives behind the assassination attempt is political though she did not accuse anyone of standing behind it.
However she identified the assassin as a member of the Sudan People Liberation Movement (SPLM) in Alair area.
John Mayak said Mang reported the incident afterwards but refused to cooperate with the local authorities prompting a violent clash after her security detail attacked the police leaving one person dead and others injured.
He said the incident was aimed at promoting unrest in the Alair area but that authorities dealt with the matter swiftly.
Al-Sharq Al-Awsat said that the incident is part of a power struggle within the Nuer tribe between Machar and the governor of the Unity state Taban Deng.
Deng has in the past accused Machar of attempting to remove him from office and make his wife the governor of this oil rich state.
(ST)