South Sudan’s SPLM SG resigns from his ministerial position
July 18, 2011 (JUBA) – The Secretary General of the ruling party in South Sudan,
the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM), Pagan Amum, is said to have
submitted his resignation from his ministerial position of Peace and CPA
Implementation, Sudan Tribune has learnt.
president has not yet approved the submission by Amum, the SPLM SG as a result
did not show up to take oath of office as a caretaker minister with the rest of
ministers last Sunday, July 10, despite his reappointment by the president to
temporarily remain as caretaker in his ministry until the new cabinet is formed.
Amum was appointed last year as the minister in the newly created portfolio of
peace ministry and recently led the SPLM delegation to the talks in the
Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, over the issue of Abyei.
The SPLM official further told Sudan Tribune that Amum’s resignation may further
affect his current position as the Secretary General of the party and may as
well resign from the party position.
There was no clear explanation given as to why he decided to resign at this
moment. Different speculations by officials suggest that Amum has recently
differed with his boss, the SPLM chairman, Salva Kiir Mayardit, over issues not
specified.
Others say the new government to be formed does not allow party cadres holding
positions in the party secretariat, such as Amum, to also work at the same time
as constitutional post holders in the government.
Amum recently also exchanged counter-accusations with his junior in the party,
the former federal minister of petroleum in Khartoum, Lual Achuek Deng.
The SG accused the former petroleum minister of betraying South Sudan by
illegally giving 40% of July share of the oil revenues to North Sudan despite
the ending of sharing on July 9, in accordance with the CPA. Deng reacted by
counter-accusing his senior, Amum, of embezzling three million dollars and
selling VIVACEL telephone company in South Sudan.
He also denied the sole responsibility of selling the oil, saying the process
was blessed by the president of South Sudan.
(ST)