SPLM’s minister of oil in Khartoum fiercely criticized for supporting unity

September 1, 2010 (JUBA) – A southern Sudanese politician representing the south’s governing party – the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) – as minister for oil in the national government in Khartoum has come under fierce criticism for voicing his support to maintain the unity of Sudan.

The Sudanese oil minister Lual Deng became the first high profile Southern figure to publicly express his support for the country’s unity ahead of a self-determination referendum due to take place early next year in the South.

Most observers expect an overwhelming vote in favor of independence after two decades of bitter civil war (1983-2005) that claimed an estimated 2 million lives.
Since independence in 1956 the south has complained that mainly Arab-Muslim north has marginalized the region.

Despite this, the oil minister who is from Bor Jonglei State as the former SPLM leader the late John Garang said that unity is a better option for the southern Sudanese.

“I’m a unionist in the footsteps of a unitary leader [late SPLM leader] John Garang de Mabior. We studied for PhD together at the University of Iowa. But I consider myself his disciple. The reason for this was that I was, initially, a separatist. But Garang convinced me on the virtues of one Sudan,” Deng said in an interview with the London based Al-Sharq Al-Awsat newspaper during a private visit to Washington.

The statements by the minister have angered both politicians and ordinary people in southern Sudan. A member of the SPLM in the Southern Sudan Legislative Assembly in Juba, Arop Madut, criticized the comments made by Lual Deng, describing him as somebody who behaved as if he did not eat three meals a day in his life time until he became the minister of oil in Khartoum.

Arop, who represents Abyei in the Juba-based parliament, said during his interview on Southern Sudan Television (SSTV) on Tuesday and Wednesday that Lual Deng – whom he also explained that his real name is Lual Achuek, but had to prefer ‘Deng’ instead of ‘Achuek’ – was not following the footsteps of late John Garang as he claimed.

He said late John Garang was for a unity based on justice and equality while the unity Lual Achuek called for had no basis.

Daniel Dut from the University of Juba also criticized the minister for his unity stance, saying Lual commented without evaluating whether unity had been made attractive or not on the new basis.

“I think the minister [Lual Deng] was simply commenting to please the National Congress Party in his new job in Khartoum because his support for unity had no basis. It sounded as if he was supporting unity just for the sake of it,” he said.

The minister of oil however acknowledged that if referendum was to take place today it will be in favour of independence. He also expressed optimism that confidence building measures between the north and south over the next four months may avert such outcome.

The southern figure said that the people of southern Sudan are already ruling their own region with a substantial presence in the federal government with opportunities not even available for Northerners.

“What do we [southerners] want more than that?” Deng asked.

Dut in his reaction to the question posed by the minister said he was stunned by the unfortunate copying of the question from northerners, adding that the South wants something more than semi-autonomous administration or some jobs in the federal government.

“We want freedom as an independent nation, justice, equality and development,” he said.

(ST)